Abstract:
Scientific models and model-based activities have an important place in learning
scientific topics and concepts. The aim of this research, which was designed based on
the importance of model-based education and conducted in a mixed research design,
is to determine how middle school students' model perceptions and modeling levels
change as a result of two different interventions, lessons conducted with scientific
model training and model-based activities. Within the scope of the research,
quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed from four different
classes. The focus of the research is based on revealing how the model perceptions and
modeling levels of students who are trained about the nature of scientific models and
who engaged in model design activities changed compared to students who did not
receive training and did not engage in activities. The study group includes 80 middle
school students from four different classrooms. Data were collected using the Students’
Understanding of Models in Science Scale and the Student Models Evaluation Rubric.
Data from three groups (training, modeling, training and modeling) and one control
group were compared and analyzed. The results showed that in the model-based
teaching process, the education given about the nature of scientific models and the
middle school science lessons conducted through the modeling activity did not lead to
a significant change in the modeling levels and model perception of the classes before
and after the intervention. However, significant differences were observed in the
groups where the modeling activity was carried out in terms of the purpose of the
model and the communication elements of the model. Within the scope of the study,
various suggestions were made based on the literature and the findings of the research
in order to improve students' modeling levels and perception of scientific models.
