i

MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS AMONG LEARNERS AT UNIVERSITY ENTRY POINT: A SOUTH AFRICAN

CASE STUDY

by

SUSAMMA THOMAS MUTHIRAPARAMPIL

A mini-dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF EDUCATION (M.Ed) (In Physical Science Education)

at

WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY

SUPERVISOR: PROF. K. J. MAMMEN

CO-SUPERVISOR: DR. M. CHIRWA

MAY 2012

ii

ABSTRACT

The study explored misconceptions in electrostatics and their origins amongst learners at

entry point in a South African University. Available literature showed misconceptions in

electrostatics amongst High School learners and confirmed textbooks as one of the sources

of misconceptions. It was therefore important to look for misconceptions in electrostatics

amongst first year Bachelor of Science (B.Sc 1) learners in physics courses and their origins

at the start of the academic year. The study also explored educators‘ misconceptions in the

topic to check whether they could also be a source of learners‘ misconceptions. The results

were intended to give guidance on how to eliminate learners‘ misconceptions at school

rather than carrying them to higher education institutions. The study used the ex-post facto

research design and was a case-study. The ex-post facto research design enabled the

researcher to investigate whether one or more pre-existing conditions have possibly caused

the existing problem of misconceptions. The sample consisted of 198 learners from B.Sc 1

physics course and 28 educators from 15 High Schools in one education district in the

Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The data were collected through questionnaires,

analysis of textbooks, and interviews. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)

version 17 was used for quantitative analysis whereas categorization and coding were used

for qualitative analysis. The study revealed that learners had misconceptions in

electrostatics. The origins of misconceptions were traced to educators, textbooks, intuition,

daily language and lack of hands-on activities. It emerged from the study that educators also

had misconceptions and the cause of their misconceptions were textbooks, websites and

gaps in content knowledge. The recommendations from the study were the following:

identify preliminary knowledge of learners during introduction of the lesson; introduce the

iii

constructivist approach to teaching in the teacher training curriculum so that learners at

school can be taught using the same approach; frequent upgrading of educators through in-

service workshops to reduce educators‘ misconceptions which, in turn, will help to reduce

the misconceptions among learners; introduction of conceptual change textbooks.

iv

DECLARATION

I, Susamma Thomas Muthiraparampil solemnly declare that this mini-dissertation is original.

This piece of work is the result of my efforts through the professional guidance of the

supervisor(s) whose name and signature appear below. I further declare that this work has

not been accepted in substance for any other degree.

CANDIDATE‟S NAME : SUSAMMA THOMAS MUTHIRAPARAMPIL

SIGNATURE : ………………………………….

SUPERVISOR : PROF. K. J. MAMMEN

SIGNATURE : ………………………………....

CO-SUPERVISOR : DR. M. CHIRWA

SIGNATURE : ………………………………....

v

DECLARATION ON PLAGIARISM

(i) I am aware that plagiarism is defined at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) as the

inclusion of another‘s or others‘ ideas, writings, works, discoveries and inventions

from any source in an assignment or research output without the due, correct and

appropriate acknowledgement to the author(s) or source(s) in breach of the

values, conventions, ethics and norms of the different professional, academic and

research disciplines and includes unacknowledged copying from intra- and internet

and fellow students.

(ii) I have duly and appropriately acknowledged all references and conformed to avoid

plagiarism as defined by WSU.

(iii) I have made use of the citation and referencing style stipulated by my supervisor.

(iv) This work is my own.

(v) I did not and will not allow anyone to copy my work and present it as his/ her own.

(vi) I am committed to uphold academic and professional integrity in the academic/

research activity.

(vii) I am aware of the consequences of engaging in plagiarism.

Signature Date

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am indebted to many who have supported and contributed towards the completion of the

study. I do acknowledge and thank each and every person who assisted, guided and

supported me especially the following people in making this possible.

Lord Almighty for His grace and blessings in sheltering me, my family and all who

helped me under His divine wings all through the period of working on this mini-

dissertation. I am indebted to:

My supervisor Prof. K. J. Mammen for the encouragement, patience, constructive

criticisms and untiring guidance to the study even at odd hours.

My Co-supervisor, Dr. M. Cheraw for all the guidance, encouragement and

motivation.

Dr. J. M. Molepo for the guidance, assistance and advice.

Mr. N. O. Sotshangane of Research Lab. and Mr. J. Nasila of the Department of

Statistics for assisting me in statistical analysis of the data.

first year B.Sc 1 Physics learners for their participation and co-operation during the

completion of the questionnaires and interviews.

The educators who have participated in completing the questionnaire and providing

valuable data.

WSU Research Directorate for making funds available for this research.

My friends Dr. M. Mammen and Mr. M. Mathews for the encouragement and support.

Dr. G. E. Okuthe of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology Research

Ethics committee for her directions and assistance to process documents for ethical

clearance.

vii

Prof. S. Chikwembani for his help to get the data for physics results of B.Sc 1

learners for the years 2006-2008.

Dr. J. T. Parathuvayalil, Mr. G. Kurian and Mr. J. Okyere-Bamfo for their support and

assistance to collect some of the data.

all principals, Registrar of the university, Director of School of Applied and

Environmental Sciences and Director, Department of Education, Mthatha for their co-

operation and assistance.

My husband Kunchayan and children Suby, Sojan, Bobby and Gibby for their

encouragement, support and understanding and my granddaughter Gia for her

inquisitive questions and remarks at times when I failed to give her company while I

was busy with this study.

viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ii

DECLARATION iii

DECLARATION FOR PLAGIARISM v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS viii

