The process of conceptual change in force and motion during computer-supported physics instruction

Tao, Ping-Kee; Gunstone, Richard

doi:10.1002/(sici)1098-2736(199909)36:7<859::aid-tea7>3.3.co;2-a

Cited by 8 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…Research related to misconceptions has shown that traditional teaching methods are not really effective in overcoming misconceptions (Saul & Redish, 1998). Suggested methods generally include interactive and constructive methods such as refutational texts (Guzzetti, Snyder, Glass & Gamas, 1993;Palmer & Flanagan, 1997), computer assisted instruction (Bernhard, 2000;Tao & Gunstone, 1999), and variations of cooperative learning (Saul & Redish, 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Misconceptions of Turkish Pre-Service Teachers about Force and Motion

Bayraktar

2008

Int J of Sci and Math Educ

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The purpose of this study was to diagnose the misconceptions held by preservice physics teachers about force and motion. The secondary aim of the study was to detect whether misconceptions vary according to gender, educational level, and culture. The study was conducted with 79 student-teachers attending to one of the largest faculties of education in Turkey. Force Concept Inventory (FCI) was used to diagnose studentteachers' misconceptions. FCI is a conceptual test consisting of 29 multiple choice items. Each wrong choice for each question reflects a specific misconception about the force and motion concepts. Data from the study was analyzed by using frequencies, t-test, and ANOVA for making comparisons according to gender and years of education. Results of the study showed that student-teachers of physics hold very strong misconceptions about impetus and active force. No significant differences were found between male and female students' scores on the concept test. The results also showed that misconceptions about force and motion decreased through the years of education. However, they did not disappear completely. Findings of the study are very similar to the other research findings conducted on the subject in other countries. Student-teachers' conceptions about Newton's Third Law, on the other hand, were significantly better than those observed in other research done in other countries such as the US and Finland.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Misconceptions of Turkish Pre-Service Teachers about Force and Motion

Bayraktar

2008

Int J of Sci and Math Educ

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“…It was expected that by re‐experiencing the simulated phenomena, students would be confronted by the conflicts between their alternative conceptions with the scientific conception, and would subsequently rectify their existing conceptions. However, the results indicated that students' alternative conceptions vacillated from one context to another, and the use of conceptual conflict strategy (CCS), coupled with computer simulations, did not always lead to conceptual change (Tao & Gunstone 1999). While computer simulations provide a platform for students to explore the physical phenomena, significant disparity sometimes exists between students' alternative conceptions and the underlying principles of the simulated phenomena.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Recently, simulations have been widely used to facilitate conceptual change (Windschitl & Andre 1998; Tao & Gunstone 1999). Tao and Gunstone (1999) used a suite of four computer programs, called the force and motion microworld (FMM), with simulated motion of model cars and spaceships, to match and confront students' alternative conceptions about force and motion. It was expected that by re‐experiencing the simulated phenomena, students would be confronted by the conflicts between their alternative conceptions with the scientific conception, and would subsequently rectify their existing conceptions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive perturbation through dynamic modelling: a pedagogical approach to conceptual change in science

Law

Lui

2006

Computer Assisted Learning

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While simulations have widely been used to facilitate conceptual change in learning science, results indicate that significant disparity or gap between students' prior conceptions and scientific conceptions still exists. To bridge the gap, we argue that the applications of computer simulation in science education should be broadened to enable students to model their thoughts and to improve and advance their theories progressively. While computer simulations are often used to offer opportunities for students to explore scientific models, they do not give them the space to explore their own conceptions, and thus cannot effectively address the challenge of changing students' alternative conceptions. Findings from our recent empirical study reveal that, firstly, dynamic modelling using the environment WorldMaker 2000 in conjunction with the use of a cognitive perturbation strategy by the teacher was effective in helping students to migrate from their alternative conceptions towards a more scientifically inclined one; secondly, the pathways of conceptual change across groups were idiosyncratic and diverse. Respecting students' ideas seriously and providing cognitive perturbation at appropriate junctures of the inquiry process are found to be conducive to fostering conceptual change. In this paper, we will report on the details of the pedagogical approach adopted by the teacher and portray how students' conceptions change during the entire process of model building.

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“…Also the normal physics teaching after the learning intervention may have supported the ninth graders' understanding whereas during that time the fifth graders had had no lessons in physics at school. However, Tao & Gunstone (1999) have shown in their study about the process of conceptual change in force and motion during computer-supported instruction that for many students their conceptual change is context dependent and unstable. That means that they vacillate between the alternative and scientific conceptions during instruction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here pupils' learning about the relevant scientific explanation is guided by the revealing event and the critical event selected by the teacher without the pupils having earlier learnt the scientific explanation. When the pupils see and understand how the concept works in different contexts it is possible for the pupils to reach a context independent conceptual change (Tao & Gunstone, 1999). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Durability of Conceptual Change in Learning the Concept of Weight in the Case of a Pulley in Balance

Hakkarainen

Ahtee

2006

Int J Sci Math Educ

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This study concerns the question of how teachers can help pupils to perceive the concept of weight (gravitation). Fifth and ninth graders were asked in a paper-and-pencil test to compare the weight of two objects suspended in a pulley-inbalance half a year after the learning intervention consisting of three successive pulleyin-balance demonstrations. The understanding, that some of the fifth graders seemed to have formed from the weight concept after the teacher-independent learning intervention, had almost totally vanished in the delayed study. In the demonstrations the pulley served as an efficient prosthetic device for thinking, helping pupils to pay attention to the behaviour of the whole system instead of looking only at the separate objects. In the ninth grade about 45% of the pupils achieved general understanding about the pulley in balance by transferring the scientific explanation from the pulley demonstrations to the paper-and-pen test. A learning-with-conflict model is proposed based on pupil's alternative explanations about a discrepant event. These explanations are then challenged with a conflicting event. When pupils see and understand how the concept works in different contexts it is possible for the pupils to reach a context independent conceptual change.

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The process of conceptual change in force and motion during computer-supported physics instruction

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Misconceptions of Turkish Pre-Service Teachers about Force and Motion

Misconceptions of Turkish Pre-Service Teachers about Force and Motion

Cognitive perturbation through dynamic modelling: a pedagogical approach to conceptual change in science

The Durability of Conceptual Change in Learning the Concept of Weight in the Case of a Pulley in Balance

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