The Impact of Concept Cartoons on Students' Understanding of the Nature of Science
Keywords:
Nature of science, Conceptual cartoon, MisconceptionAbstract
This study investigated the effect of concept cartoons on students’ understanding of the nature of science (NoS). The sample consisted of 100 eighth graders from Hatay, Türkiye. Participants were divided into experimental (n=50) and control (n=50) groups. The researcher collaborated with experts and designed four concept cartoons aimed at imparting the essential components of NoS. These components include observation and inference, subjectivity, creativity and imagination, and the mutability of scientific knowledge. The researcher created NoS activities based on those cartoons (intervention). She consulted three experts and developed scales to assess NoS components before (pretest) and after (posttest) the intervention. She also drew up a checklist to ensure the validity and reliability of the scales. The intervention consisted of open-ended fill-in-the-blank questions about NoS. Data were analyzed using a rubric developed by the researcher based on expert feedback. Furthermore, the consensus coefficients of the coders who assessed the internal consistency were calculated to ensure the reliability of the evaluation criteria. The experimental group underwent the intervention, while the control group received an education based on the curriculum devised by the Ministry of National Education. The results showed that the intervention was better at teaching the essential components of NoS than the curriculum.
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