In the last twenty years, science education studies have been conducted to determine not only
cognitive abilities, but also affective abilities. These studies have been dominated by
constructivist theory in which each learner individually and socially constructs meaning as
s/he learns. According to constructivist theory, students do not passively absorb information
but rather, meaningful learning involves the active creation and modification of knowledge
structures (Palmer, 2005). When students try to learn new science concepts, they use their
existing schemas, knowledge, beliefs and interests to make understand and interpret any new
information, and this may result in their ideas becoming modified or revised.
In the light of these studies, many governments around the world, including that in Turkey,
redesigned and adapted their science curricula according to constructivist theory. The current
goal of the new Turkish Science and Technology curriculum is to enhance all students’
scientific literacy and to help them to: