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Textbook-Caused Misconceptions, Inconsistencies, and Experimental Safety Risks of a Grade 8 Physics Textbook

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Abstract

A physics textbook for the 8th grade was analyzed, in particular the section on the interaction between electric current and magnetic field. The textbook is written in the Macedonian language, but is translated into Albanian, Serbian, and Turkish, which provides an opportunity to influence a larger population of children, in a larger ethnic area. Errors are found from both a didactic as well as from a physical point of view. The authors create many sources of misconceptions. The questions at the end of the chapter are of low level, according to Bloom’s taxonomy. They are of the first and second levels mostly. In very rare cases, third-level questions can be found. The proposed experimental activities do not follow the safety precautions and are therefore dangerous to perform. Risk assessment of the laboratory activities is proposed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Prof. d-r Vladimir Petrusevski for his help, fruitful discussions, and useful directions. Many thanks also to Mr. Marcus Einfeld, for his contribution to improving the text of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Institute of Physics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Gazi Baba b.b., 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Oliver Zajkov & Boce Mitrevski

  2. Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Rugjer Boshkovik bb, P.O. Box 574, 1000, Skopje, Macedonia

    Sonja Gegovska-Zajkova

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  1. Oliver Zajkov
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Correspondence to Oliver Zajkov.

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Zajkov, O., Gegovska-Zajkova, S. & Mitrevski, B. Textbook-Caused Misconceptions, Inconsistencies, and Experimental Safety Risks of a Grade 8 Physics Textbook. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 15, 837–852 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-016-9715-0

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