Title: Comparison of two different techniques on students' understandings of static electric concepts

Authors: Fatma Nur Ersoy; Refik Dilber

Addresses: Department of Physics, K.K. Education Faculty, Ataturk University, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey ' Department of Physics, K.K. Education Faculty, Ataturk University, 25240, Erzurum, Turkey

Abstract: In this study, effects of use of computer simulations and application of conceptual change texts on students' academic performance of electrostatic, attitudes towards physics and eliminating the misconceptions were researched and both techniques were investigated in comparison. According to results obtained from data analysis, there is a significant improvement in performance rates of the experimental and control groups. Additionally, no significant difference was observed between the groups. There has been no significant difference found in students' attitudes between experimental and control group. Furthermore, results showed that the students have misconceptions, the experimental and control group students performed better with respect to the success in eliminating the misconceptions.

Keywords: teaching methods; physics education; student misconceptions; simulation; innovation; learning; student understanding; electrostatics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2014.063374

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2014 Vol.16 No.1, pp.67 - 80

Published online: 26 Jul 2014 *

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