Effect of an inquiry-based learning method on students’ misconceptions about charging of conducting and insulating bodies

Abstract

This study examined the effect of an inquiry-based learning method on eliminating misconceptions about the charging of insulating and conductive materials. The study was conducted using three inquiry-based activities prepared by the researchers. The participants in the study were 19 pre-service teachers enrolled on the General Physics 2 course at Dokuz Eylül University. The qualitative data in the study consisted of the responses the students gave to the open-ended questions posed in the inquiry-based activities while the quantitative data consisted of the results obtained from the electrical conductivity concepts test (ECCT). It was found from a review of the responses given to the open-ended questions that the students believed that insulators could not be charged by induction, that neutral objects were uncharged, that the inner surfaces of conductive materials could be charged just like their outer surfaces and that the electric field inside insulators corresponded to zero. It was established at the end of the activities that almost all of these misconceptions had been dispelled. At the same time, it was determined that the students’ ECCT scores at the end of the activities showed a significant increase from their pretest levels.

Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment

“…Arguments for the adoption of IBL can be traced back over many years. An inquiry-based teaching approach may support and deepen learning of scientific concepts (Minner et al, 2010), overcome misconceptions as part of constructivist teaching and learning approaches (Ariza, Aguirre, Quesada, Abril & García, 2016;Önder, Şenyiğit, & Sılay, 2018), develop curiosity, engagement and interest in science (McConney, Oliver, Woods-McConney, Schibeci, & Maor, 2014), promote an understanding of the nature of science and what scientists do (Lederman et al, 2013) and develop future citizens who are able to make informed decisions about their lives and those of others (Lee & Brown, 2018).…”

Misconceptions in the Learning of Natural Sciences: A Systematic Review

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Does further-mathematics performance predict student's achievement in Physics? A correlational diagnosis in senior secondary schools

“…The NPE, among other things respect the uniqueness of science and particularly physics. Developing and managing competence in various strata of education requires tooling each subject area to compete favourably towards ascertaining global, national and domestic educational objectives (Federal Republic of Nigeria -FRN, 2013;Önder, Şenyiğit & Sılay, 2018;Zain & Jumadi, 2018) Performance levels is a measure of learning in and outside academics. Its history in academics goes as far back as learning itself (Oluwatusin & Dele-Rotimi, 2017;Ademola, 2014).…”