Activity Plans Based On 7E Model Of Constructivist Approach On The Subjects Of "Matter And Heat" In Science And Technology Course*/Fen ve Teknoloji Dersinin "Madde ve Isi" Konularinda Yapilandirmaci Yaklasimin 7E Modeline Dayali Etkinlik Planlari

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to develop some activity plans by 7E model of the constructivist approach on the subjects of "Matter and Heat" in Science and Technology course. 7E model of the constructivist approach consists of stages such as Elicite, Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate and Extend. The activities related to subjects about "Matter and Heat" were adapted by each stage in 7E model of constructivist approach. The activity plans were arranged by acquisitions determined for Science and Technology course. So, the application duration of the activities were determined by these acquisitions. This study contains a 4-hour lesson plan on "Matter and Heat" unit in Science and Technology course using the mind mapping technique in 7E learning model and samples of students' activities according to this plan. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

Headnote

Abstract: The main purpose of this study is to develop some activity plans by 7E model of the constructivist approach on the subjects of "Matter and Heat" in Science and Technology course. 7E model of the constructivist approach consists of stages such as Elicite, Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate and Extend. The activities related to subjects about "Matter and Heat" were adapted by each stage in 7E model of constructivist approach. The activity plans were arranged by acquisitions determined for Science and Technology course. So, the application duration of the activities were determined by these acquisitions. This study contains a 4-hour lesson plan on "Matter and Heat" unit in Science and Technology course using the mind mapping technique in 7E learning model and samples of students' activities according to this plan.

Keywords: Constructivist approach, 7E Model, Science and Technology, Science activities

Fen ve Teknoloji Dersinin "Madde ve Isi" Konularinda Yapilandirmaci Yaklasimin 7E Modeline Dayali Etkinlik Planlari

Özet : Bu çalismanin temel amaci, Fen ve Teknoloji dersi nin "Madde ve Isi" konularinda yapilandirmaci yaklasimin 7E modeline göre etkinlik planlari gelistirmektir. Yapilandirmaci yaklasimin 7E modeli, Ön Bilgileri Ortaya Çikarma, Dikkat Çekme, Kesfetme, Açiklama, Ayrintiya Girme, Yeni Duruma Uyarlama ve Degerlendirme asamalarindan meydana gelmektedir. "Madde ve Isi" konularina iliskin etkinlikler, yapilandirmaci yaklasimin 7E modelindeki her basamaga uyarlanmistir. Etkinlik planlari, Fen ve Teknoloji dersi için belirlenen kazanimlara göre düzenlenmistir. Bu nedenle, etkinliklerin uygulama süresi bu kazanimlara göre belirlenmistir. Bu çalisma, Fen ve Teknoloji dersi "Madde ve Isi" ünitesinde zihin haritalama tekniginin kullanildigi 4 saatlik ders planini ve bu plana göre düzenlenen ögrencilere yönelik etkinlik örneklerini içermektedir.

Anahtar Sözcükler: Yapilandirmaci yaklasim, 7E Modeli, Fen ve Teknoloji, Fen etkinlikleri

1. INTRODUCTION

Constructivism is an approach that explains how learning is realized in a person's mind. According to this approach each person comes to the learning environment with their prior knowledge and they construct their new learning on this knowledge. Depending on Piaget's cognitive theories, Vygotsky's social learning and Bruner's learning by exploring, constructivist learning approach is very important (Herman, 1995). Constructivist approach is a learning process that helps learners to make their knowledge meaningful in their minds (Fardanesh, 2006). This approach is focused on learning environments which gives individuals a chance to construct knowledge by themselves or by discussing with other individuals. In learning by exploring, students construct their new knowledge by basing the knowledge on their environments (Saab et al., 2005). According to constructivist learning approach, the acquisition of knowledge by a learner is more useful than its being transferred by a teacher (Güçlü, 1998). Depending on the idea that all kinds of learning are realised by a process of construction in an individual's mind, constructivism requires individuals to be more responsible and active during learning process (Yasar, 1998). Constructivist learning applications predict a rich and interactive learning environment which supplies student requires to reach the knowledge, get and analyze it, arrange and use it in order to solve the problems by the way of cooperative learning activities. In the learning process, student is expected to produce his/her own product by searching, doing decisions, collaborating, using high level thinking skills and using his/her own creativeness. In this regard, constructivist learning applications encourage the students "doing about something" instead of "learning about something" (Demirci, 2009). Constructivist learning approach depends on constructivist philosophy. This approach uses 7E learning model (Lawson, 1995 narrated by Kanli, 2007).

