Ortaokul Öğrencilerinin Madde Konusundaki Kavram Yanılgılarının Dört Aşamalı Testle Belirlenmesi

Abstract

In this study, middle school students’ conceptual understanding of matter was examined, and their scientific knowledge levels, knowledge gaps, and misconceptions were identified through a four-tier concept test. The study was carried out within the scope of a quantitative research approach and was based on a survey model. The sample consisted of 430 eighth-grade students attending different schools in the Tepebaşı district of Eskişehir. The data collection tool was the Matter Concept Test (MCT), developed by the researcher, which includes 16 items structured across four tiers. The test evaluates students’ knowledge of the topic, their confidence in their answers, the reasons they provide, and the certainty they assign to these reasons. The data were analyzed using SPSS and Excel; response patterns of the four-tier structure were examined, and integrated misconception statements were derived from incorrect content–reason combinations in the items. The frequency and percentage distributions of these misconception categories were then calculated. The findings indicate that students hold various misconceptions regarding pure substances, atoms, mixtures, and methods of separating mixtures. Most of these misconceptions appear to stem from everyday experiences, surface-level classifications, or incomplete conceptual connections. Overall, the results suggest that the use of visual representations, models, and more structured examples in teaching the particulate nature of matter and related conceptual processes may contribute more effectively to students’ conceptual learning.