CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN EUROPE 2002, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 293-315	RESEARCH REPORT Concepts

Neil TAYLOR ¹ and Richard K. COLL ^2
1 The University of New England, School of Education (Australia)
² The University of Waikato, School of Science and Technology (New Zealand)

PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY TEACHERS' MODELS OF KINETIC THEORY: AN EXAMINATION OF THREE DIFFERENT CULTURAL GROUPS

ABSTRACT: In this paper we describe research involving an investigation into Australian and Fiji pre-service primary teachers' mental models for Kinetic Theory. The study revealed that the teachers held a variety of mental models, some that were in agreement with the scientific models, and some that were incomplete, while a number appeared to hold no clear mental model. A constructivist-based pedagogy that was used to develop the Fiji teachers' understanding of Kinetic Theory appears to have been effective in model development. Participants reported that the most beneficial of techniques employed instruction based on the use of physical and analogical models. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2002, 3, 293-315]

KEY WORDS: Mental model; analogy; kinetic theory; pre-service teachers

CORRESPONDENCE: Neil Taylor, School of Education, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; fax: (02) 6773 5078; e-mail: ttaylor6@pobox.une.edu.au

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