7E learning model consists of elicit, engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate and extend steps. Elicit is the stage in which the prior knowledge of the learner is elicited by questions and scenarios. Engage is the stage in which events are associated with daily activities. Explore is the stage in which students explores knowledge by showing attitudes like scientists. In this stage students are assisted to explore knowledge. Explain is the process in which students are expected to explain about their explorations. In the elaborate stage, learners construct new knowledge. In evaluate stage, learners make comparisons and discuss their findings with other learners in or outside their group. Extend stage is the one in which students adapt their constructed knowledge to another subject (Eisenkraft and et al., 2003; Çepni, 2005; Bybee et al., 2006; Gönen et al., 2006; Kanli, 2007).

Mind mapping is a technique based on constructivist approach. This technique is one of those stages in 7E learning model and it can be used in eliciting the present knowledge and evaluating what is learnt. The main goal of researchers is to find how to increase the amount of learning (Tas, Apaydin and Cetinkaya, 2011). Mind mapping technique depends on the studies on brain by Roger Sperry et al. in the 1960s. Sperry et al. found out that the two hemispheres of the brain function differently. The left side of the brain is involved with analytic skills. Logic, language and numbers are related to the left side of the brain. The right side of the brain is involved with emotion and creativity; and relations, shapes and colors are the activities of the right side of the brain (Buzan and Buzan, 1995; Smith, 1999). Mind mapping is not involved with only the right or left side of the brain; this is a learning and note taking technique which deals with the operating process of the right and left hemispheres of the brain together and integrating them (Margulies, 1991; Practor 2002). Both the right and left hemispheres of the brain of a student preparing a mind map are active. A few color pencils and a large sheet of paper are needed to prepare a mind map by hand. Basically, making a mind map starts with showing the main point with a picture or image. Then branches are drawn and on each branch memorable key words are written, and those branches which have relationships are associated with each other (Ladge, 2002). Mind maps can be prepared either by hand or by computer using various programs. Computer supported science materials developed for science lessons give students more opportunity to learn from live experience, developing hand skills and use of their mental skills (Chiu, Huang, and Chang, 2000).

Students have a lot of concept difficulty in understanding Matter and Heat in Science and Technology lessons. These are condensation, changing states of matter, chemical change, physical change, dissolution, heterogeneous solution and homogeneous solution (Tasdemir and Demirbas, 2010).

In this study, an example of lesson plan and mind map on the subject of "Matter and Heat" unit related to 7E model of constructivist approach has been reported.

2. METHOD

This is a descriptive study covering the lesson plan and mind map example on the unit of "Matter and Heat" with technologically-supported mind mapping technique based on the 7E model of the constructivist approach. 6th grade students have prepared the mind map on "Matter and Heat" unit by using Mind Manager Program.

In this study, the activities related to subjects about "Matter and Heat" were adapted by each stage in 7E model of constructivist approach. The activity plans were arranged by objectives determined for Science and Technology course. So, the application duration of these plans were determined by these objectives. The activity plans have five sections. The first section contains parts as 'the name of the course', 'class', 'name of the unit', 'subject of the unit', 'application duration for the unit'. The second section contains parts as 'acquisitions of subjects of the unit', 'acquisitions toward the scientific process skills being learned in activities', 'acquisitions toward behaviours such as attitude and value', 'teaching and learning strategies on the subjects of the unit', 'educational technologies, tools and materials used in the subjects of the unit', 'activities toward the subjects of the unit' and 'all documented stages of 7E model'. Moreover, the processes related to activities toward the subjects of the unit were not explained in each stage of 7E model. It is advised to explain by seperate titles as 'the name of the activity', 'objectives of the subjects in the activity', 'tools and materials used in the activity' and 'process of the activity' at the end outline of the model. 'Teaching and learning strategies', 'notes toward activity ', 'general points of attention toward unit' and 'security for the activity' were given in each stage of these models. The mind map were used in addition to teaching and learning strategies. The third section contains parts as 'evaluation strategies toward unit' and 'integration with the other courses of subjects in unit'. The fourth section contains 'notes and code numbers toward the applications of the plan'. The code numbers of notes were given in paranthesis at stages of the model. The fifth section contains parts as 'name of activity', 'objectives toward subjects in activity', 'tools and materials used in activity'and 'activity process'.

