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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science
Learning and Teaching, Volume 5, Issue 1, Article 1 (Apr., 2004) Salih ÇEPNİ, Tuncay ÖZSEVGEÇ and Lale CERRAH Turkish middle school students'cognitive development levels in science
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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science
Learning and Teaching, Volume 5, Issue 1, Article 1 (Apr., 2004) Salih ÇEPNİ, Tuncay ÖZSEVGEÇ and Lale CERRAH Turkish middle school students'cognitive development levels in science
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Method
Data analysis
Teachers of both public and private 7th and 8th grade middle school students in the five cities administered the SCDT during a 50-minute school session. Within this time limit, students were generally able to complete and revise the test items.
To analyse the data basic statistical techniques and the SPSS statistical programme were used to determine significance levels. Two different scales were used to assess the correct answers. In the first scale, one point was given for each multiple-choice question. In the second scale, each open-ended question consisting of four propositions, for each correct proposition 0.25 point was given. Students' total points were calculated in the SCDT. According to students total point score their cognitive development was categorized as concrete (II) or formal (III). Each category includes A and B classification; early concrete 2A, fully concrete 2B, early formal 3A and fully formal 3B levels of cognitive development (Rowell & Hoffmann, 1975). Meanings of each category as concrete 2A, 2B, formal 3A and 3B were given in detail by Nordland, Lawson and Kahle (1974). The scores of the entire sample on the SCDT ranged from 0 to 22. Responses were categorized and points awarded as follows: 0-6 points = concrete 2A; 7-14 points = concrete 2B; 15-20 points = formal 3A and 21-22 points = formal 3B (Nordland, Lawson & DeVito, 1974).
In this way, each class and school's score was calculated. Descriptive and basic statistical methods were then used to determine the distribution of students' development levels regarding stage and sub-stages, gender and stage cross tabulation, percentage of students' answers in the concrete and formal questions by school type.
Copyright (C) 2004 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 5, Issue 1, Article 1 (Apr., 2004). All Rights Reserved.