CHAPTER ONE: ORIENTATION AND OVERVIEW 1

1.1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.2 BACKGROUND 1

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 6

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION 6

1.4.1. RESEARCH SUB-QUESTIONS 7

1.5 RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY 7

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 8

1.7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 9

1.7.1 THEORY OF CONSTRUCTIVISM 9

1.7.1.1 Cognitive constructivism 10

1.7.1.2 Social constructivism 10

1.7.1.3 Experimental constructivism 11

1.7.1.4 Teaching for understanding and learning 11

1.7.2 THEORY OF CONSTRUCTIONISM 12

1.7.3 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF PIAGET‘S CONSTRUCTIVISM AND PAPERT‘S CONSTRUCTIONISM

13

1.8 METHODOLOGY 15

1.9 LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY 15

1.10 DEFINITION OF PERTINENT TERMS 16

1.11 RESEARCH OUTLINE 17

1.12 SUMMARY 18

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 19

2.1 INTRODUCTION 19

2.2 REVIEW OF TEXTBOOKS FROM GRADE 5-12 ON ELECTROSTATICS SYLLABUS IN SOUTH AFRICA

19

2.3 STUDIES ON MISCONCEPTIONS 19

2.3.1 INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ON MISCONCEPTION IN GENERAL 19

2.3.2 NATIONAL STUDIES 21

2.3.3 MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS OF THE LEARNERS FOUND FROM THE LITERATURE

22

2.4. ORIGIN OF MISCONCEPTIONS FROM FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING

25

2.4.1. MISCONCEPTIONS FROM INFORMAL LEARNING 26

2.4.2. MISCONCEPTIONS FROM FORMAL LEARNING 28

2.5. SOME POSSIBILITIES TO ELIMINATE MISCONCEPTIONS AND TO INITIATE CONCEPTUAL CHANGE

33

2.5.1 POLICIES AND SCHOOL ACT – PROBLEM WITH 33

ix

IMPLEMENTATION

2.5.2 REMEDYING MISCONCEPTIONS 35

2.5.3 CONCEPTUAL CHANGE TEXT AND CONCEPTUAL CHANGE 37

2.6. CONCLUSION 38

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

39

3.1 INTRODUCTION 39

3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN 39

3.3 THE POPULATION AND SAMPLE 39

3.3.1 LEARNER SAMPLE 39

3.3.2 EDUCATOR SAMPLE 39

3.4 COMBINATION OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE APPROACHES

40

3.5 INSTRUMENTS 41

3.5.1 LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE 41

3.5.2 EDUCATOR QUESTIONNAIRE 43

3.5.3 LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE 43

3.6 INSTRUMENT VALIDITY 44

3.6.1 CONSTRUCT VALIDITY 44

3.6.2 CONTENT VALIDITY 44

3.7 INSTRUMENT RELIABILITY 44

3.8 PILOT STUDY 45

3.8.1 IMPROVEMENT BASED ON THE FEEDBACK ON PILOT STUDY 46

3.9 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION AND PERMISSION TO USE THE SAMPLE.

47

3.10 DATA COLLECTION FROM LEARNERS 47

3.10.1 ADMINISTRATION OF LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE (Appendix B) 47

3.10.2 ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATORS‘ QUESTIONNAIRE 48

3.10.3 ADMINISTRATION OF LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE 48

3.11 ITEMS OF THE LEARNER AND EDUCATOR QUESTIONNAIRES AND SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW SCHEDULES

49

3.12 SUMMARY 50

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 51

4.1. INTRODUCTION 51

4.2. DATA ANALYSIS 51

4.2.1. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS 51

4.2.2. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 52

4.3. RESULTS 52

4.3.1. GENDER AND AGE OF LEARNERS 52

4.3.2. GENDER, AGE RANGES AND HOME LANGUAGE OF LEARNERS 53

4.3.3. AGE RANGE OF LEARNERS 53

4.3.4. HOME LANGUAGE OF LEARNERS 54

4.4. EDUCATORS‟ TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND RELATED DATA (N=28)

54

4.5. PRELIMINARY RESEARCH RESULTS 55

4.6. LEARNERS‟ AND EDUCATORS‟ VIEWS ON LEARNING ENABLERS

56

x

4.7. LEARNERS‟ DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 57

4.7.1. LEARNER RESPONSES (%) TO ITEMS BASED ON CAPACITOR, ELECTRIC FIELD, ELECTRIC FORCE, ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND CHARGE TRANSFER BETWEEN NEUTRAL AND CHARGED OBJECTS

57

4.7.2.

FREQUENCIES AND PERCENTAGES OF RESPONSES TO MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS IN SECTION B OF THE LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE AND THEIR DISCUSSIONS.

67

4.7.3. SUMMARY OF MISCONCEPTIONS OF LEARNERS 73

4.8. POSSIBLE ORIGINS OF MISCONCEPTIONS 75

4.8.1. FREQUENCY AND PERCENTAGES OF RESPONSES TO ITEMS IN THE SEMI-STRUCTURED LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE (LIS) IN COMPARISON WITH THE RESPONSES TO LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE (LQ).

75

4.8.2. DATA PRESENTATION FOR EDUCATORS FOR POSSIBLE

SOURCE OF MISCONCEPTIONS 84

4.8.2.1. Section A 84

4.8.2.2. Summary of educators‟ misconceptions: level and percentage

86

4.8.3 COMPARISON OF LEARNER RESPONSES WITH EDUCATOR RESPONSES TO VARIOUS CONCEPTS IN SECTION A OF THE LEARNER AND EDUCATOR QUESTIONNAIRES

87

4.8.4. COMPARISON BETWEEN LEARNER AND EDUCATOR RESPONSES TO SECTION B (MCQs) OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

91

4.9. ELIMINATION OF MISCONCEPTIONS OF LEARNERS AT SCHOOL TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF LEARNERS, EDUCATORS AND THE LITERATURE REVIEWED

97

4.9.1. PRESENTATION OF LEARNERS‘ AND EDUCATORS‘ REMEDIAL SUGGESTIONS TO MISCONCEPTIONS

98

4.10. THE CORRECT CONCEPTS AND THE EXPLANATIONS NEEDED TO OVERCOME THE IDENTIFIED MISCONCEPTIONS (Table 14)

102

4.11. DISCUSSION ON THE RESEARCH RESULT AGAINST THE LITERATURE REVIEWED

105

4.11.1 LEARNERS AT UNIVERSITY ENTRY POINT GOT MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS (REFER TABLE 14).

106

4.11.2. EDUCATORS ARE THE MAJOR SOURCE OF MISCONCEPTIONS OF THE LEARNERS.

107

4.11.3.

MISCONCEPTIONS OF LEARNERS‘ CAN BE ELIMINATED THROUGH PUTTING THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY, INTO PRACTICE.

108

4.12. CONCLUSION 108

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

110

5.1. INTRODUCTION 110

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5.2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 110

5.2.1. MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS 110

5.2.2. ORIGIN OF MISCONCEPTIONS 111

5.3. CONCLUSION 113

5.4. RECOMMENDATIONS 114

5.5. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH 116

REFERENCES 117

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: Age distribution of learner sample 53

FIGURE 2: Various response % to ‗charge flow through a capacitor‘ 62

FIGURE 3: Various response% to ‗static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage‘

66

FIGURE 4: Various response % to the term ‗static electricity‘. 70

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A B.SC 1 YEAR END RESULT FOR 4 CONSECUTIVE YEAR 134

