Addressing nursing students' understanding of force using the conceptual change discussion protocol

• Main Author: Caballes, Dennis Gamad
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2006
• Subjects: Force and energy; Physics
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3375
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study intends to describe students conceptions of Force and to assess the persistence of familiar misconceptions after 2 weeks of instruction. Written tests and the use of conceptual change discussion protocol were conducted to carry out this objective. A total of 6 intact classes (n=257) of sophomore nursing students from Manila Doctors College (MDC) enrolled in Introductory College Physics course were the subjects of the study. Four of these classes were taught using the traditional lecture method (TLM) by the researcher and the other two classes were handled by the researchers colleague. For the remaining two classes, the researcher employed the Conceptual Change Discussion Protocol (CCDP). To identify alternative conceptions of the learners and their attitude towards the course, a researcher designed 20-item Force Concept Test (FCT) and the Maryland Physics Expectation Survey (MPEX) were utilized. Prior to instruction, FCT was administered as a pretest, and the same concept test was given as a posttest in an effort to determine the extent of their conceptual understanding. ANOVA was used to compare the gain scores from each of the intact classes to further determine significant changes in concepts. While the students attitudes toward the course were interpreted vis-à-vis the experts responses. Results revealed no significant difference on the students performance in the concept test between the TLM classes, suggestive that the researcher employed the usual lecture method practiced in MDC. Although students in CCDP classes showed increase in their posttest scores, ANOVA results yielded no significant difference between TLM and CCDP classes. The gain scores in CCDP classes, however seemingly indicate that CCDP holds promise as a pedagogy that could address students alternative conceptions.