شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

This study aims to identify the alternative concepts in studying the subject of "universe", and the differences of these concepts according to gender and achievement among the 5th grade students in Al- Qurayyat governorate. The study population consisted of all 5th grade students in AlQurayyat governorate (n=1716) male and female students, from whom a (100) male and female students were selected randomly for this study. The results showed that (81%) of students did not connect the concept of the solar year with the rotation of the earth around itself. And (70%) of students did not associate the concept of the day with the rotation of the earth around itself. The percentage of alternative concepts regarding "the eclipse" concept in all was (71.5%), for (69.5%) of students believed the solar eclipse occurs when the sun is located between the earth and the moon, and (74%) believed that lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is located between the sun and the earth. The percentage of alternative concepts concerning the four seasons in all was(51%), where (70%) of students attributed this phenomenon to the fact that the sun is closer to the earth in the summer, and the mere rotation of the earth around the sun generates this phenomenon; and (33%) of students deny the existence of any connection between the earth's axis inclination and seasonal climate changes; while (31%) of students did not pay much attention to the changing of earth's location in relation to the sun during the seasons changes. The percentage of alternative concepts related to the lunar month in all was (70%), where (67%) of students did not connect between the concept of moon rotation around the earth and the time period; and (73%) of students did not connect between the moon's location during its rotation around the earth and the shape the moon looks from the earth. The percentage of alternative concepts related to the lunar eclipse in all was (81%), where (82%) of students believed that lunar eclipse occurs as a result of the moon located at the same level of the sun, and (80%) of students believed that this eclipse occurs no matter what the moon phase is (new, crescent, or full moon). The percentage of alternative concepts related to the concept of timing in all was (68%); results showed that (69%) of students did not understand the relation between time and longitude, and (67%) of students did not connect between the extent and direction of the shadow and its relation to time. finally, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences at the level of (0.05 ≥ α) for the study sample's perceptions of alternative concepts due to gender variable. The study recommended enhancing science books with more photos and images of astronomical concepts, providing science laboratories with smart courses and operational programs, and training science teachers to use various teaching strategies. (Author’s abstract)