APPENDIX B

LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS AMONGST MATRICULANTS AND THEIR ORIGINS

136

APPENDIX C LEARNER CONSENT FORM – INTERVIEW SCHEDULE 140

APPENDIX D LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

141

APPENDIX E EDUCATORS‘ QUESTIONNAIRE 142

APPENDIX F

LEARNER‘S PILOT STUDY 147

APPENDIX G

RESEARCH ETHICS 150

APPENDIX H

THE DIRECTOR FOR FACULTY OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

151

APPENDIX I

THE REGISTRAR WSU 152

APPENDIX J

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 153

APPENDIX K

LETTER OF PERMISSION FROM PRINCIPALS OF SCHOOLS 155

APPENDIX L

INFORMED CONSENT FORM

156

LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Summary of item numbers which dealt with research sub-

questions 49

Table 2: Gender, Age and home language of learner sample 53

Table 3: Summary of educator factors 54

Table 4: Electrostatic concepts and the grades in which they were introduced

55

Table 5: Learner's views on learning enablers 56

Table 6: Educators‘ views on learning enablers 56

Table 7: Learners‘ responses to the given item statements in the questionnaire (n=198)

58

xii

Table 8: Concept of charged body (MCQ 1) 67

Table 9: The characteristics of neutral object (MCQ 2) 68

Table 10: Definition of ―static electricity‖ (MCQ 3) 69

Table 11: Which factor must decrease in order to increase the electric field (MCQ 4)

70

Table 12: Compare the forces exerted on each of the objects S and T (MCQ 5) 71

Table 13: What are the charges on the two spheres X & Y (MCQ 6) 72

Table 14: List of misconceptions identified amongst the learner sample 74

Table 15: Analysis of learner interview data 76

Table 16: Summary of percentage and number of educators‘ responses to various concepts in educator questionnaire (n=28) and levels of misconceptions

85

Table17: Educators‘ misconceptions 87

Table 18: Percentage responses of educators and learners and comparison of their misconceptions (misconception)

88

Table 19: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 1 by educators and learners 92

Table 20: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 2 by educators and learners 93

Table 21: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 3 by educators and learners 94

Table 22: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 4 by educators and learners 95

Table 23: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 5 by educators and learners 96

Table 24: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 6 by educators and learners 97

Table 25: Remedial suggestions of educators‘ and learners‘ 99

1

MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS AMONG LEARNERS AT

UNIVERSITY ENTRY POINT: A SOUTH AFRICAN CASE STUDY

CHAPTER ONE: ORIENTATION AND OVERVIEW

1.1. INTRODUCTION

The study focused on misconceptions in concepts and principles in electrostatics, their

origins and ways to remedy them. The study was conducted on university learners at entry

point and it was expected to fill the gap in literature on misconceptions among local learners

in electrostatics. This chapter gives an overview of the problem under study by outlining the

international and national background, the theoretical framework, the reason for the study

and its significance. It also defines pertinent terms and points out limitations of the study.

The terms educators and teachers (traditional term) are used interchangeably.

1.2. BACKGROUND

Student drop-out from science-related academic programs in South African universities is a

major challenge. Some studies render support to the above observation (Noël et al. 1985;

Boonzaaier, Vander Merwe & Hall 2002 unpub; Pandor 2004; Edgar 2006; Letseka 2007). A

study found that out of 120 000 learners who registered in 2000 for various higher education

qualifications, only 22% graduated, 50% dropped out and just 28% were still in the system

five years later (Hlehla 2005). Misconceptions of science concepts and principles carried from

high school to universities have been one of the causes of student drop-out from science

related programs (Letseka 2007).

2

Loots (2009) observed the high dropout rate from tertiary institutions in South Africa. This

prompted the researcher to collect the first year Bachelor of Science (B.Sc 1) results for four

consecutive years from a South African university in the years 2005-2008, in order to check

the dropout rate from the degree programs in physics. When analyzed, the results showed a

40% pass rate. The remaining 60% was due to both dropout and failure from the course by

the end of B.Sc 1. Details of the analysis are given in Appendix A.

Misconceptions in science have been the focus of research internationally (White & Glynn

1990; Fischer & Breuer 1995; Tsai 2000; Bryce & McMillan 2005; Baser & Geban 2007). The

researcher came across international studies specifically on misconceptions in electrostatics

also, such as Calilot and Xuan (1993); Rainson, Transtromer & Viennot (1994); Maloney

O‘kuma & Hieggelke (2001); Simanek (2002); Ramaila, Nair & Reddy (2005) and Beaty

(1996, 2007, 2008, 2009).

Nationally, Eaton, Anderson & Smith (1984); Summers, Kruger & Mant (1998); Muwanga-

Zake 2001; Boone & Yilmaz (2004); Helm (2005) and Mji & Makgato (2006) investigated the

misconception in physics among South African learners in high schools and colleges.

Researchers Mji & Makgato investigated factors associated with high school learners‘ poor

performance on mathematics and physical science and the factors they identified were

teaching strategies; content knowledge and understanding; motivation and interest;

laboratory usage and non-completion of syllabus. Muwanga-zake explained some of the

problems of science education in South Africa such as teachers‘ lack of understanding of

science concepts and process and their inability to teach practical were underpinned.

3

Learners‘ concept formation occurs through interaction with several sources and

circumstances, inter alias, home, social interactions including informal interactions, social

networks, web-chats, formal schooling, intuition and other day-to-day experiences. The pre-

conceptions that the learners hold when they first come to school could be scientifically

incorrect or correct. The incorrect pre-conceptions are called misconceptions. Misconceptions

are deeply rooted ideas that are not in harmony, sometimes in stark contrast, with the

scientific views (Pfundt & Duit 2004; Omer 2009). Characteristics of misconceptions are that

they are resistant to change, persistent, well embedded in an individual‘s cognitive ecology

and sometimes difficult to extinguish even with formal instruction (Fisher 1985; Eryilmaz

2002; Baser & Geban 2007). Since new knowledge is linked to the existing conceptions,

learners‘ misconceptions hinder their subsequent learning (Taber 2000; Palmer 2001; Omer

2009).

Misconceptions from informal learning have been attributed to, among others, cultural

backgrounds (Solomon 1983; Engel, Driver & Wood 1987; Rodriguez 2001; Brown 2004;

Tobin 2006; Aikenhead & Ogawa 2007), everyday language used with different meanings

(Coll & Taylor 2001; Gee 2004) and children‘s‘ intuitive knowledge (Gilbert, Osborne & Fen

sham 1982). According to Preece (1984), ideas are not just learned from experience, but

also built into the hardware of the brain. Misconceptions with sources originating from formal

learning of physical science concepts and principles have been illuminated by constructivist

theories of learning. Some of them are over reliance on any one technique (Chinn &

Malhotra 2002), lack of application of science concepts to real life situations (Zusho, Pintrich

& Coppola 2003; Shaffer & Macbeth 2005), errors in textbooks (Myer 1992; Tekkaya 2003;

Beatty 2007; Beatty 2009), educators‘ misconceptions (Benton 1980; Caillot & Xuan 1993;

Duit 2007) and lack of modified hands on activities by introducing fantasy scenarios (Palmer

4

2001). Teaching science lessons practically does not take place in most of the schools in

villages and townships in Eastern Cape. When I first joined a very old well kept township

school with a reasonably equipped laboratory, I found most of the instruments still in the

original packets and never opened. When I started conducting practical some teachers

commended that this new teacher is going to confuse the learners with the practical. Science

teachers of apartheid origin have no practical skills and they are scared to touch the

chemicals and equipments. My experience in other African countries was just opposite.

