Effect of Cooperative Learning and Models on the Understanding of Particulate Structure of Physical and Chemical Changes

In this study, the effect of models and cooperative learning on particulate level of physical and chemical changes was investigated. Quasi-experimental method pre- and post-test was used. The sample was consisted 71 prospective science teachers. Three research groups (CLG: cooperative learning group, n=24; CLMG: cooperative-model group, n=24; and control group (CG, n=23) were studied. In order to collect data, the Physical and Chemical Changing Test (PCCT) consisting of three open-ended drawing questions was applied as pre- and posttest. For the analysis of data obtained from the PCCT, the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used and descriptive statistics were used to determine the conceptual understanding. In the pre-test there was not a significant difference among groups. In the post-test, there was a significant difference among research groups. In addition, some prospective science teachers thought the matter as a whole rather than a particulate structure, had a problem in the particulate drawing of solid materials, and had various misconceptions in the concepts of physical and chemical change