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ABSTRACT Most students
learn science without true understanding that reveals students
do not internalize science into their individual cognitive
structure. However, an objective of science education currently
stresses the importance of meaningful learning rather than
learning by rote. Many science educators suggest various
conceptual teaching strategies to help students learn science.
This study investigates the effect of a conceptual teaching
strategy, based on the theory of Driver and Oldham(1986), on
student learning biology in middle school. The study was
attempted to answer the questions, such as (1). What alternative
conception students have? (2). How the effect of a conceptual
teaching strategy on the students learning? (3). How do the
teachers implement a conceptual teaching strategy? The unit of
respiration of biology lesson in junior high school was selected
for this investigation. A quasi-experimental design was used
in this study. We invited five biology teachers participated in
the study. Two of them are experienced biology teachers. The
other three are beginning teachers. The experimental group as
well as the control group includes one experienced teacher, two
beginning teachers, and their classes. The teachers assigned in
the experimental group were trained to adopt the conceptual
teaching strategy in their classes; on the other hand, the
teachers in the control group were expected to use traditional
expository teaching. Each participated teacher adopted only one
teaching strategy, except one of the beginning teachers who used
two different strategies with two classes. Totally, eight
classes in three schools participated in this study. Three
classes were assigned into the control group, and the other five
classes were assigned into the experimental group. Data
collection include pre, post, and one-month delay tests by using
a self-developed two-tier diagnostic test to collect alternative
conceptions on respiration of the participated students before
and after the lessons. Interview, classroom observation, and
videotapings are also collected as multiple sources for data
triangulation. The findings of the study indicate that:1.The
students have some alternative conceptions on respiration.
Some of them are easier to be changed, such as the definition of
respiration, and the energy of food. But some are not, such as
material transformation, respiration control, and the action
to breathe. 2.The conceptual teaching strategy used in this
study, though make the experimental group get higher scores on
the post, and delay tests than the control group has, shows no
significant effect on the student learning overall. 3.There
are some factors influence that the teachers implement the
conceptual teaching strategy, such as classroom management,
degree of difficulty of learning material, and limitation of
teaching activities. Based on the findings of the study, we
suggest that:1.To see the effect of teaching, the participated
teachers should enhance their teaching strategy, the student
attitude toward biology should be investigated, and the delay
test should be done longer after the lesson. 2.Further study
should stress on factors that influence the implement of the
conceptual teaching strategy, avoid them for getting better
effect of teaching.
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