Developing countries, like India, make use of all the available equipments in teaching science

in lower classes and higher secondary schools got science practical examinations in grade

12. This contributed towards minimizing misconceptions. Learners‘ and educators‘ responded

to the open ended questions that if practical lessons were included learners‘ understanding

of the topic would have been better (Table 25).

Literature review revealed that learners‘ problems with misconceptions in science were not

isolated to those in physics (Galili & Hazen 2000; Niaz & Chacon 2003; Bryce & McMillan

2005; Tsai et al. 2007). For example, Research in science misconceptions could be traced to

those in the areas of physics, chemistry and life sciences among others. Those in chemistry

include the ones on chemical equilibrium (Niaz & Chacon 2003), chemical bonding (Ozmen

2004), solutions (Calik 2005) and other topics. In life sciences they include those on

photosynthesis (Marmaroti & Galanopoulou 2006) and ecosystem (Ola & Gustav 2007).

Areas of research interests in physics include those on work, energy and power (Bryce &

McMillan 2005), electricity (Tsai et al. 2007) and light (Galili & Hazen 2000; Feral 2007).

South Africa‘s higher education system is internationally recognized for its excellence but is

also riddled with inequalities, inaccessibility to most of the population and inability to meet

5

the needs of modernizing the economy (White Paper 3 1997). In response, the draft White

Paper (1997) on Educational Policy proposed rapid but regulated expansion of higher

education through merging universities, technikons and colleges. It was anticipated that this

would allow new ways of funding, including redress money for disadvantaged institutions

and ensure production of graduates that the country needs (White Paper 3 1997).

South Africa has the second most developed economy in Africa, with a highly evolved

economic infrastructure, but it also has huge social inequalities (National Policy Framework

for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa 2006). The most profound and

enduring effect of apartheid was in education, including poor infrastructure and facilities for

poor people, lack of proper amenities and inadequate training for teachers. Social

inequalities during apartheid times had produced ill-trained educators due to ill-equipped

schools with poor infrastructure, Bantu curriculum and unqualified teachers. The National

Education Policy Act 27 of 1996 highlighted specific challenges facing teachers in rural

schools. The report noted a shortage of qualified and competent teachers, problems of

teaching in multigrades and large classes, under-resourced school facilities and limited

access to professional development programs for teachers.

The teachers‘ role has strategic importance for the intellectual, moral and cultural

preparation of our young people. The first-ever national teacher education audit conducted

in 1995 highlighted the fragmented provision of teacher education, a mismatch between

teacher supply and demand and high numbers of unqualified and under qualified teachers.

6

1.3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

According to the prescribed curriculum, the learners ought to have started learning the topic

―Electrostatics‖ in grade 5. The topic is continued in grade 6. The prescribed grade 8

textbook gives a good revision of electrostatics in grades 5 and 6, followed by the addition of

more concepts. Grades 10 and 11 textbooks include all the remaining pertinent concepts and

principles in the topic. In grade 12, though the textbooks do not directly deal with

electrostatics, educators usually revise the topic since it is examinable in Grade 12.

If learners continue to harbor misconceptions even after passing Grade 12, what could be

the reasons? Grade 12 learners with physical science carry on with misconceptions despite

passing it in the final examination. Those who enroll for physics and chemistry enter

universities with those misconceptions. In order to address this challenge the study sought

to expose the major misconceptions in the topic ‗Electrostatics‘ and then investigate the

origins and causes of misconceptions. Possible solutions to the problem had to be probed

and successful ones need to be made available to the educators of the targeted district

through the Circuit Manager so that these misconceptions can be minimized if not completely

eliminated.

The present study investigated whether the learners at university entry point carried

misconceptions in electrostatics even after they had studied and passed Grade 12.

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTION

What are the major misconceptions in electrostatics among learners at university entry

point?

7

1.4.1. RESEARCH SUB-QUESTIONS

In order to answer the above question, the following sub-questions were formulated:

1.4.1.1. What are the major concepts in electrostatics at the school level?

1.4.1.2. What are the misconceptions in electrostatics among learners at university entry

point?

1.4.1.3. How could the misconceptions of learners at school be eliminated considering the

views of learners, educators and the literature reviewed?

1.5. RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY

Misconceptions serve as impediments in gaining scientifically acceptable conceptions in

physics (Baser & Geban 2007). Misconceptions may lead to student drop-out from science

courses. Personal teaching experiences in university showed that first year learners carry

misconceptions in electrostatics from schools, for example, first year learners perceive that

neutral objects contain no charges because they carry no polarity, notwithstanding that,

neutral objects contain charges but in equal number of positive and negative charges.

Learners also think that ‗only opposite charges attract each other‘ whereas a charged object

may attract some neutral objects also by inducing polarity in them. On approaching the

neutral conductor on a building, charged clouds induce a charge opposite to its own on the

neutral lightning conductor. A thorough knowledge of Electrostatics concepts and principles

has been a pre-requisite to the understanding of electricity and magnetism for B.Sc

physics/chemistry undergraduate learners. In the same way, the principles of electrostatic

attraction form the basics of nucleotide pairing in DNA, protein synthesis and action potential

in cell membrane.

8

Owing to the sparseness of literature available on misconceptions in electrostatics and their

origins, there lacks a clear direction to what precautions educators may take to eliminate

them. This study is expected to fill the gap in the literature, to some extent, on

misconceptions in electrostatics among learners. If an assessment of the misconceptions and

their possible origins can be done through research at the time of entry into the University,

directions to remedial action at the school level can be suggested in addition to suggesting

interventions at the university first year level.

The study may assist educators to help learners to correct their misconceptions in

electrostatics. This will also help learners to leave the baggage of misconceptions in

electrostatics behind them before they proceed to tertiary education. Physics teaching in

secondary school should become more concerned with providing a basis for learners to

understand their world better, including its technological and everyday aspects (Osborne &

Wittrock 1983).

1.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Today‘s world is one of science and technology. In many western countries there is a

concern that the number of young people pursuing scientific and technological careers was

too small to secure future needs for scientific and technological competence (Jengensen

1998; Drury & Allen 2002). South Africa is not an exception, and is faced and continues to

face a shortage of science professionals, for example engineers, doctors, scientists and

technologists.

Lack of scientifically acceptable knowledge and conceptions make it difficult for learners to

successfully pursue further studies in the science and technology fields. Although studies on

9

misconceptions in electrostatics have been done elsewhere (Guisasola 1995; Barbas & Psillos

2002; Baser & Geban 2007), there have been no specific studies conducted on learners at

the selected university at entry level. As such, the results ought to be beneficial to teachers

in schools which feed the university with learners at entry level, which in turn will benefit to

develop human capital.

