Why does it go up? The impact of the MARS curriculum as revealed through changes in student explanations of a helium balloon

Abstract

The Model-Assisted Reasoning in Science (MARS) project created a model-centered, computer-supported sixth-grade science curriculum organized around the theme balance of forces. To help monitor effectiveness during implementation in a public middle school, individual student interviews were conducted after each of the curriculum's three sections. In each interview, students were asked to explain why a helium balloon floats up. This article describes an analysis of student responses to the balloon ques The value of the balloon question is that, although it is easy to grasp and involves a familiar, real-world phenomenon, it can be used to elicit understanding of a variety of concepts including volume, mass, density, weight, gravitational force, buoyancy, balance of forces, and floating and sinking. Moreover, pertinent follow-up questions can get at students' ideas about relationships between concepts. Students who say the helium balloon rises because it is lighter than the air balloon can be asked, "How can one balloon be lighter if they are both the same size?" or "Why does being lighter make the balloon go up?" An item such as the balloon question can be asked before, during, and after a course of study to trace the development of student conceptions throughout instruction.The balloon question is one of the assessment tools used to monitor the effectiveness of a sixth-grade science curriculum created by the Model-Assisted Reasoning in Science (MARS) project. MARS designs and investigates instruction in which students use interactive computer JOURNAL

Taking advantage of automated assessment of student‐constructed graphs in science

“…One of the most challenging ideas in middle‐school science is the relationship between buoyancy and density (Raghavan, Sartoris, & Glaser, ). Objects that sink have a higher ratio of mass to volume than that of the liquid.…”

Developing a Four-level Learning Progression and Assessment for the Concept of Buoyancy

“…We used the Raghavan, Sartoris, & Glaser (1998) concepts to explain this finding. Raghavan et al (1998) illustrated that students in the lowest level (level 1) could not understand the difference between mass and volume. In addition, students in the level 2 tend to believe that the kind of liquid (e.g., oil vs. water) is important to buoyant force.…”

Lise Öğrencilerinin ve Öğretmen Adaylarının Atmosfer Basıncını, Etkileyen Faktörleri ve İlişkili Günlük Hayat Problemlerini Açıklayabilme Durumlarının İncelenmesi

“…Atmosfer basıncını ve onu etkileyen değişkenleri anlayabilmek için öncelikle kütle, kuvvet, ağırlık, basınç, hacim, kütlesel çekim, ısı, sıcaklık, özısı, mol kütlesi, alan, nem, yükselti, ivme, moment, akışkanlık, derişim ve özkütle gibi temel kavramları bilmek gerekmektedir ve bu kavramlardaki eksik ya da hatalı bilgiler açık hava basıncının anlaşılmasında güçlük çekilmesine neden olmaktadır (Basca ve Grotzer, 2001;Kariotoglou ve Psillos,1993;Önen, 2005;Psillos ve Kariotoglou, 1999;Raghavan, Sartoris, ve Glaser, 1998;Sere, 1982;Tytler, 1998). Katı ve sıvılardaki basınç konuları öğrenciler tarafından somut olarak gözlemlenebilmesine karşın, atmosfer basıncı ve gazlar soyut bir konu olduğu için öğrencilerin öğrenmede güçlük çektiği ve zihinlerinde doğru yapılandıramadıkları görülmektedir (Sadıç, 2017;Aksoy, 2003;Akşit, 2011;Ayas, Karataş ve Coştu, 2003;Mas, Perez ve Harris, 1987;Nelson, Aron ve Francek, 1992;Şahin, 2001).…”

“…The atmospheric pressure is one of these interdisciplinary concepts and is a phenomenon we often encounter in everyday life. To understand the atmospheric pressure and the variables affecting it, firstly students should know basic concepts such as mass, force, weight, pressure, volume, gravitational force, heat, temperature, specific heat capacity, molar mass, area, humidity, altitude, acceleration, moment, fluidity, concentration and density, and missing or incorrect knowledge in these concepts cause difficulties in understanding the atmospheric pressure (Basca and Grotzer, 2001, Kariotoglou and Psillos, 1993, Önen, 2005, Psillos and Kariotoglou, 1999, Raghavan, Sartoris, and Glaser, 1998, Sere , 1982Tytler, 1998). In addition, atmospheric pressure and the factors affecting it are explained much less in the textbooks than the subjects related to pressure of solids, liquids and gases in closed systems.…”