Students'ConceptualChangeinElectricityandMagnetismUsingSimulations: AComparisonofCognitivePerturbationandCognitiveConflict

The purpose of this study was to investigate Ethiopian physics undergraduate students' conceptual change in the concepts of electric potential and energy (EPE) and electromagnetic induction (EMI). A quasi-experimental design was used to study the effect of cognitive perturbation using physics interactive simulations (CPS) in relation to cognitive conflict using physics interactive simulations (CCS). DatawerecollectedbyusingthemodifiedDiagnosticExamofElectricityandMagnetism(DEEM).ANCOVA was conducted on the scores of 45 students on the modified DEEM test to compare the effectiveness of the CCSandCPS.Theresultsshowedasignificantdifferencebetweenthetwoclassesofthepost-testscoresonthe DEEMtest,(1,36) ¼ 4.66,p ¼ 0.04,partialetasquared ¼ 0.12.Consequently,itwasconcludedthatthereis a statistically significant difference between CPS and CCS in changing students' alternative conceptions towards scientific conceptions favoring CPS. Medium practical difference between the two classes was estimated by the partial eta squared effect size. To characterize and compare improvement of the students' conceptuallearninginbothtreatmentclasses,Hake'saveragenormalizedgaingfrompre-topost-scoreswere analyzed.Itissuggestedthatinabstractconceptualareasofelectricityandmagnetism,inwhichmoststudents haveinappropriateandcounterproductiveresponses,cognitiveperturbationthroughinteractivesimulationsis more effective than cognitive conflict through interactive simulations in facilitating conceptual change, and, thus, can improve classroom instruction in the area. Recommendations are also suggested for guiding future researchinthisarea.# 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50: 677-698, 2013

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