1.7. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

1.7.1. THEORY OF CONSTRUCTIVISM

This study was informed by the theory of constructivism. Constructivist theory is a viable

framework for understanding, learning and developing models of effective teaching

(Czerniak, Haney & Lumpe 2003; Sandhya et al. 2009). It recommends a learner-centered

approach. The theory advocates that learning is about making connections between new and

existing knowledge (Cross 1999).

Constructivist models have advocated the use of hands-on science activities to generate

learners‘ ideas (Nussbaum & Novak 1982) and to present learners with real world problems

that can provide a basis for discussion (Nussbaum & Novak 1982; Lee & Brophy 1996). Use

of every day materials rather than specialized scientific equipment increases situational

interest by making the hands-on activities more relevant to real life (Palmer 2001).

Major components of constructivism are cognitive, social and experiential constructivism. The

four essential features of constructivism are eliciting prior knowledge, creating cognitive

dissonance, application of new knowledge with feedback and reflection on learning (Sandhya

10

et al. 2009). These components of constructivism are explained further to make clear the

remedial action one has to take to curb misconceptions of learners.

1.7.1.1. Cognitive constructivism

Cognitive constructivism emphasizes the personal construction of knowledge (Palmer 2005).

A learner with misconceptions needs to face a cognitive conflict in order to support and

accept conceptual change. According to Posner et al. (1982), the four conditions necessary

for conceptual change are:

a learner must become dissatisfied with their existing conceptions;

the problem at hand should be solved by using the new concept;

similar future problems can be solved by using the new concept.

the new concept must be clear and understandable to learners;

Motivation and self-efficacy play major roles in causing cognitive conflict. For example,

challenging tasks give learners intrinsic rewards that come from setting goals and working

strategically to attain them (Deci & Ryan 1991; Bandura 1977; Zimmerman, Bandura &

Martinez-Pons 1992). The belief about their capabilities to accomplish a task, that is self-

efficacy, would play a major role towards cognitive conflict. An educator is a crucial change

agent paving the way for constructivist reform through motivating the learners (National

Education Policy Act 27 of 1996; Czerniak et al. 2003).

1.7.1.2. Social constructivism

According to social constructivism theory, knowledge is socially constructed and that the

collaborative interactions with peers yield the collective construction of knowledge and belief

11

or thinking (Vygotsky 1986; Nuthall 2002 & Traianou 2006). Social constructivist teaching

has been theoretically based on two views (Nuthall 2002):

Learners must construct the knowledge for themselves;

Learning is a by-product of participation in a community.

The theory also emphasizes the importance of culture and context in understanding what is

happening in society, and constructing knowledge based on this understanding (McMahon

1997; Derry 1999; Aikenhead, Calabrese & Chinn 2006; Aikenhead & Ogawa 2007). Social

constructivism views each learner as a unique individual with unique needs, culture and

backgrounds. The learner is seen as complex and multidimensional (Gredler 1997).

Furthermore, the responsibility of learning should reside increasingly with the learner (Von

Glasersfeld 1989). Social constructivist scholars view learning as an active process where

learners should learn to discover principles, concepts and facts for themselves (Gredler

1997; Hirumi 2002; Lazarowitz 2006; Hertz-Lazarowitz 2008).

1.7.1.3. Experimental constructivism

Making connection between experience and new learning is important (Cross 1999).

Learning should lead to improved performance and should be capable of solving problems in

the daily lives. So learners should have opportunities to test their ideas through its

application in order to make their meanings clear. Knowledge constructed should be

understood and concretized through experimenting and reflection. Learners may perceive

the science concepts as relevant and valuable because they help them to understand the

real world (Scanlon et al. 2002; Zusho, Pintrich & Coppola 2003).

12

1.7.1.4. Teaching for understanding and learning

The following conditions would enable us to achieve ‗teaching for understanding‘ (Czerniak

et al. 2003). In other words, the following are some of the steps that could be taken to

minimize misconceptions. The educators:

facilitate, considering learners‘ preconceptions and relevance;

foster higher order thinking in learners through probing questions;

check for student understanding through assessment and evaluation techniques;

promote construction of student understanding by seeking, identifying and solving

inconsistencies or misconceptions;

use instructional approaches consisting of the following four characteristics (Czerniak

et al. 2003):

o activity based hands-on and inquiry based approach;

o using diverse materials, equipments and resources;

o valuing the learner as an individual;

o rich variety of approaches;

who have genuine enthusiasm (passion) or love for their profession (Czerniak et al.

2003) could provide learners with successful learning environment.

are expected to form small groups of learners sharing the same goals, meanings,

understanding and fully participating in the group processing as in constructivism.

1.7.2. THEORY OF CONSTRUCTIONISM

Constructionist learning is inspired by the constructivist theory that individual learners

construct mental models to understand the world around them. In this sense

constructionism is connected with experimental learning and builds on some of the ideas of

13

Piaget (Papert 1980). Constructionist learning involves learners drawing their own

conclusions through creative experimentation. The constructionist educator takes on a

mediational role rather than adopting the instructionist position (Woodruff & Mayer 1997).

Constructionism is richer, multifaceted and very much deeper in its implications than could

be conveyed by a formula (Papert & Harel 1991). Constructionism refers to the context in

which learning occurs by doing in a public, guided and collaborative process including feed-

back from peers and not just from educators.

1.7.3. COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF PIAGET‘S CONSTRUCTIVISM AND PAPERT‘S

CONSTRUCTIONISM

According to Ackermann (2010) Piaget‘s constructivism offers a window into what learners

are interested in, and able to achieve, at different stages of their development. The theory

describes how the ways of doing and thinking evolve over time, and under which

circumstances learners are more likely to let go off or hold on to their currently held views.

They have their own very good reasons not to abandon their world views. Ackermann (2010)

states that in Piaget‘s view, it requires more than being exposed to a better theory for a child

to abandon a current working theory or belief system. They have to undergo conceptual

changes. Conceptual changes in learners emerge as a result of people‘s action in the world

or experience in conjunction with a host of hidden processes at play to equilibrate or viably

compensate, for surface perturbations (Carey 1987). Ackermann points out that in Piaget‘s

view, teaching is always indirect and learners don‘t just take in what is being said. Instead,

they interpret what they hear in the light of their own knowledge and experience to

transform the input. He also said, in Piaget‘s view ‗knowledge‘ is experience and it is

acquired through interaction with the world, people and things (Ackermann 2010).

