The Effect of Teaching Strategies Using Models on Preservice Elementary Teachers' Conceptions about Earth-Sun-Moon Relationships.

This study investigated the effect of three specific hands-on teaching strategies on the attainment and alteration of preservice elementary teachers' conceptions about earth-sun-moon relationships. The subjects (n=76) were enrolled in an elementary school science methods course. The descriptive nature of this study explored: (1) the effect of two instructional strategies--those using models versus those not using models--on preservice teachers' abilities to develop models to explain the occurrence of the lunar phases; and (2) whether spatial skills and reasoning levels interact with the ability to develop explanatory models. The results of the study suggest that models do have an effect. The group using only mental models did not show any significant change from pretest to posttest on the retention test. The group using physical models had significant categorical shifts from pretest to posttest. No significant interaction between spatial ability and model development was found. Results also suggest that concrete manipulated models appear to work best for novel situations, but that the type of models used in teaching abstract phenomena should be carefully determined. The paper concludes with several recommendations for further study. Contains 26 references. (PR)