摘要：This preliminary study aims at developing a program to improve teacher candidate
students’ conceptions on the topic of states of matter and their changes by using
Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) strategy. This study employs pre-experimental
method. The subjects involved were third-semester students of a primary school
teacher education study program (Pendidikan Guru Sekolah Dasar - PGSD) in a
university in West Java, Academic Year 2017/2018. The research instrument was a
five-tiered diagnostic test in the form of multiple-choice. The instrument had gone
through expert and empirical validation processes, which were provided before and
after the implementation of the POE strategy. The data obtained were analyzed
through descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test). The results showed that the
use of POE strategy was able to improve the students’ comprehension on the
concept of states of matter and their changes either at macroscopic level (N-gain
0.32, p=0.00), submicroscopic level (verbal N-gain 0.44; p=0.00, and visual Ngain
0.49; p=0.00), or symbolic level (N-gain 0.41; p= 0.00). The acquired N-gain
indicated the need for further research to improve the course program of states of
matter and their changes using the POE strategy to obtain higher N-gain that
indicates the need for improvement of the program, including the processes and
aids of the course.
关键词：conception change; states of matter and their changes; POE strategy;
prospective teachers; primary school