14

Ackermann had the following view on Papert‘s constructionism (Ackermann 2010). Papert‘s

constructionism focuses more on the art of learning and on the significance of making

objects in learning. Papert is interested in how learners engage in a conversation with their

own and other peoples‘ artifacts, and how these conversations boost self-directed learning

and ultimately facilitate the construction of new knowledge. Papert‘s constructionism shares

the constructivist view of learning as ―building knowledge structures‖ through progressive

internalization of actions. Because of its greater focus on learning through making an object

rather than overall cognitive potentials, Papert‘s approach helps us to understand how ideas

get formed and transformed when expressed through different media, when actualized in

particular contexts and when worked out by individual minds (Ackermann 2010). The

emphasis shifts from universal to individual learners‘ conversations with their own favourite

representations, artifacts or objects to think with. According to Ackermann, Papert views that

projecting out our inner feelings and ideas is a key to learning. Expressing ideas makes them

tangible and shareable, which in turn shapes and sharpens these ideas and helps us

communicate with others through our expressions. The cycle of self directed learning is an

iterative process by which learners invent for themselves the tools and mediations that best

support the exploration of what they most care about. To Papert, knowledge remains

essentially grounded in contexts, shaped by uses, the use of external supports and

mediation to expand the potentials of the human mind at any level of their development

(Ackermann 2010).

As discussed in the context of theories as explained above, both constructivism and

constructionism demand hands-on experiences and personal knowledge construction. Social

interaction and working in pairs and groups were advocated by the theories. Motivation and

self efficacy were emphasized. Challenging tasks for the learners were emphasized. The

15

need to know the preconceptions and the knowledge with which learners enter the university

for B.Sc 1 therefore became pertinent. Hence, achievement of conceptual change where

there are misconceptions became a cardinal factor. As such, the theories of constructivism

and constructionism are the cornerstones for the theoretical basis for this study on

misconceptions.

1.8. METHODOLOGY

The research design was a case study. The sample consisted of 198 university first year

learners at entry point. The researcher distributed a questionnaire containing closed ended

items to the above sample. The items were framed in such a way that could explore the

misconceptions in electrostatics. A researcher designed in-depth interview schedule was

used to interview 30 selected learners from the above group. The learners‘ responses were

audio-recorded with their permission and later transcribed. Another questionnaire containing

both closed and open ended items was given to a group of 28 educators to identify their

misconceptions, if any. Science educators from 15 schools surrounding the University were

chosen to check whether their wrong ideas might have influenced the learners. The data

collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS version 17 software and that

from in-depth interviews were transcribed and then analyzed through the systematic process

of coding, categorizing and interpreting data

1.9. LIMITATIONS AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This research was done for a mini-dissertation and the depth of the study is pitched

at a level lower than that of dissertation.

The study focused on educators in one education district in one of the provinces of

South Africa.

16

The study focused on first year learners in one of the universities of South Africa.

Though only one university was included in the study, the learners in the first year

B.Sc came from all the provinces of South Africa and it could give some

generalisability to the findings.

Multiple choice questions could be correctly answered for reasons that are not

scientifically valid, for example, by guessing or by random choice of options.

The sample used was university entry level learners though the result was intended to

help grade 12 learners and educators.

There was no guarantee that learners gave truthful answers to the questions.

Though the study focused on the misconceptions in electrostatics and their origins, it could

make the educators aware of the kind of planning they could do in the future before

teaching the topic to the learners of school and first year B.Sc programme in university to

eliminate misconceptions. The theories underpinning the study may inform the educators the

best known approaches to effective teaching.

1.10. DEFINITION OF PERTINENT TERMS

Misconception

Misconceptions are mental representations of concepts, which do not correspond to currently

hold scientific theory (Shelly & Hall 1993).

Constructivist Theory

It is a psychological learning paradigm which asserts that a student constructs new

knowledge based largely on what he/she already knows. The teacher‘s role in the

constructivist paradigm is to create environments that help learners to undertake this

construction accurately and effectively (Tuminaro & Redish 2007).

17

Constructionist Theory

Constructionist learning involves learners drawing their own conclusions through creative

experimentation and the making of social objects (Papert 1980).

Ex post facto design

The purpose of ex-post facto design is to investigate whether one or more pre-existing

conditions have possibly caused the existing problem (McMillan & Schumacher 2001).

Conceptual change

Conceptual change is the process by which people‘s central organizing concepts change from

one set of concepts to another which is incompatible with the first (Posner et al. 1982).

P. 15).

Electrostatics

Electrostatics is the study of electric forces and the electric charges which create those

forces. It is also defined as the study of imbalanced charges in matter, voltage and electric

fields (Beaty 2009).

Pre-conception

Pre-conception refers to the ideas that do not have the status of generalized understandings

that are characteristic of conceptual knowledge (Ausubel, 1968).

1.11. RESEARCH OUTLINE

This report includes five chapters.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 gives an overview of background of the study, statement of the problem, rationale

and significance of the study, theoretical framework, limitations of the study and operational

definitions.

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Chapter 2

Chapter 2 provides the literature review.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 describes the methodology focusing on the research design, instrumentation and

data collection procedures.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 presents the analysis of data and discussion on the findings.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 gives the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations

1.12. SUMMARY

This chapter provided a brief national and international background and placed the study in

context. The research problem, the reasons for and significance of the study were linked.

Role of the theory in setting tone for classroom teaching, eliminating misconceptions and

causing conceptual change were established. Limitations of the study were indicated and

pertinent terms were defined. Chapter 2 which follows provides the literature review.

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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. INTRODUCTION

The literature review was guided by the research sub-questions. The review of related

literature was done under the following sub-headings drawn from the sub-research

questions. The related literature reviewed were physical Science textbooks from grades 5-12,

research articles on misconceptions of learners in general and electrostatics in particular

among international and national studies, the origins of misconceptions, Implementation of

Policies and School Act and remedying misconceptions.

2.2. REVIEW OF TEXTBOOKS FROM GRADE 5-12 ON ELECTROSTATICS SYLLABUS

IN SOUTH AFRICA

Physical science textbooks from grade 5-12 were reviewed in order to get a clear

understanding of the concepts and principles a grade 12 South African learner should know

from the topic, electrostatics. The concepts and principles taught in each of the classes were

given in table 4 on page 55 in chapter 4.

2.3. STUDIES ON MISCONCEPTIONS

2.3.1. INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ON MISCONCEPTION IN GENERAL

Misconceptions in science concepts and principles have been the focus of research

internationally. According to Clement, Halloun and Hestenes (1989) misconceptions are

deeply seated and likely to remain in the cognitive structure after instruction or may

resurface after learners have displayed some initial understanding immediately following

instruction. Learners cling to their erroneous beliefs tenaciously (Clement 1982). In many

cases learners develop partially correct ideas that have been used as the foundation for

20

further learning. Misconceptions may interfere with subsequent learning among learners who

did not develop an appropriate understanding of fundamental concepts from the beginning

of their studies. According to Brown and Clement (1991) preconceived notions are popular

conceptions rooted in everyday experiences. Research on learners‘ conceptual

misunderstandings of natural phenomena indicates that new concepts cannot be learned if

alternative models that explain the phenomenon exist in the learner‘s mind (Limon 2001).

