The Implementation of Conceptual Change Approach to Teach Nature of Science and Cellular Respiration Concepts

Abstract

The classroom action research aimed to investigate the way to implement the conceptual change approach in order to enhance students’ views of Nature of Science (NOS) as well as their understanding on cellular respiration concepts. The research question being investigated is How to implement the conceptual change approach to teach NOS and Cellular Respiration Concepts? The research participants are grade X science students (n=15) registered in English Program (EP) of a high school in Phitsanulok, Thailand. The teaching intervention had been conducted in three repetitive cycles of action research: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting, along with utilization of a series of instrument: the Nature of Science Questionnaire (NOSQ) and Cellular Respiration Questionnaire (CRQ), nine 55-minute lessons, semi-structured observations, and semi-structured interviews. The result of content analysis and triangulation advocated that the teaching intervention should consists of 5 phases of teaching, namely eliciting preconceptions, presenting common misconception, presenting targeted concepts, raising the status of targeted concepts, and reflecting on targeted concepts. The teaching necessarily gives equal attention to both NOS views and cellular respiration concepts, particularly the activities to raise the status of targeted concepts.