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Effects of Conceptual Change and Traditional Confirmatory Simulations on Pre-Service Teachers’ Understanding of Direct Current Circuits

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Abstract

The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of simulations based on conceptual change conditions (CCS) and traditional confirmatory simulations (TCS) on pre-service elementary school teachers’ understanding of direct current electric circuits. The data was collected from a sample consisting of 89 students; 48 students in the experimental group who were taught simulations based on CCS, and 41 students in control group who followed the TCS. Subjects in both groups used open source software (Qucs) to simulate electric circuits. All students were administered Electric Circuits Concepts Test (DIRECT), Science Process Skills Test, Physics Attitude Scale, and Computer Attitude Scale before the treatment. Pre-test analyses revealed that there is no significant difference between experimental and control groups in terms of understanding of direct current electricity. After completing 3 weeks treatment, all students received the DIRECT again as a post-test. Analysis of covariance was used. Science process skills and attitudes toward computers were taken as covariates. The results showed that the conceptual change based simulations caused significantly better acquisition of conceptual change of direct current electricity concepts than the confirmatory simulation. While science process skills and attitudes towards computer made significant contributions to the variations in achievement, gender differences and interactions between gender and treatment did not. Eleven weeks later, the DIRECT was reapplied to the students in both groups. Eleven weeks delayed post-test results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in understanding of direct current electric concepts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Golkoy Kampusu, Bolu, Turkey

    Mustafa Baser

  2. Beskavaklar Mahallesi, Horasan Sokak, Mesken Sitesi 8. Blok, No: 27/6, Bolu, Turkey

    Mustafa Baser

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  1. Mustafa Baser
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Appendices

Appendix A: Some Items from DIRECT (Engelhardt and Beichner, 2004)

(1) Rank the potential difference between points 1 and 2, points 3 and 4, and points 4 and 5 in the circuit shown below from HIGHEST to LOWEST.

(A) 1 and 2; 3 and 4; 4 and 5

(B) 1 and 2; 4 and 5; 3 and 4

(C) 3 and 4; 4 and 5; 1 and 2

(D) 3 and 4 = 4 and 5; 1 and 2

(E) 1 and 2; 3 and 4 = 4 and 5

(2) What happens to the potential difference between points 1 and 2 when the switch is closed?

(A) Quadruples (4 times)

(B) Doubles

(C) Stays the same

(D) Reduces by half

(E) Reduces by one quarter (1/4)

(3) If you increase the resistance C, what happens to the brightness of bulbs A and B?

(A) A stays the same, B dims

(B) A dims, B stays the same

(C) A and B increase

(D) A and B decrease

(E) A and B remain the same

Appendix B: Some Items from Physics Attitude Scale

In the blank provided in front of the statements about physics, please indicate whether you Totally Agree (TA), Agree (A), have no decision (ND), Disagree (D), or Totally Disagree (TD).

  1. ___

    1. I like to read physics books.

  2. ___

    2. Physics subjects are interesting.

  3. ___

    3. I like to solve physics problems.

  4. ___

    4.Physics lessons at school are not boring.

Appendix C: Some Items from Science Process Skill Test (Burns et al., 1985)

(1) Jim thinks that the more air pressure in a basketball, the higher it will bounce. To investigate this hypothesis he collects several basketballs and an air pump with a pressure gauge. How should Jim test this hypothesis?

  1. A.

    Bounce basketballs with different amounts of force from the same height.

  2. B.

    Bounce basketballs having different air pressure from the same height.

  3. C.

    Bounce basketballs having the same air pressure at different angles from the floor.

  4. D.

    Bounce basketballs having the same amount of air pressure from different heights.

(2) The effect of width of wheel on ease of rolling is being studied by a science class. The class puts wide wheels onto a small cart and lets they roll down an inclined ramp and then across the floor. The investigation is repeated using the same cart but this time fitted with narrow wheels.

How could the class measure ease of rolling?

  1. A.

    Measure the total distance the cart travels.

  2. B.

    Measure the angle of the inclined ramp.

  3. C.

    Measure the width of each of the two sets of wheels.

  4. D.

    Measure the weight of each of the carts.

Appendix D: Some Items from Computer Attitude Scale (Loyd and Gressard, 1984)

In the blank provided in front of the statements about computer, please indicate whether you Totally Agree (TA), Agree (A), have no decision (ND), Disagree (D), or Totally Disagree (TD).

  1. ___

    1. Computers do not scare me at all.

  2. ___

    2. I’m no good with computers.

  3. ___

    3. I would like working with computers.

  4. ___

    4. I will use computers many ways in my life.

  5. ___

    5. Working with a computer would make me very nervous.

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Baser, M. Effects of Conceptual Change and Traditional Confirmatory Simulations on Pre-Service Teachers’ Understanding of Direct Current Circuits. J Sci Educ Technol 15, 367–381 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-006-9025-3

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