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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 18, Issue 2, Article 16 (Dec., 2017) |
Qualitative research method was preferred for this research as the researcher undertakes the role of participator, demonstrates a holistic approach, facilitates easy reveal of perception, and as the research holds a pattern of flexibility and inductive analysis. Qualitative researches employ the attempt of studying, identifying and understanding conditions, social facts, norms and values (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2008). Content analysis model of qualitative research method was preferred in this study, as the main purpose is to identify levels of knowledge and misconceptions of mathematics teacher-candidates on unit conversion and dimensional analysis in physics classes. Yıldırım & Şimşek (2008) also refer to the purpose of content analysis as achieving concepts and relationships that can explain the data collected. It is required to conceptualize the data collected at first, then organize them in a logical way in accordance with the concepts emerged, and therefore to identify the themes that explain meanings of the data. There are four steps, such as processing qualitative research data obtained from documents, coding data and identifying themes, organizing the codes and themes, describing the findings and their interpretation (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2008; Miles & Huberman, 1994). Also in this study, encoding operations were performed based on the elected criteria and screening, and then various themes were achieved. After this stage the data were arranged, grouped by themes, and presented numerically where appropriate. Finally, comments on findings were presented.
This research was conducted for the purpose of determining knowledge conditions on Unit Conversion and Dimensional Analysis of a total of 66 university students, 50 of which were females and 16 males, all of whom studied at state university for the summer period of 2015-2016 academic year.
A questionnaire consisting of (5 open-ended questions) 3 unit conversion and 2 dimensional analysis, was used as a data collection tool, by also utilizing from the technical literature (Kaplan et al, 2014; Serway & Jevett, 2000). Other than the participants, questions prepared were also offered for the consideration of two expert lecturers from physics and mathematics teaching so as to ensure the suitability and validity in terms of content and purpose.
The findings of the research were obtained with an open-ended questionnaire. Questions are grouped in a way that consists of units and dimension analysis themes. Student responses and remarks were encoded by researchers separately, then grouped unanimously to be analyzed as full understanding (FU), partial understanding (PU), misunderstanding (MU), and not understanding (NU) (Abraham et al, 1994).
Responses given by the candidate teachers were put into qualitative analysis through open encoding method, while codes were supported with direct quotes from students' words. While quoting directly from students' words, students were numbered respectively and considering the gender factor the letters (F) for female and (M) for male were put before the numbers.
