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As plants are vital to the survival of the planet, developing positive attitude towards them is important for protection of plants, biodiversity, and the environment. The aim of this research was to determine the predictors of ninth grade students' attitude towards plants. In the study, a descriptive correlational design was used. The data were collected from 773 upper-secondary students selected through stratified purposive sampling. The "Plant Recognition Test" and "Plant Attitude Scale" were used as data collection tools. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the way different variables predicted attitude towards plants. The results of research indicated that the linear relationship between predictive variables and attitude towards plants explained 14% of the total variance in attitude towards plants at a significant level. Among the variables, gender, time spent in a garden, involvement in indoor or outdoor cultivation, experience with picking flowers, fruits, and/or vegetables, and plant recognition level had significant contributions to predicting variance in attitude towards plants, and the recognition of plants was determined to be the most important predictor relative to all the other variables.

This study aims to investigate the effects of using scientific educational games in teaching Kingdoms of Living Things on students' academic achievement and retention of knowledge. The study also assessed students' perceptions of these educational games. 68 ninth grade students constitute the study group of this research. In the school in which the instruction was carried out two ninth grade classes were randomly assigned as experimental group and control group. The implementation of the study lasted seven weeks as three lesson hours per week. The same method of lecturing was carried out in the experimental and control groups. Review of the topics was made by researcher through the question-answer method and giving the activities in the textbook as homework in the control group. In the experimental group, educational games were used to review, reinforce and assess the topics. At the end of the study the score of posttest and the retention test implemented six month after showed a significant difference in favor of experimental group. The results put forth that educational games enhance students' achievement and are an effective tool in providing the retention of new knowledge. Within the scope of the study, the experimental group students' views on the use of educational games were obtained at the end of implementation, which were generally positive. The students found the games informative, entertaining and reinforcing their learning, and stated that they are effective in enabling the retention of new knowledge, promoting collaboration with their peers, and increasing their interest and motivation for learning.

Purpose of Study: The aim of this study is to investigate the nature of pre-service biology teachers' metaconceptual processes that were active as they participated in metaconceptual teaching activities. Methods: Several instructional activities, including poster drawing, concept mapping, group and class discussions, and journal writing, were carried out to activate the metaconceptual processes of 32 second-grade, pre-service biology teachers in order to change their alternative conceptions regarding seed plants. Case study was used as a research method. Among the 32 participants, five participants who activated rich and diverse metaconceptual processes and who reflected well and clearly on their mental processes in their journals were selected for the case study. The journal entries written by these five students before, during, and after the teaching activities were used as a data source. Content analysis was used to code the journals of the preservice teachers according to the types and the content of metaconceptual processes. Results and Conclusions: The results indicated that students engaged in several types of metaconceptual activities, which can be classified under metaconceptual awareness, metaconceptual monitoring, and metaconceptual evaluation. Metaconceptual processes were activated interdependently in different forms, ranging from simpler first-order metaconceptual awareness to more sophisticated metaconceptual evaluations. Recommendations: In designing metaconceptual teaching activities, teachers should take the interdependent and multifaceted nature of these processes into consideration.

The term metaconceptual refers to metacognitive knowledge and processes that are acting on and related to one's conceptual system. In this study, metaconceptual teaching activities were implemented to facilitate preservice teachers' engagement in metaconceptual processes. It was the purpose of this research to investigate the changes in pre-service teachers' alternative ideas regarding flowering plants after being exposed to metaconceptual teaching activities. The participants consisted of 32 pre-service teachers who were enrolled in a college level second-year laboratory class about flowering plants. A 13 item open-ended question set was administered a week before and a week after the instructional interventions. In order to facilitate students' engagement in metaconceptual processes, they were exposed to several instructional activities including poster drawing, journal writing, concept mapping, and class and group discussions. Alternative conceptions that pre-service teachers had prior to and following the instructional interventions were identified and the ones that changed, did not change and developed after the instruction were examined. The results of this study show that metaconceptual teaching activities were effective at changing pre-service teachers' alternative conceptions regarding flowering plants. (Contains 2 tables.)

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Copyright of Ondokuz Mayis University Journal of Education is the property of Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Biochemistry / Turk Biyokimya Dergisi is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)