Students' alternative framework of condensation concept at submicroscopic level via drawing: Malaysian secondary school perspectives

Abstract

This study is conducted with the purpose of identifying the students' alternative framework of condensation concept at the submicroscopic level from the drawing aspect. A qualitative study with a descriptive research design is carried out to 324 secondary school students who enrol in the science stream which are selected by the purposive sampling. A total of ten open ended questions of Understanding Test on the Concept of Matter at Submicroscopic Level instruments are used for the purpose of data collection. The data are analysed using the grounded theory analysis strategy. The finding indicates that the students' alternative framework is divided into three categories; namely, drawing with alternative framework at submicroscopic level, limited drawing at macroscopic level, and no drawing. Hence, it can be concluded that the students' ability to generate the scientific drawings at the submicroscopic level towards the concept of condensation is still poor and the teachers need to put emphasis on the submicroscopic level especially from the drawing aspect during the learning process, thus the students would have a better understanding regarding the condensation concept at the submicroscopic level.