Prior beliefs can persist as lingering suspicions in a student‘s mind and can hinder further

learning (McDermott 1991). So, it is important that before misconception can be corrected,

pre-conceptions need to be identified. Conceptual tests to identify misconceptions are

helpful. Asking learners to explain their reasoning has been a useful technique for detecting

learners‘ misconceptions (Hake 1992). In order to receive the new information, learners have

to deconstruct and construct their current understanding so as to accommodate the new

information (Gonzalez-Espade 2003). According to Finkelstein (2005), many advanced level

undergraduate physics majors and graduate learners who had passed the introductory

courses with high grades, failed to answer more than one half of the questions correctly on

the basic conceptual survey of the field. The same survey issued to learners taking the

introductory level course yielded results that were yet worse. This situation was not new and

had been reported extensively within the physics community and cognitive psychologists

(Aarons 1976; Hake 1998; Hestene, Wells & Swackhamer 1992; Reiner et al. 2000;

McDermott & Redish 2003). Hake (1998) discussed the difference between traditional

physics classes and interactive engagement classes in terms of learners‘ pre- and post-

instruction performance in ‗force concept inventory‘ test. The test examined learners‘ ability

to apply the Newtonian physics principles to everyday situations. Hake concluded that the

learners‘ ability to apply the concepts to everyday situations brought about through

21

interactive engagement classes was statistically significant when compared to that by

traditional physics classes.

It has been observed that existing conceptual ideas are resistant to change since the process

of ‗accommodation‘ is preceded by the process of ‗‗assimilation‘. Assimilation refers to the

recognition of a physical or mental event or concept fitting into existing conception. When an

event could not be assimilated under existing conceptions, then accommodation occurs

(Baser & Geban 2007). During the process of accommodation, the new knowledge and the

existing knowledge both undergo integration in the brain. When related concepts form

networks between and amongst them, the process of sense-making occurs and this process

is known as ‗accommodation‘.

2.3.2. NATIONAL STUDIES

Misconceptions in science have also been a cause of concern nationally (Taylor & Vinjevold

1999; Bryce & McMillan 2005; Dissessa 2006; Horn 2009; Schumba 2011). According to

Taylor and Vinjevold (1999, P. 139), teachers‘ poor grasp of the knowledge structure of

mathematics, science and geography act as a major inhibition to teaching and learning these

subjects. Strengthening science teachers‘ content knowledge should therefore be an

essential component of any professional development programme. Many investigations

focused on learners‘ widely spread ideas and ways of reasoning. Some of them were

incompatible with accepted physics concepts and resistant to change (Horn 2009). Pre-

instructional concepts act as a foundation on which knowledge is constructed in the mind of

learner (Schumba 2011). Some preconceptions are incorrect and there are great challenges

in substituting these misconceptions with correct concepts. The process of modifying these

naïve misconceptions into scientifically acceptable concepts is called conceptual change

22

(Dissessa 2006). Research in science education that was based on conceptual change ideas,

made an important contribution to the teaching of science by identifying key points in

instructional strategies, which helped learners to overcome their misconceptions (Bryce &

McMillan 2005). Though some researches were conducted in South Africa, the research

results had not reached the teaching community through awareness programs.

2.3.3. MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS OF THE LEARNERS FOUND FROM THE

LITERATURE

Internet search assisted in getting a list of misconceptions in electrostatics which was

compiled by Beaty (2009).

There cannot be any electric field at a point where charge cannot move (Viennot &

Rainson 1992).

It is not necessary for charge to be present in an electric field. Learners may

erroneously think that electric field is the path of electrons. Electric field is the region

around a charged object where force due to that charge arises. A test charge placed

in that region would experience a force in the direction of the field. The field lines

represent the direction of the field.

There is no transfer of charge between two metal objects with charges of the

same sign (Guruswamy et al. 1997).

Metal objects with the same sign are not enough to stop the charge transfer. The size

and the sign of charge on both the metal objects must be the same to stop the

charge transfer. If the metal objects have charges with the same sign and different

size, electron transfer will take place. It is because the charges of different size make

one of them more negative than the other. For example, if both objects are negatively

23

charged, electrons will flow from the one with more negative charge to the one with

less negative.

Charge transfer between opposite charged metal objects occurs until one of the

objects is neutral (Guruswamy et al. 1997).

When two metal objects which are oppositely charged and kept in contact, charge

transfer will occur until the charge size and sign of the objects become equal.

A charged body contains only one type of charge (either electrons or protons)

(Siegel & Lee 2001).

A charged body contains both positive and negative particles but unequal in number.

If positive charges are more than negative charges, the body is said to be positively

charged. If negative charges are more than positive charges, the body said to be

negatively charged.

Field lines can begin and end anywhere and there are a finite number of field lines

(Rainson, Transtromer & Viennot 1994; Maloney, O‘kuma & Hieggelke 2001).

Field lines flow from positive to negative end. Field lines are conventional lines used

to represent an electric field. It won‘t emerge from anywhere and there are infinite

number of field lines.

Parallel plate capacitors store voltage (Beatty 1996; Simanek 2002).

Parallel plate capacitors do not store voltage. It stores energy in the electric field

between the plates.

Neutral atoms contain no charged particles (Baser & Geban 2007).

Neutral atoms contain charged particles. Since there are equal number of positively

charged protons and negatively charged electrons, they neutralize each other.

Opposite charges only could attract each other and it seems that charged objects

have nothing to do with neutral objects (Baser & Geban 2007);

24

There can be attraction between the charged object and the neutral object.

A charged object (positive or negative) may induce polarity (an unlike charge on the

nearer end and like charge at the farther end) on a neutral object when a charged

object comes or brought near a neutral object and hence, they attract each other.

Charges jump from one plate to the other plate of a capacitor (Baser & Geban

2007).

There is no jumping of charges from one plate to the other plate of the capacitor.

When we ‗charge‘ a capacitor the extra electrons added on to one plate, produce a

field which reaches across the gap between the plates, force an equal number of

electrons to leave the other plate of the capacitor (Beaty 1996).

Parallel plate capacitor stores a net charge (Baser & Geban 2007).

Before charging a capacitor, the capacitor remained neutral. After charging the

capacitor, the capacitor remained neutral as well. No matter how much charge you

put in, one plate is positive and the other plate is equally negative before and after

charging the capacitor. So there is no net charge stored in a charged and uncharged

capacitor.

Charging a capacitor is filling it with charge (Beaty 2007)

In a capacitor, for every electron you remove from one plate, you inject an electron

on the other plate. So none are gained or lost from the device. So charging capacitor

is not at all filling the capacitor with charge.

