Creating congruent links between the
three representations of science
understanding - macroscopic,
microscopic, and symbolic (Johnstone,
1991), is important for the conceptual
understanding of pressure and Boyle's
Law. Twenty-one grade 11 chemistry
students participated in a science
program that culminated in students
scuba diving. Students recorded their
initial conceptions throughout the
four-and-a half week teaching
intervention and completed assignments
using Johnstone's three representations
as the basis for their responses. A
two-tier multiple choice diagnostic was
developed to assess student conceptions
of pressure and Boyle's Law at the end
of the teaching intervention. Results of
this study suggest that these methods
were helpful in promoting conceptual
change. The structured sampling of
student conceptions throughout the
intervention provided information about
the following: (a) similarities in
student na๏ve conceptions; (b) changes
in student conceptions; (c) the presence
of tenacious, alternate conceptions; and
(d) teaching strategies, lesson
sequences, and demonstrations that
appeared to be effective in promoting
scientific understanding of pressure and
Boyle's Law.