Below, a lesson plan with 4-hours on "Matter and Heat" unit in Science and Technology course that contains the mind mapping technique in 7E learning model and samples of students' activities according to the plan is given.

LESSON PLAN

SECTION I

SECTION II

SECTION III

SECTION IV

SECTION V- ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY 1: Which is gas, which is solid, which is liquid?

Tools: Matter models

Doing the Activity and Questions:

* Do these structural models belong to solid, liquid or gas?

* How is the form of the particles in solid, liquid and gas?

* What kind of movements do the particles of the matter that are solid, liquid and gas do?

* Which molecules or particles of the model accelerate while getting warm?

* Which model transmits heat better when compared to others?

ACTIVITY 2: How does the heat affect the movements of the liquid molecules?

Tools: Beherglass, cotton, spirit stove, trivet, match

Doing the activity and questions:

1. Fill two thirds of the beherglass with water.

2. Heat water little by little on the spirit stove.

3. Observe the movements in water by throwing little cotton bits in it before water boils.

Did the activities of the cotton bits change during the heating process?

ACTIVITY 3: How does the heat affect the movements of the liquid molecules?

Tools: Beherglass, water, heater, trivet, ink, match

Doing the activity and questions:

1. Fill one of the beherglass with hot water and the other with cold water.

2. Drip a few drops of ink into each tube.

3. Observe the movements of the ink in the water.

What do you observe when you add ink into cold water?

How do you explain the movement of ink in cold and hot water?

What materials which receive and give away heat are used in the experiment you did?

How do the liquid molecules act when getting warm?

ACTIVITY 4: How does the heat affect the movements of the gas molecules?

Tools: An electric stove, uncovered resistance wires, power supply, torch

Doing the Activity and Questions

1. Plug the electric stove.

2. By holding the torch 20-30 cm above the electric stove let the light pass through it. Give the light on a white surface like a wall.

3. Observe the light on the wall.

Below, there is a sample of mind map prepared by 6th grade students by using Mind Manager Program on "Matter and Heat" unit in Science and Technology course.

3. RESULTS AND SUGGESTIONS

As constructivist approach emphasizes the importance of focusing on background knowledge in learning, it has a special function in every step of 7E learning model. These steps help the teacher understand the education program and have the students gain attitudes, skills, scientific and technological knowledge (Bybee et al., 2006). In this model, the teachers should reveal the background knowledge of the students by asking questions and give them opportunity to associate their knowledge with other subjects at the end of the process and transfer it to other subjects (Eisenkraft et al., 2003). While revealing the learners prior knowledge, the teacher should find out misconceptions and plan the teaching process of the subject to remove these misconceptions, because misconceptions prevent individuals from learning meaningfully. So, background knowledge of the learner should be taken into consideration and research intending to determine such background knowledge should be done (Driver, 1989; Gönen et al., 2006 cited from Grayson et al., 2001). Because of this, the teacher should organise the teaching process by determining the background knowledge and possible misconceptions of the learners. Using mind maps in 7E model enables students not only reveal their background knowledge but also learn cooperatively with their group members by participating actively in the courses; hence it supports their social construction as well. According to the findings obtained in the present study, it is concluded that the mind maps in the 7E model can be used to reveal the background knowledge of the students and evaluate their learning.

Footnote

* This study was supported by 106K093 numbered TUBITAK Project, and it was presented in the Sixth International Conference of the Chemical Societies of the South-Eastern European Countries.

References

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