Transformative modeling in learning current electricity: a case study of preservice teachers

Research finds that students have many ideas on electricity not aligned with scientific notions (e.g. Eylon & Ganiel, 1990; Thacker, Ganiel, & Boys, 1999; Osborne, 1983; Shen, Gibbons, Wiegers, & McMahon, 2007; Shepardson & Moje, 1994). It is challenging to change these conceptions. Different strategies have been employed by science educators to help students learn current electricity (e.g., Benseghir & Closset, 1996; Shaffer & McDermott, 1992; Gibbons et al., 2003; Shen & Linn, submitted). This paper presents a teaching experiment that incorporates a variety of environments including computerized modeling tools (e.g., WISE, Phet), hands-on activities, role playing, and formative assessments (see Figure 3). The activities are designed based on the transformative modeling framework (TM) used to describe, analyze, and inform learning processes (Shen, submitted). TM delineates learning and teaching as a process of modeling the natural world through chains of operations on materials. At the center of the operations are a set of transformations that alter the nature of physical or symbolic objects by adding or suppressing information (Shen, in press; Shen & Confrey, 2007). The transformed materials, as well as the operations on these materials, render potential for future learning (Shen, submitted).