Analysis of Students' Conceptions of Basic Magnetism from a Complex Systems Perspective

Autor/inn/en	Lemmer, Miriam; Kriek, Jeanne; Erasmus, Benita
Titel	Analysis of Students' Conceptions of Basic Magnetism from a Complex Systems Perspective
Quelle	In: Research in Science Education, 50 (2020) 2, S.375-392 (18 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Kriek, Jeanne)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0157-244X
DOI	10.1007/s11165-018-9693-z
Schlagwörter	Magnets; Secondary School Students; Physics; Misconceptions; Foreign Countries; Systems Approach; Concept Formation; Logical Thinking; South Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Stabmagnet; Sekundarschüler; Physik; Missverständnis; Ausland; Systemischer Ansatz; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik
Abstract	This study established whether 12 South African secondary school physics students had incorrect conceptions of basic magnetism and if they had, to what extent they consistently applied such conceptions. Different scenarios in the form of thought experiments were presented in a clinical interview approach. A complex systems perspective underpinned the study and was firstly used to analyze 12 students' conceptions in terms of intuitive fragments of knowledge elements, structured misconceptions, and theory-like system of knowledge elements. Secondly, coherence in each student's ideas expressed across ten themes using thought experiments was analyzed in an effort to determine variations or coherence in responses. Examples of student explanations and sketches are discussed in the paper to illustrate the conceptual structures they applied. Most of the students in this study used a variety of knowledge elements in accord with a complex systems perspective, but three students seemed to prefer a specific perspective. One student's ideas tended to be mainly fragmented, a second exposed a number of structured misconceptions, while another student's reasoning can be described as a theory-like system of knowledge elements. Accordingly, the emphasis of physics education research should no longer be on the compilation of a list of misconceptions that have to be "remedied" or "replaced," but on the conceptual connections, students make and their associative reasoning patterns (i.e., knowledge systems revealed). It remains for the teacher to use the complex systems perspective as a framework to facilitate students' conceptual development and understanding, proceeding on their existing knowledge systems. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01