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

Conceptual change texts were photocopied. Each copy was divided into sections. The students worked with conceptual change texts individually, then the teacher discussed the texts using an overhead projector and had the entire class participate. Each practice of the conceptual change lasted nearly 15-20 minutes.

The first section of the conceptual change texts was distributed to the students. Students’ recall their own ideas without being affected by the right and wrong answers that take place in the second and third sections. After all the students had written their answers, students who volunteered shared their answers with the class.

The other sections of the conceptual change texts were distributed to the students. The wrong ideas and their reasons were read. The reasoning of why the concepts were wrong was emphasized, and the right ideas and their reasons were read. Students then moved to the fourth section to prove the right ideas. Students were asked to read the text silently for this section. In the last section, an activity was done with the participation of the whole class. The questions of the “Let’s Get to a Conclusion” section were answered with the whole class participating. Especially with the last questions, a discussion gave a lot of students an opportunity to speak. The “Incident Case Investigation” conceptual change text is in the appendix.