A Phenomenographic Approach to Students' Alternative Conceptions of Electrical Circuits
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Authors
Luu, King
Date
2017-04-28
Type
other
Language
en
Keyword
Phenomenographic , Electrical Circuits , Students' Conceptions
Alternative Title
Abstract
This study examined the variety of alternative conceptions that
students have regarding electrical circuits using a
phenomenographic approach. Five graduate students completed a
questionnaire and simple activity relating to electrical circuits.
The questionnaire involved describing terms that are commonly
covered in electrical circuits, and drawing a simple circuit
involving a piece of copper wire, a battery, and a light bulb.
Participants were then instructed to create a circuit using these
materials and to describe the thoughts they were experiencing
while completing this activity. These data formed the basis for a
conversation style interview with the participants. A
phenomenographic approach was then used to create an outcome
space for these conceptions, which were organized into a
hierarchy. It was found that every participant conceived his or her
electrical circuit in a different way. Although the level of physics
education may have influenced the way in which participants
completed their circuits, the nature of activities that their
instructors chose to present in class may also have shaped their
descriptions of how the circuit worked, as did their own real-life
experiences.
Description
A PHENOMENOGRAPHIC APPROACH TO STUDENTS'
ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTIONS OF ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS