CONCEPTUAL DIFFICULTIES PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY TEACHERS HAVE WITH STATIC ELECTRICITY
Journal: Journal of Baltic Science Education (Vol.18, No. 2)Publication Date: 2019-04-04
Authors : Constantina G. Stefanidou; Konstantina D. Tsalapati; Anastasia M. Ferentinou; Constantine D. Skordoulis;
Page : 300-313
Keywords : conceptual difficulties; content analysis; static electricity;
Abstract
Static electricity is the introductory chapter to electricity in all high school and university Physics textbooks. The interpretations of static electricity phenomena are not obvious, even in higher education. This research was conducted to identify the major difficulties which pre-service primary teachers encounter in explaining static electricity. They conducted electrostatic experiments focused on different types of electricity, in the context of an Introductory Physics Laboratory Course. The data were collected through the reports they wrote at the end of the course. The qualitative content analysis method was used in order to analyze the data. The sample, which was a convenient one, consisted of 200 pre-service primary teachers, 170 females and 30 males. The analysis showed that pre-service primary teachers have considerable difficulty conceptualizing the microscopic processes – more specifically, charging by induction – that explain these phenomena. The different roles electrons play in conductors and insulators seemed to pose difficulties for pre-service primary teachers. The findings implied an emphasis on microscopic models during macroscopic experimental processes. This could help pre-service primary teachers to understand the role of electrons in conductors and insulators and the different mechanisms involved in different types of charging.
Other Latest Articles
- THE EFFECT OF LOWER-SECONDARY CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING TO THE NATURE OF CHEMISTRY AND THEIR ATTITUDES
- MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS OF LIGHT PROPAGATION TIME FOR 10- AND 14-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS: DIDACTICAL PERSPECTIVES
- A BIOENERGY COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT TOOL: DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION
- PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ CONCEPTIONS ABOUT OWLS, EXPERIENCES WITH OWLS AND THEIR SOURCES OF INFORMATION
- FINDING THE BEST ALGORITHMS AND EFFECTIVE FACTORS IN CLASSIFICATION OF TURKISH SCIENCE STUDENT SUCCESS
Last modified: 2019-04-04 16:07:48