The Effects of Misconceptions on Pre-service Teachers’ Ability to Constructing Simple Electric Circuits
Abstract
In this study, it is aimed to determine effects of pre-service elementary school teachers’ misconceptions about short circuit and open circuit on their ability to set up simple electric circuits. The sample of the research is composed of 41 teacher candidates studying at Dokuz Eylul University. Open-ended questions and semi-structured interview questions prepared by researchers were used to identify misconceptions about short circuit and open circuits. In order to determine the effect of these misconceptions, the pre-service teachers were observed in the process of establishing simple electric circuits. Findings from the open-ended questions show five different misconceptions about the short circuit, and two about the open circuit. The interviews reveal that these misconceptions are caused by three factors: extreme generalizations, the misleading terminology used in everyday speech, and misconceptions arising from past learning experience. It was also determined that the students who held these misconceptions had difficulties in establishing a simple electric circuit.References
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Zirbel, E. L. (2004). Framework for conceptual change. Astronomy Education Review, 3(1), 62-76.
Ayas, A.P., Çepni S., Akdeniz A.R. Özmen H., Yiğit N. ve Ayvacı H.Ş. (2012). Kuramdan Uygulamaya Fen ve Teknoloji Öğretimi (10.Baskı). Ankara: Pegem A.
Başer, M. ve Geban, Ö. (2007). Effect of instruction based on conceptual change activities on students’ understanding of static electricity concepts. Research in Science & Technological Education, 25(2), 243-267.
Bilal, E. and Erol, M. (2009). Investigating students’ conceptions of some electricity concepts. Latin American Journal of Physics Education, 3(2), 193-201.
Brown, T.R., Slater, T.F. and Adams, J.P. (1998). Gender differences with batteries and bulbs. Physics Teacher, 36, 526-527.
Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çakmak, E.K, Akgün, Ö.E., Karadeniz, Ş. and Demirel, F. (2016). Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri. Ankara: Pegem A.
Chang, H.P., Chen, J.Y., Guo, C.J., Chen, C. C., Chang, C.Y., Lin, S. H., Su, W.J., Lain, K.D., Hsu, S.Y., Lin, J.L., Chen, C.C., Cheng, Y.T., Wang, L.S., and Tseng, Y.T. (2007). Investigating primary and secondary students’ learning of physics concepts in Taiwan. International Journal of Science Education, 29(4), 465-482.
Çepni, S. and Keleş, E. (2006). Turkish students’ conceptions about the simple electric circuits. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 4(2), 269-291.
Engelhardt, P. V. and Beichner, R.J. (2004). Students’ understanding of direct current resistive electrical circuits. American Journal of Physics Education. 72(1), 98-115.
Fredette, N.H. and Clement, J.J. (1981). Student misconceptions of an electric circuit: What
do they mean? Journal of College Science Teaching, 11, 280–285.
Furio, C. and Guisasola, J. (1998). Difficulties in learning the concept of electric field. Science Education, 82, 511–26.
Garnett, P.J., Garnett, P.J., and Hackling, M.W. (1995). Students’ alternative conceptions in chemistry: a review of research and implications for teaching and learning. Studies in Science Education, 25, 69-95.
Keeley, P. (2012). Misunderstanding misconceptions. Science Scope, 35(8), 12–15.
Kibble, B. (1999). How do you picture electricity? Physics Education, 34, 226-229.
Klassen, S. (2009).The photoelectric effect: Reconstructing the story for the physics classroom. Science & Education, 20, 719.
Küçüközer, H. and Kocakülah, S. (2007). Secondary school students’ misconceptions about simple electric circuits. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 4, 101–115.
Lee, S-J. (2007). Exploring students’ understanding concerning batteries-theories and practices. International Journal of Science Education, 29(4), 497–516.
Lee, Y. and Law, N. (2001). Explorations in promoting conceptual change in electrical concepts via ontological category shift. International Journal of Science Education, 23, 111–149.
Maloney, D. P., O’Kuma, T. L., Hieggelke, C. J. and Heuvelen, A. V. (2001). Surveying students’ conceptual knowledge of electricity and magnetism. American Journal of Physics Education, 69, 12–23.
Osborne, R. (1983). Towards modifying children’s ideas about electric current. Research in Science and Technological Education, 1, 73-82.
Peşman, H. and Eryılmaz, A. (2010). Development of a three-tier test to assess misconceptions about simple electric circuits. The Journal of Educational Research, 103(3), 208-222.
Pocovi, M. C. (2007). The effects of a history-based instructional material on the students’ understanding of field lines. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44, 107–132.
Pocovi, M. C. and Finley, F. (2002). Lines of force: Faraday's and students' views. Science and Education, 11(5), 459-474.
Saarelainen, M, Laaksonen, A. and Hirvonen, P.E. (2007). Students’ initial knowledge of electric and magnetic fields-more profound explanations and reasoning models for undesired conceptions. European Journal of Physics, 28, 51–60.
Steinberg, R. N. and Oberem, G. E. (2000). Research-based instructional software in modern physics. Journal of Computer, Mathematics and Science Teaching, 19, 115–136.
Thacker, B. A., Ganiel, U and Boys, D. (1999). Macroscopic phenomena and microscopic processes: student understanding of transients in direct current electric circuits. Physics Education Research-American Journal of Physics, 67, 25–31.
Törnkovist, S., Petterrson, K. A. and Tranströmer, G. (1993). Confusion by representation: on student’s comprehension of the electric field concept. American Journal of Physics. 61, 335–338.
Yağbasan, R. and Gülçiçek, Ç. (2003). Fen öğretiminde kavram yanılgılarının karakteristiklerinin tanımlanması. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 13(1), 102-120.
Yıldırım, O., Nakiboğlu, C. and Sinan, O. (2004). Fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının difüzyon ile ilgili kavram yanılgıları. BAÜ Fen Bil. Enst. Dergisi, 6(1), 79-99.
Zirbel, E. L. (2004). Framework for conceptual change. Astronomy Education Review, 3(1), 62-76.
Published
2017-10-05
How to Cite
ÖNDER, Fatih; ŞENYIĞIT, Çiğdem; SILAY, İlhan.
The Effects of Misconceptions on Pre-service Teachers’ Ability to Constructing Simple Electric Circuits.
European Journal of Physics Education, [S.l.], v. 8, n. 1, p. 1-10, oct. 2017.
ISSN 1309-7202.
Available at: <https://eu-journal.org/index.php/EJPE/article/view/149>. Date accessed: 27 apr. 2024.
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