Particulate nature of matter in chemistry: Malaysia pre-service teachers conceptions and understanding

Abstract

This paper aims in investigating the pre-service science teachers' conceptions about the particulate nature of matter (PNM) in daily life events. Via random sampling amongst pre-service science teachersin Malaysia, 12 respondent were selected for this study. Through this study, a qualitative and quantitative methodology was used, where in collecting the datafive open ended questions were used through questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse the findings. The results demonstrated that the type of conceptual understandings among the pre-service science teacher on the submicroscopic level of matter were classified as alternative understanding with scientific fragments. They have low understanding or alternative conceptions about the submicroscopic level of particles. Therefore, The research findings suggest that the learning strategy of the pre-service science teacher needs to be diversified by focusing on the multiple representation especially the submicroscopic levels in order to minimize and eventually reduce.