Using a conceptual change text as a tool to teach the nature of science in an explicit reflective approach

It is possible to develop conceptual change texts in different forms. The conceptual change texts that were prepared should have certain requirements to meet specific goals. Posner et al (1982) defined these requirements as:

1. Dissatisfaction: The students and the scientists do not need to change their cognitive structures because their existing concepts prove useful. Therefore, in order to realize the conceptual change, there must be existing concepts in the unresolved problems. In this way, the person should be disturbed by his/her present state of mind, and he/she should feel the need to change.

2. Intelligibility: The new concept must be presented clearly, simply and with understanding; what is said must be relevant with other concepts so that the students understand. Analogy, tables, Venn diagrams, metaphors and so on can be used for comprehension.

3. Plausibility: The new knowledge must be reasonable, acceptable, plausible and coherent and must fit with the student’s prior knowledge. The new concept must prove useful in the solution of the problem.

4. Fruitfulness: The new concepts must be used in the solution of the encountered problem, and it must have the ability to draw the students to new research and discoveries. One of the ways to fulfil this requirement is to mention what kinds of benefits the information brings to the scientists. For example, teachers can explainthat any theory that is put forward about an atom forms the basis for the following theory; for example nuclear energy was produced by the studies conducted about the atom and equipment like microscopes and telescopes were invented with the discovery of lenses. These findings have contributed to humanity for the cure and diagnosis of illnesses as well as the space explorations.

Researchers tried to meet this criteria using the conceptual change texts. An example was used to explain which sections were developed conceptual change texts were developed from and what conditions of the texts were to be achieved in each.

Section 1: In this section, students are asked a question, and they are asked to write the answers in the given blanks. There are also pictures to attract the attention of the students. The students’ answers given in this section reveal their misconceptions. The first part of the conceptual change text is called, “Despite the Observations by Telescope,” and is given below.

Conceptual Change Text: Despite the Observations by Telescope

All the communities in the world deal with science. Human beings whose religious beliefs, lifestyles, culture and traditions are different from each other contribute to science. For example, Dutch, American, Greek and Muslim scientists conducted studies on the qualities of light. Do the culture, traditions and customs, lifestyle and beliefs of a society affect a scientist’s scientific knowledge? Write your answer in the blanks.

Section 2: The table shows common misconceptions and the reasons of these misconceptions form. This is the second part of the conceptual change texts. Sulky emoticons were used to represent the incorrect ideas in this table. The incorrectness of the views is stated below the table. In the first two sections of the conceptual change texts students were made aware of their ideas; they checked whether their ideas were wrong or not, they were disturbed by their way of thinking and they were made ready to change their ideas. The second part of conceptual change text, called “Despite the Observations by Telescope,” is given below.

Wrong ideas
	According to many people, science is not affected by beliefs, traditions and the lifestyle of a society because when science is affected by social life, we believe that every society has its own science. So we can defend this idea because we wouldn’t be able to talk about shared knowledge that is accepted worldwide.
	We think that scientific knowledge is perceived in the same way all over the world by everybody.

These views are wrong scientifically.

Section 3: This section outlines the correct answer to the question and explains why it is true. The table uses smiley face expressions in this section. Intelligibility should be provided. The third part of conceptual change text called, “Despite the Observations by Telescope,” is given below.

The correct answer to the question is given below.

Right ideas
	Science is affected by the traditions, religion, lifestyle, needs, natural disasters and epidemic illnesses. For example, scientific developments that differ from the religious beliefs of a society may not be accepted.

Section 4: Reading texts in this section include examples from science, history and activities to prove correct concepts. This section was prepared to make the right ideas seem reasonable, so that students accept them. In order to prevent students from being passive, the conceptual change texts used experiments and activities. The fourth part of conceptual change text, called “Despite the Observations Done by Telescope,” is given below.

It is possible to explain our correct views with an example. In the Medieval Ages, the European societies were living under pressure from the church. During this period it was believed that the Earth didn’t move but the Sun, and the other stars went around the Earth. According to this belief, the Earth didn’t go around the Sun, but the Sun went around the Earth. In the same period, a scientist called Galileo did space observations by using telescope for the first time. As a result of these observations, he explained that the Earth went around the Sun. Because Galileo’s ideas went against what was said in the Bible, he was called into court by the church. Galileo apologized to court because of his ideas. However, time justified Galileo. It is known today that the Earth and the other planets go around the sun.

Section 5: In this section, there are questions about the scientific concepts that are dealt with and the nature of science which they are related to. When the students answer these questions, they discover the intended results on their own by completing the activities and reading the texts. This situation supports the plausibility criteria of conceptual change. The last questions of the “Let’s Get to a Conclusion” section ask for examples that parallel the correct answer. With these questions, both the fruitfulness criteria of the conceptual change approach and the reflective part of the direct reflection approach are fulfilled. The fifth part of the conceptual change text, called “Despite the Observations Done by Telescope,” is given below.

Let’s get to conclusion

1. What was the movement of the Sun and the Earth like in 1600s according to the Bible?

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2. In the same period what was the movement of the Sun and the Earth like according to Galileo?

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3. How did Galileo gather information about the movement of the Earth and the Sun?

4. Why was Galileo punished?

5. Does science effect the belief, tradition, customs and lifestyle, etc.? Please explain with examples.