Using different conceptual change methods embedded within 5E model: A sample teaching of Endothermic

Now we will present how to adjust the related conceptual change methods within the 5E model (Engagement/Enter, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration and Evaluation).

Before handing out the worksheet, the teacher asks the first question on the worksheet to solicit students’ pre-existing knowledge and to activate them: ‘What is the direction of energy in an endothermic reaction or exothermic reaction? How can we show these changes using diagrams?”

Since students are divided into small groups of 3-4 students, the teacher hands out the worksheet. Then, (s)he asks them to engage in the related activities by conducting a group discussion. Through discussion, students acquire some ideas about the related concepts. Next, the teacher observes all groups and participates in their discussions but refrains from any clue (called Socratic Dialogue). Also, the teacher may ask follow-up questions in order to get students to re-consider their ideas.

Analog	Compare to	Target Feature
Beginning money	Compared to	Potential reactant energy
Ending money	Compared to	Potential product energy
Unhappy ending	Compared to	Negative ∆H (-)
Losing money	Compared to	Releasing energy
Borrowed money	Compared to	Activation energy where reactants are activated with an increase in potential energy as a result of the energy transfer
Money	Does not compare to	Energy is not concrete like money
Borrowing money (10 YTL)	Does not compare to	Activation energy cannot be paid back. However, money does need to be paid back
Unhappy ending	Does not compare to	The negative ∆H (-) chemical reaction occurs spontaneously
Cumulative money changes over time	Does not compare to	A sudden event occurs where exothermic reaction takes place

First, in this phase, a class discussion is conducted to get students to notice what their peers thought. Then, the teacher confirms/disconfirms students’ experiences. To discriminate analogs from the targeted feature, analogy maps (see Table 1 and Table 2) are utilized. The teacher should pay special attention to discern the difference between an Unhappy end and Negative ∆H (-) and a Happy ending and Positive ∆H (+). Even though there is an unhappy ending in our story for exothermic reactions, an opposite situation where chemical reaction occurs spontaneously can happen in reality. Likewise, despite the happy ending for endothermic reactions, a contrasting situation where the chemical reaction does not take place spontaneously exists in reality. Such an explanation may frustrate any different meaning.

Analog	Compare to	Target Feature
Beginning money	Compared to	Potential reactant energy
Ending money	Compared to	Potential product energy
Happy ending	Compared to	Positive ∆H (+)
Making a profit	Compared to	Absorbing energy
Borrowed money	Compared to	Activation energy where reactants are activated with an increase in potential energy as a result of energy transfer
Money	Does not compare to	Energy is not concrete like money
Borrowing money (25 YTL)	Does not compare to	Activation energy cannot be paid back. However, the money does need to be paid back.
Happy ending	Does not compare to	Positive ∆H (+) because this means that the chemical reaction does not occur spontaneously
Cumulative money changes over time	Does not compare to	A sudden event may occur where endothermic reaction takes place

In this stage the priority is to generate a new concept related to earlier conceptual gains, and so a conceptual change text (Appendix B) is handed out. Students’ alternative conceptions, which are not modified in earlier steps, may be refuted. In this step, as well as the presented conceptual change text, are meant to introduce new concepts related to previous ones. Additionally, a new conceptual change text on energy conservation and energy transformation concepts may be used.

To advocate students’ newly constructed conceptions in this phase, the following question is used: (1) Please choose the subsequent phenomena’s type(s) (endothermic or exothermic) (a) condensation of rain from water vapor, (b) burning sugar, (c) conversion of frost to water vapor and (d) cooking an egg. Further, to make students conscious of their learning, they are asked to outline what they have learned.