Analysis of the Conceptual Change of Bacteria by Science Writing Heuristic Activity

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a science writing program regarding bacteria for elementary school students and to identify whether it can be used not only for an instructional strategy but also for analyzing conceptual change in science education. For the study, a science writing model was composed of five processes: searching, writing activity, opinion sharing, rewriting, and assessment. by which the writing program was constructed with seven topics on bacteria for elementary students. A total of twenty four students of 6th graders in public elementary school were participated in this program implementation. Three students who achieved their own different conception were selected by the test for Bacteria conception after the program and their writing products were collected. Their three different conceptual change patterns through the entire intervention were compared. It turned out that science writing was appropriate to be represented students' conceptual change undergoing. Their conceptual change patterns had been even getting sophisticated and refined gradually. Science writing in elementary science classes makes it possible for non-scientific concepts to turn into scientific ones and also can be used as a assessment tool analyzing the processes of conceptual change. This program can be used not only as an effective instructional strategy but also a assessment tool which can analyze the level and the degree of learning through observing the process of continual sophistication and refinement.