The Effects Of The 5e Learning Cycle Model On Students' Understanding Of Force And Motion Concepts
As advocated by the National Research Council [NRC] (1996) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS] (1989) a change in the manner in which science is taught must be recognized at a national level and also embraced at a level that is reflected in every science teacher's classroom. With these ideas set forth as a guide for change, this study investigated the fifth grade students' understanding of force and motion concepts as they engaged in inquiry based science investigations through the use of the 5E Learning Cycle. The researcher's journey through this process was also a focus of the study. Initial data were provided by a pretest indicating students' understanding of force and motion concepts. Four times weekly for a period of 14 weeks, students participated in investigations related to force and motion concepts. Their subsequent understanding of these concepts and their ability to generalize their understandings was evaluated via a posttest. Additionally, a review of lab activity sheets, other classroom based assessments, and filmed interviews allowed for the triangulation of pertinent data necessary to draw conclusions from the study. Findings showed that student knowledge of force and motion concepts did increase although their understanding as demonstrated on paper lacked completeness versus understanding in an interview setting. Survey results also showed that after the study students believed they did not learn science best via textbook based instruction.