Author/Authors :
YÜCE, Zeynep Kafkas Üniversitesi - Eğitim Fakültesi, Turkey , ÖNEL, Arzu Kafkas Üniversitesi - Eğitim Fakültesi, Turkey , BEKİS, Elif Sümeyye Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, Turkey
Abstract :
In this study, the students are asked to draw an animal cell and to determine organelles with the names including basic parts of cell; by this way, it has been aimed to identify conceptual knowledge levels on subject of cell. The study has been applied with totally 289 pupils, consisting of the ones in 6th, 7th and 8th grades at four different secondary schools in Kars in 2014-2015 academic year. As a result of the findings, in all of 6th, 7th and 8th grades; it has been detected that the pupils have all stated mostly nucleus, cytoplasm and nuclear membrane as basic structure of cell in their drawings. While the recognition level of nuclear membrane by the pupils differs from 6th grade to 8th grade, showing an increase as approximately 100%, the rate in ribosome, golgi apparatus, lysosome, vacuole and centriole decreases on the other hand. Of all these organelles, although especially vacuole is the most preferred one by the pupils in 6th grade, it is the least preferred organelle in 7th and 8th grades. This manner puts the idea on the existence of an incorrect learning as vacuole isn’t included in animal cells. While the pupils in 6th and 7th grades didn’t focus on centrosome, DNA, nuclear membrane and chromosome in their drawings, the ones in 8th grade mentioned about it at least. This consequence indicates that the subject of ‘Cell Division and Heredity’ appear in curriculum of 8th grade; it does not appear in curriculum of 6th and 7th grade. The discussed findings will contribute to teaching cell and science curriculum at secondary school afterwards.
