Epistemological basis of high school students' misconception on DC electrical circuits

• Main Author: Palomar, Brando C.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2010
• Subjects: Electric circuits—Direct current—Study and teaching; Physics; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6510; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=12881&context=etd_masteral
• Institution: De La Salle University

Recent physics education researches have proven the significance of epistemological beliefs for better understanding and learning of physics. However, there is a dearth of research concerning students’ epistemological resources. It is in this context that this study was conducted to interpret and analyze the epistemological basis of students’ misconceptions on direct current (DC) resistive electrical circuits. Students’ epistemological beliefs and resources were used as basis for analysis. A total of one hundred forty three (n = 143) fourth year students from Parañaque National High School – Main served as participants of the study. Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for Physical Science (EBAPS) and Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric Circuit Concepts Test (DIRECT) were administered to the student-participants to determine the levels of their epistemological beliefs as well as scientific conceptions and misconceptions on DC. For further probing, eight (8) students were selected for the interview phase and grouped according to their scores in EBAPS and DIRECT. Students’ epistemological resources were elicited using an interview questionnaire and categorized as propagated stuff, fabricated stuff, free creation and other resources. Result of EBAPS showed that students seemingly have a near sophistication level of epistemological beliefs specifically on Axis 5 - Source of Ability to Learn ( ), while result of DIRECT showed a significant percentage of students having misconceptions Potential Energy Area (74.13%). The epistemological resources of students’ misconceptions with High Epistemological Beliefs and High DC Conceptions appear to be propagated stuff, while the other groups (Low Epistemological Beliefs and High DC Conceptions; High Epistemological Beliefs and Low DC Conceptions and Low Epistemological Beliefs and Low DC Conceptions) have common epistemological resource that can be described as free creation