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

Educational researchers maintain that, teaching science through designing technology has significant educational potential. Pupils could be more familiar with and discuss scientific concepts, when they are engaged in designing and building technological artifacts (Roth, 2001; Sidawi, 2009). In addition, students can convert abstract concepts involved in their design into concrete concepts in their mind (ITEA, 2003, 2007). In this study we focus on the effects of designing technology activities while learning some specific concepts such as Air Resistance, Gravity, Terminal Velocity and Acceleration related to building a model parachute.