Identifying Mental Models in Physics

Abstract

Although the question of how we learn has been waiting for answers since the beginning of human history, we have never been giving up our adventure and work of identifying to what extent we learned. On the other hand, we have some questions likely to be answered. First one is "understand or conceptualization and their mental organizations mean mental models?", and the second one is "what is the role of known identifying or measuring methods in this process should be?" In recent scientific studies about students' alternative conceptions have revealed what an extent importance of developing strategies to correct understanding. It is reported by these studies that identifying and comprehending personal mental models are important since they may reflect alternate conceptions about scientific concepts. Researches also have generated different instructional approaches for addressing misconceptions in the physics classrooms. However, little is known about identifying and measuring mental models. In this study describes conceptualizations, or mental models, of the nature of scientific concepts in high school physics students and, discusses them in context of identifying mental models and students' misconceptions expected to eliminate by implementing of new high school physics curriculum activities in Turkey.