Research Sharing in EDSC 244.1 Joni M. Albarico

Comparison of Students Conceptual Understanding of Electric Circuits in Simulation Only and Simulation-Laboratory ContextsTomi Jaakkola, Sami Nurmi, Koen Veermans Centre for Learning Research, University of Turku, Finland

Journal of Research in Science Teaching Vol. 48, No.1, pp. 71-93 (2011)

Rationale of the Study Compare learning outcomes of students using simulation alone (simulation environment) with outcomes of those using simulation in parallel with real circuits (combination environment) in the domain of electricity Explore how learning outcomes in these environments are mediated by implicit (only procedural guidance) instruction and explicit (more structure and guidance for the discovery process) instruction

Assumptions Combination environment will stimulate more cognitive processing than using the simulation alone, thus resulting to a better understanding of electric circuits. Combination would be more time consuming.

Definition of Terms Implicit instruction Students were provided only with procedural guidance. Explicit instruction Students were given support and a structure for their inquiry process. Simulation environment This is where students used the simulation. Combination environmentThis is where both simulation and real circuits were both used by students

Participants to the Study 50 fifth and sixth grade students (11-12 years old; 31 girls and 19 boys) from three different classrooms of one Finnish elementary school No previous formal education in electricityStudents worked in pairs

How participants were grouped? 50 studentsPRETESTMatchingSimulation Implicit (SI)Simulation Explicit (SE)Combination Implicit (CI)Combination Explicit (CE)

Materials Simulation (Electricity Exploration Tool) Real Circuits (Laboratory Equipment Kit) WorksheetsSubject Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire

Electricity Exploration Tool

Laboratory Equipment Kit Real batteries, wires, bulbs and voltmeter Each circuit component is attached to a base that displays the diagrammatic symbol of that component

Worksheets Designed to promote conceptual changeProvided instructions for students to follow during the intervention phase

Students Conceptual Models of Simple Electric Circuits

Model Description Sink Model (NSAM) Only one wire between the bulb and the battery suffices to light the bulb. The second wire is unnecessary and it has not active role in the circuit. Clashing current model (NSAM) For a bulb to be part of a complete circuit, its two terminals must be connected to different terminals of the battery. Current consumption model (NSAM) Current circulates around the circuit, but while it travels, it encounters obstacles that gradually consume the current and slow it down.

Students Conceptual Models of Simple Electric Circuits

Model Description Constant current model (NSAM) Current is conserved, but the battery is a source of constant current. Current is always shared equally among the circuit components. Ohm model (SAM) The amount of current depends on the circuit configuration and this also determines the bulb brightness.

Subject Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire Completed before and after they constructed circuits Was used to measure changes in students knowledge about the features that affect the lighting and the brightness of the bulbs in DC circuits Five questions that included multiple items

Procedure Pre-test (a week before the intervention)Intervention (SI, SE, CI, CE)Post-test (a day after the intervention)

Data Analysis Subject knowledge Quantitative level Conceptual level Learning time Learning efficiency

RESULTS OF THE STUDY

Baseline Knowledge No significant difference on pre-test scores among the four conditions F(3, 46) = 0.07Significant positive correlation on the pre-test and posttest scores (r = 0.59, p < 0.001)

Means of Students Pre-test and Post-test Subject Knowledge

Model SISECICEPre-test Post-test 8.759.259.1411.298.6712.679.0012.33Learning timeLearning efficiency66.170.57279.141.70073.003.55490.332.232

Conceptual UnderstandingSI 17%SE 43%CI 58% CE 67%

Implicit what kind of circuit to construct, how to construct it, what king of electrical measurements to conduct Explicit students were guided to pay attention to aspects that are important for a theoretical understanding and asked to make comparisons between different circuits **Set of four students were matched on pretest scores (one was included in any of the four groups done in random) **Lightweight (55 kb) Adobe Flash, online or offline (semi-realistic) *To make easier for students to relate LEK with virtual circuits*(A) Common misconceptions on electric circuits that have been identified in the previous students (B) introduce an alternative explanation that is based on the scientific model of the circuits *(A) Common misconceptions on electric circuits that have been identified in the previous students (B) introduce an alternative explanation that is based on the scientific model of the circuits *(A) Common misconceptions on electric circuits that have been identified in the previous students (B) introduce an alternative explanation that is based on the scientific model of the circuits *1st question understanding the concept of a closed circuit 2nd question how students thought current flows in a circuit 3rd 5th questions understanding of how circuit configurations affect bulb brightness *1st question understanding the concept of a closed circuit 2nd question how students thought current flows in a circuit 3rd 5th questions understanding of how circuit configurations affect bulb brightness *1st question understanding the concept of a closed circuit 2nd question how students thought current flows in a circuit 3rd 5th questions understanding of how circuit configurations affect bulb brightness *1st question understanding the concept of a closed circuit 2nd question how students thought current flows in a circuit 3rd 5th questions understanding of how circuit configurations affect bulb brightness *(A) Common misconceptions on electric circuits that have been identified in the previous students (B) introduce an alternative explanation that is based on the scientific model of the circuits *1st question understanding the concept of a closed circuit 2nd question how students thought current flows in a circuit 3rd 5th questions understanding of how circuit configurations affect bulb brightness *