An Evaluation of Interactive Teaching Methods in Mechanics: Using the FCI to Monitor Student Learning1 (original) (raw)
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Sultan Qaboos University Journal for Science [SQUJS], 2021
This work is intended to analyze and compare the performance of two groups of students on the understanding of force and motion concepts using the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). The FCI test serves questions on basic Newtonian concepts where the answers inclyde the correct response and commonly misconceived alternatives. The FCI test was implemented twice as pre and post-tests for two introductory calculus-based physics courses offered at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Oman for students mainly from the Colleges of Sciences, Education and Agriculture and the students from the College of Enginerring in the Spring 2017 and Spring 2018 semesters. These courses cover the traditional first-year level kinematics and dynamics in translational and rotational motions based on the same syllabus and the same textbook. Hake's normalized gain, defined as the change in class averages divided by the maximum possible increase, was used to compare the students'performances. The normali...
Force Concept Inventory (FCI) has been the most effective investigative tool for discovering alternative conceptions (misconceptions) about Force and Motion among learners. Introduced in 1992 by David Hestenes, Malcom Wells, and Gregg Swackhamer, FCI had been administered among more than one hundred thousand students worldwide and major learning difficulties of students were identified. Remedial measures in the form of newer teaching methods were discovered and tested. But FCI was never used for understanding Indian students’ conceptual difficulties about Force and Motion. In a country where majority of students don’t take up Physics as their subject of post-secondary education as they find the subject difficult, I have planned to do an exploratory research to understand the state of conceptual understanding of Force and Motion among the students of the secondary and higher secondary level, and also among the teachers who teach them the subject. My objective is to understand the existing situation on one hand, and to find out the reason behind the situation on the other. My data clearly shows that the secondary level students have serious conceptual difficulty about Force and Motion, and the situation is no better for the higher secondary level students and the teachers.
Exploration of Students’ Misconceptions in Mechanics using the FCI
American Journal of Educational Research 3.2: 116-120, 2015
During 3 years, we have used the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) to assess the progress of our First-Year students in Engineering in mastering the concepts of Newtonian Physics and to compare the efficiency of two teaching methods, courses and drills versus Problem-Based Learning. If both methods lead to quite similar deceptive results, the detailed analysis of the response to each question of the test allowed us to identify our students’ most common misconceptions. This paper presents this research and discusses our findings.
The Force Concept Inventory as a Measure of Students Conceptual Coherence
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2008
is a physics teacher at Kuopion Lyseo High School, Kuopio, Finland; he teaches in both the National Curriculum and the International Baccalaureate Program. His doctoral studies dealt with students' conceptual coherence in the case of the force concept. He is continuing his studies and acts as a supervisor in close co-operation with Professor Jouni Viiri.
The Level of Understanding of Students and Teachers in the Concept of Force and Motion
2013
This studies the level of understanding among students, the level of understanding among teachers and the common types of misconception among students and teachers in Force and Motion in 4 schools in Johor Bahru. This research uses a simple random sampling technique that involves 4 physics teachers and 116 students. Ujian Kefahaman Konsep Daya dan Gerakan was used to measure the level of understanding. Pilot study shows that the instrument has Alpha Cronbach reliability value of 0.638. The data was analyzed using SPSS program version 17.0. In overall, the data shows that the students fail to understand the Force and Motion concept with an average of 19.23% and standard deviation of 11.09. 60.4% of the students fail to understand the concept. The data also shows that the teachers’ level of understanding, on average is 21.88% and standard deviation of 10.83. However, 75% of the teachers have reached the level of poor understanding of Force and Motion concept and 25% of the teachers fa...
2012
This project work was based on the assessment of senior secondary school students’ conceptual understanding of force and motion. Four researcher questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Two research designs were adopted for the study namely: descriptive survey and Ex-post facto designs. Two hundred and twenty two senior secondary two (SS2) physics students in seven intact classes from six senior secondary schools that were purposively sampled from the area of study constituted the sample for the study. Those seven intact classes were drawn through simple random sampling within the SS2 physics classes in each of the six schools. The instrument for data collection was Force Motion Concept Evaluation (FMCE) developed by Thornton and Sokoloff, (1998). This instrument was adapted by the present researcher. Data collected was analyzed using WinBUGS computer program, frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and t-test of independent samples. While WinBUGS computer program...
Using the Force Concept Inventory to characterise students' conceptual coherence
… on the IXX Symposium of FMSERA. …, 2003
There is a body of research which shows that student views are not 'consistent' or 'coherent' after a course in mechanics. Most of this research do not, however, provide a detailed definition of what is meant by consistency or coherence. In this paper we present a new way to ...
Using the Force Concept Inventory to monitor student learning and to plan teaching
Physics Education, 2002
This is the second of two papers focusing on the Force Concept Inventory, a multiple-choice test designed to monitor students' understanding of force and related kinematics. In this paper we outline how the FCI was used to evaluate student learning following a newly developed approach to teaching mechanics in a Finnish upper secondary school. We believe that this case offers a compelling example of the benefits (in terms of enhanced student learning) that can follow from research-or evidence-based approaches to teaching.