DEVELOPMENT OF COURSE ON PRACTICE OF COGNITIVE CONFLCIT STRATEGY FOR PHYSICS TEACHERS

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to develop a course on the practice of the cognitive conflict strategy for physics teachers. As such, a graduate-level course was designed and twenty-one physics teachers were enrolled. During the course, each teacher developed two cognitive conflict materials for demonstration along with teaching plans to apply the materials. To improve the course, the participants were given a questionnaire and interviewed to discern their opinions about the cognitive conflict strategy. Data was collected based on the questionnaires, interviews, and videotapes. Most physics teachers confirmed that the cognitive conflict strategy is important and has a good effect on changing students' conceptions when learning physics. However, difficulties were experienced when developing cognitive conflict materials and applying then to a classroom context. Accordingly, the current article suggests certain implications for the science pedagogical curriculum including the development and application of cognitive conflict materials.