Effectiveness of technological design on elementary student teachers' understanding of air resistance, gravity, terminal velocity and acceleration: Model parachute race activity

Table 1 showing levels of understanding of concepts of Air Resistance, Gravity, Terminal Velocity and Acceleration according to data analysis is presented below.

**Table 1.** Codes (understanding levels) for the concepts of Air Resistance, Gravity, Terminal Velocity and Acceleration
Concepts	Levels
Air Resistance	Level 1	Incomplete definition of air resistance, and giving misinformation
	Level 2	Explaining the concept of air resistance at knowledge level
	Level 3	Making scientific definition of the concept of air resistance, associating the concept with daily life, and giving examples from one’s environment about the concept
Gravity	Level 1	Incomplete definition of the concept of gravity at knowledge level, and misinformation about the concept
	Level 2	Defining the concept of gravity at comprehension level, and explaining it with different concepts,
	Level 3	Making scientific definition of the concept of gravity and giving examples about the concept
Terminal Velocity	Level 1	Failure in defining the concept of terminal velocity, or giving misinformation
	Level 2	Defining the concept of terminal velocity at knowledge level, and explaining the concept through association with other concepts one knows
	Level 3	Defining the concept of terminal velocity, giving simple examples or associating the concept with daily life
Acceleration	Level 1	Now knowing the concept of accelerated motion or giving misinformation
	Level 2	Defining the concept of accelerated motion at knowledge level, expressing it through association with other concepts one knows
	Level 3	Defining the concept of accelerated motion and supporting it with examples from phenomena and events in one’s environment

The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” Activity on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Air Resistance

The change in groups’ levels of understanding the concept of Air Resistance formed based on data obtained before and after the application is presented in Figure 2.

Fig. 2: The Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Air Resistance

While examining Figure 2, it could be seen that levels of understanding of Group 2 and Group 4 did not vary before and after application (L3). It is understood that Group 7's levels of understanding the concept of Air Resistance did not vary before and after the application (L2). While understanding levels of Group 1 and Group 3 were Level 1 before application, their levels rose to Level (L2) after the application. It was seen that understanding levels of Group 5 and Group 6 rose to Level 3 (L3) from Level 2 (L2). Within this context, in the interview conducted with elementary student teachers’ representing Group 5 before the application, Air Resistance was defined as, "The force applied to an m mass object while it is descending from a particular height.” (L2: Expressing the concept of air resistance at knowledge level). It was seen that, after the application, the concept was defined as, “Air resistance can be defined as a force making a reverse direction effect on motion of an object; for example considering the parachute we made, I can say that the force preventing descending from a particular height is air resistance” (L3: Making scientific definition of the concept of air resistance, associating it with daily life and giving examples from one's own environment). Drawings of Group 5 related to the concept of Air Resistance before and after the application are given in Figure 3.

Fig. 3: Sample Drawing Related to the Concept of Air Resistance Before and After the Application

The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Gravity

The change in groups’ level of understanding the concept of Gravity became evident based on data obtained before and after the application is presented in Figure 4.

Fig. 4: The Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Gravity

While examining Figure 4, it will be seen that levels of Groups 1, 3, 4 and 5 did not vary before and after application, and their levels are respectively L2, L2, L3 and L1. It was seen that while levels of Groups 2 and 7 were Level 1 (L1) before the application, they rose to Level 3 (L3) after the application. While level of Group 6 was Level 2 (L2) before the application, it rose to Level 3 (L3) after application. In this context, it was seen that, in the interview conducted with elementary student teachers’ representing Group 7 before the application, the concept of Gravity was defined as, "The place covered by object or the place covered by mass in the space.” (L1: Incomplete definition of the concept of gravity at knowledge level, and misinformation), while the concept was defined as, “Gravity is the gravitational force affecting the object. For example, if the object attached to parachute is heavier, parachute falls more rapidly.” after the application. (L3: Making scientific definition of the concept of gravity, and giving examples). Drawings of Group 7 related to the concept of gravity before and after application are given in Figure 5.

Fig. 5: Sample Drawing Related to the Concept of Gravity Before and After the Application

The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” Activity on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Terminal Velocity

The change in groups’ level of understanding the concept of Terminal Velocity formed based on data obtained before and after the application is presented in Figure 6.

Fig. 6: The Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Terminal Velocity

Upon examining Figure 6, it is seen that levels of Group 1 and Group 6 did not vary before application and after application; they are respectively L3 and L1. It was seen that while the level of Group 5 was Level 1 (L1) before the application, it rose to Level 2 (L2) after the application. It was understood that while levels of Groups 3, 4 and 7 were Level 2 (L2) before the application, their levels rose to Level 3 (L3) after the application. It was determined that while the level of Group 2 was Level 1 (L1) before the application, it became Level 3 (L3) after application. In this context, while the concept of Terminal Velocity was defined as, “If an object has a terminal velocity, it has acceleration, but it is a constant value” in the interview conducted with elementary student teachers’ representing Group 2 before the application (L1: Failing to define the concept of terminal velocity motion or giving misinformation), it was defined as,“It is the speed of an object not changing in the course of time. For instance, the parachute we made has firstly an accelerated motion and then a terminal velocity motion.” after the application. (L3: Defining the concept of terminal velocity, giving simple examples or associating the concept with daily life). Concept map of Group 2 related to the concept of Terminal Velocity before and after application is given in Figure 7.

Before and After the Application

Fig. 7: Sample Drawing Related to the Concept of Terminal Velocity Before and After the Application

The Effect of “Model Parachute Race” Activity on Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Acceleration

The change in groups’ level of understanding the concept of Acceleration formed based on data obtained before and after the application is presented in Figure 8.

Fig. 8: The Change in Elementary Student Teachers’ Levels of Understanding the Concept of Acceleration

While examining Figure 8, it will be seen that the level of Group 3 did not vary before and after the application, that is to say, it was Level 3 (L3). It was seen that while the level of Group 5 was Level 1 (L1) before the application, it rose to Level 2 (L2) after the application. It was realized that while the level of Group 6 was Level 1 before the application, it rose to Level 3 (L3) after the application. While levels of Groups 1, 2, 4 and 7 were Level 2 before the application, they rose to Level 3 after the application. In this context, it was seen that in the interview conducted with prospective teacher representing Group 6 before the application, prospective teacher defined the concept of Acceleration as; "It is the concept not varying according to speed of the object” (L1: Not knowing the concept of accelerated motion and giving misinformation), prospective teacher stated, “It is the change occurring in speed of an object in a unit of time. For instance, I can say that when our parachute is released, it has an accelerated motion after a particular period of time due to the change occurring in its speed” after the application (L3: Defining the concept of accelerated motion, and supporting it with examples from phenomena and events in one's environment). The concept map of Group 6 related to the concept of acceleration before and after application is given in Figure 9.

Fig. 9: Sample Drawing Related to the Concept of Acceleration Before and After the Application