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An Investigation About Misconceptions in Force and Motion in High School



Author(s)

Azita Seyed Fadaei, César Mora

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DOI:10.17265/2161-623X/2015.01.004

The purpose of this study is to realize students’ misconceptions of force and motion before and after formal (traditional) teaching and their stability for high school students. The participants of the study were 20 10th grade girl students from a secondary school located in Tehran, Iran. In the research, a standard diagnostic test with 30 multiple-choice questions probed student understanding of basic concepts in force and motion to achieve the intended goal. To evaluate the stability of common misconceptions in each item of subjects, we explored and investigated the wrong answered questions in test results for the study sample before and after the study and compared them for every item of test. Analysis of wrong responses to tests mentions that some students’ misconceptions of force and motion are stable before and after instruction. Results from pre- and post- tests showed that in some parts of the subject, the formal teaching method has been successful, but for others, has had a negative effect on misconceptions in relation to students’ responses to test questions. Therefore, the details of wrong answered questions in force and motion show similar misconceptions among students before and after instruction. Results will help teachers and physics curriculum planners to revise the teaching method and contents of textbooks for related unsuccessful parts in this subject.

traditional teaching, misconception, force, motion, high school