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The Role of Cognitive, Metacognitive, and Motivational Variables In The Role of Cognitive, Metacognitive, and Motivational Variables in Conceptual Change: Preservice Early Childhood Teachers’ Conceptual Understanding of the Cause of Lunar Phases DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Mesut Sackes, M.A. Graduate Program in Education The Ohio State University 2010 Dissertation Committee: Kathy Cabe Trundle, Advisor Bruce W. Tuckman Lucia M. Flevares Lawrence A. Krissek Copyright by Mesut Sackes 2010 Abstract This study seeks to explore and describe the role of cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational variables in conceptual change. More specifically, the purposes of the study were (1) to investigate the predictive ability of a learning model that was developed based on the intentional conceptual change perspective in predicting change in conceptual understandings of the cause of moon phases, (2) to examine the relationship between the coherency of participants’ conceptual understandings and their level of metacognitive strategy use and the type of conceptual understandings they construct after instruction, and (3) to explore the role of metaconceptual awareness in the change and the durability of conceptual understandings. A total of 52 preservice early childhood teachers participated in the study. Participants were enrolled in a science method course, which was part of the early childhood education program. All 52 participants were interviewed before and after instruction. Sixteen out of 52 participants were randomly selected based on their level of metacognition for delayed-post interviews. Two data gathering techniques were used in the study: a self-report instrument and semi-structured interviews. To measure participants’ use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies and their motivational beliefs, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire was used. To reveal the participants’ understanding of moon phases, semi-structured interviews were conducted before, one to two weeks after, and 13 to 15 weeks after instruction. In delayed-post interviews, participants’ level of ii metacognitive awareness was also assessed using an interview protocol that was designed for the study. Data obtained through interviews were analyzed using constant comparative method of analysis to reveal participants conceptual and metacognitive profiles. To make statistical analysis possible, participants’ Pre-, post-, delayed-post conceptual understandings and metacognitive awareness were scored with rubrics designed for this study. Quantitative data were analyzed using a partial least squares path analysis and Kruskall-Wallis test. Results indicated that participants who frequently used elaboration and organization strategies were more likely to engage in conceptual change and construct a scientific understanding of the cause of the lunar phases. The use of metacognitive strategies facilitated participants’ use of deep-level cognitive strategies, which in turn promoted conceptual change. Motivational beliefs had direct influences on participants’ use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Participants with high motivational beliefs were more likely to use cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Thus, they were more likely to engage in conceptual change. The results provided evidence that the hypothesized model has a high predictive ability in explaining change in participants’ conceptual understandings from the pre to post-interviews. Results demonstrated that participants with high a metacognitive state were more likely to construct coherent mental models. In other words, these participants’ conceptual understandings of the cause of lunar phases included a single, coherent, causal iii explanation before instruction. They were also more likely to construct coherent mental models after instruction. Results also indicated that the participants who maintained their scientific conceptual understandings or progressed toward scientific conceptual understandings throughout the study obtained significantly higher metaconceptual awareness scores than those participants who regressed in their conceptual understandings or maintained alternative conceptual understandings. The direct effects of metaconceptual awareness on conceptual change and the durability of conceptual change were both statistically significant. Participants with high metaconceptual awareness score were more likely to change their alternative conceptual understandings after instruction and they also were more likely to retain their scientific conceptual understandings several months after instruction. The results provided evidence that metaconceptual awareness plays a significant role in the change and the durability of conceptual understandings. iv Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my grandmother Havva. v Acknowledgments I greatly appreciate my advisor and mentor Kathy Cabe Trundle for her constant support and encouragement, as well as the opportunities she provided during my graduate studies. Dr. Trundle’s deep and genuine concern for students as well as her profession has been tremendously influential on my conceptualization of the ideal university professor, which I desire to be one day. She has greatly contributed to my professional development as a researcher. I promise to “pay it forward”! I also deeply appreciate the members of my committee Drs. Lawrence Krissek, Bruce Tuckman, and Lucia M. Flevares for their guidance, feedback, and support during my doctoral education and in the writing of my dissertation study. I also appreciate the fellowship and support provided by my fellow American and Turkish graduate student colleagues. I would like to thank my wife Zübeyde for her constant support, encouragement, and love. She was always there for me whenever I needed her. I owe a big share of my success to her. My son, Bilge Nebi, and daughter, Gökçe, brought joy to my life. Their presence encouraged me to speed up the writing of my dissertation. I would like to thank to my mom and father for their prayers and unconditional love and their beliefs that I can achieve anything I desire. I also would like to thank my brothers Esat and İlyas for their moral support and encouragement. My deepest gratitude goes to Turkish Ministry of Education for providing me the scholarship to pursue Master’s and Doctoral studies at The Ohio State University. vi Vita 1995................................................................Anadolu Meteoroloji Meslek Lisesi 2001................................................................B.A. Guidance and Counseling Psychology, Inonu University, Turkey 2005................................................................M.A. Early Childhood Education, The Ohio State University 2007 to present ..............................................Ph.D. Rethinking Early Childhood & Elementary Education, The Ohio State University Publications Saçkes, M., Trundle, K. C., & Bell, R. L. (in press). The influence of early science experience in kindergarten on children's immediate and later science achievement: Evidence from the early childhood longitudinal study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Saçkes, M., Flevares, L., & Trundle, K. C. (2010). Four- to six-year-old children’s conceptions of the mechanism of rainfall. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25(4), 536-546. vii Trundle, K. C., & Saçkes, M. (2010). Look! It is going to rain: Using books and observations to promote young children’s understanding of clouds. Science and Children, 47(8), 29-31. Hobson, S. M., Trundle, K. C., & Saçkes, M. (2010). Using a planetarium software program to promote conceptual change with young children. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 19(2), 165-176. Trundle, K. C., Atwood, R. K., Christopher, J. E., & Sackes, M. (2010). The effect of guided inquiry based instruction on middle school students’ understanding of lunar concepts. Research in Science Education, 40(3), 451-478. Saçkes, M., Trundle, K. C., & Flevares, L. (2009). Using children’s books to teach inquiry skills. Young Children, 64(6), 24-31. Sackes, M., Trundle, K. C., & Flevares, L. M. (2009). Using children’s literature to teach standard-based science concepts in early years. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(5), 415-422. Trundle, K. C., & Sackes, M. (2008). Sky observation by the book: Lessons for teaching young children astronomy concepts with picturebooks. Science and Children, 46(1), 36-39. Atilgan, H., Saçkes, M., Yurdugul, H., & Cirak, Y. (2007). Adaptation of fear experiences questionnaire to Turkish: Validity and reliability study. Turkish Journal of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, 3(28), 74-94. viii Kaya, A & Saçkes, M. (2004). Effect of self-esteem enrichment program on 8th grade students’ level of self-esteem. Turkish Journal of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, 21, 49-56. Atilgan, H. & Saçkes, M. (2004). A comparison of the psychometric features of scales with dichotomous and multichotomous categories. Journal of Inonu University School of Education, 5(7), 3-7. Fields of Study Major Field: Education Specialization: Early Childhood Education Minor: Statistical Data Analysis. Minor: Research Methods in Human Resource Development. ix Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication ..........................................................................................................................
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