Static electricity is a build-up of electrons (Beaty 2008).

―Static electricity is a build-up of electrons (Beaty 2008)‖ is a misconception. Static

electricity is brought about by an imbalance of positive and negative charges. It is an

‗uncancelling,‘ event which occurs between the large unequal quantities of opposite

charges.

25

Electrostatics is the study of electricity at rest (Beaty 2009).

According to Beaty, electrostatics is the study of electric charges and the forces they

create. It has nothing to do with the static nature of the charges. Charges which are

separated or imbalanced can sometimes flow along. So ―electrostatics is the study of

electricity at rest‖ is a misconception (Beaty 2009).

Static electricity is caused by friction (Beaty 2009).

―Static electricity is caused by friction (Beaty 2009)‖ is a misconception. Static

electricity appears whenever two dissimilar insulating materials are placed into

intimate contact and then separated again. When they are in contact chemical bonds

are formed between the two surfaces. If the atoms in one of the surfaces tend to hold

electrons more tightly, that surface will tend to steal electrons from the other surface.

This causes the surfaces to gain imbalances of opposite polarity and hence, static

electricity results as we separate them.

2.4. ORIGIN OF MISCONCEPTIONS FROM FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING

Literature review showed that misconceptions of children accrued from formal and informal

learning. My personal experiences showed that most of the learners living in villages came

from backgrounds devoid of educational toys and technological gadgets. Their experiences

of the scientific and technological world are very limited. They virtually depended on school

teaching with very limited laboratory activities to experience most of the physics concepts

and principles. Under such conditions, proper understanding of physics concepts may be

impaired and misconceptions may arise among learners. Research by Ivowi (1984) showed

that this is not uncommon. Ivowi (1984) also observed that very closely related to this

problem is the inherent beliefs and superstition which may appear logical and are at variance

with scientific concepts. The association of thunder and lightning with electrical charges

26

derivable from merely rubbing neutral substances becomes a reflection of superstition (Ivowi

1986a).

2.4.1. MISCONCEPTIONS FROM INFORMAL LEARNING

Misconceptions from informal learning have been attributed to, among others, cultural

backgrounds (Solomon 1983; Engel, Driver & Wood 1987; Rodriguez 2001; Brown 2004;

Tobin 2006; Aikenhead & Ogawa 2007), every day language used with different meanings

(Venuti 2000; Coll & Taylor 2001; Sankey 2002; Gee 2004; Larry et al. 2006; Gaigher, Rogan

& Braun 2007) and intuitive knowledge (Gilbert, Osborne & Fen sham 1982; Shaffer &

McBeath 2005).

Tobin (2006) viewed that effective teaching necessitated an alignment between teacher and

student as well as student and student that values and shares the culture of each.

Stakeholders in a classroom need to develop shared understanding of what teaching and

learning is. Aikenhead and Ogawa (2007) have corroborated this view. According to these

researchers, learners should negotiate their learning, interact with each other and

incorporate their knowledge in further learning. So, all the misconceptions attached to the

cultural background could be discussed in the open which will help to iron out the

differences.

According to Venuti (2000) some translation theories have assumed an instrumental concept

of language as communication expressive of thought and meaning where meanings are

either based on reference to an empirical reality or derived from a context. In South African

context, languages of various regions have got different meaning of the scientific terms. For

27

example, electrostatics is explained in relation to friction between objects and lightning

among others.

From the earliest days of a child‘s life, s/he develops beliefs about what happens in her/his

surrounding (Driver 1983). As the child grows older, these beliefs become integrated into a

coherent explanatory model of the world, so that by the time the child starts formal science

education s/he already has a well developed view of ‗naïve physics‘. Feher‘s (1990) research

showed that children do not necessarily confront their own misconceptions when learning

from exhibits and may instead construct models which build on these misconceptions.

Physics-naive learners have a large collection of these phenomenological-primitives in terms

of which they see the world and to which they appeal as self-contained explanations for

what they see.

A number of studies (Siegel, Butterworth & Newcombe 2004; Vosniadou, Skopeliti &

Ikospentaki 2004; Vosniadou & Brewer 1994) showed that children develop naive mental

models. According to Vosniadou and Brewer (1994), children‘s ideas differ from culture to

culture. For example, while in one culture, the earth is considered flat or flattened with

people on top and in another, hollow with people inside and yet in another, dual with one

flat earth on which we live and another spherical one in the sky. These researchers claimed

that children must have strong intuitions that lead them to construct theories or mental

models such as the flat, hollow or dual earth. The mental model view proposed that children

form naïve, theory-like mental models before they acquire the scientific view (Vosniadou &

Ioannidis 1998). This mental model could be scientifically correct at times depending on the

timing of culturally transmitted information. For example, Siegel, Butterworth & Newcombe

(2004) investigated children‘s knowledge of cosmology in relation to the shape of earth and

28

the day-night cycle. A comparison of understanding of the children aged 4-9 years living in

Australia and England on the above topics were carried out. Children from both countries

produced responses compatible with a conception of round earth on which people can live all

over without falling off. Australian children who have early instruction in this domain were

significantly in advance of their English counterparts. Before any exposure to instruction,

children form an ‗‗initial‖ mental model that is gradually replaced by ‗‗synthetic‖ models.

Synthetic models results from the combination of children‘s intuitive beliefs (e.g., the earth is

flat and supported) and counter intuitive scientific facts transmitted by the culture. Children

construct naive theories that enable them to explain and predict phenomena in the physical

and psychological worlds (Wellman & Gelman 1998; Inagaki & Hatano 2002; Jaakkola &

Slaughter 2003; Gopnik 2005; Spelke & Kinzler 2007). During conceptual development, they

encounter new evidence that contradicts their initial conceptions which presents them with

theoretical anomalies (Driver 1985). Only during late childhood the synthetic models are

superseded by the scientific view, for example, spherical earth (Georgia, Gavin & Anita

2008).

2.4.2. MISCONCEPTIONS FROM FORMAL LEARNING

Misconceptions in Physical science concepts and principles have been illuminated by

constructivist theories of learning such as over reliance on any one technique (Chinn &

Malhotra 2002), lack of modified hands-on activities by introducing fantasy scenarios (Palmer

2001), lack of application of science concepts to real life situations (Zusho, Pintrich &

Coppola 2003), errors in textbooks (Myer 1992; Tekkaya 2003; Beatty 2009) and teachers‘

misconceptions (Bento 1980; Caillot & Xuan 1993).

29

Some other origins of formal misconceptions are confusion about analogies, use of

metaphors (Head 1986) and teachers‘ language. Teachers, who understand the ideas,

cannot easily pass on the knowledge since the language they use in order to communicate

contains an implicit and serious barrier to learning (Austin & Howson 1979).

Another reason for formal misconception among high school learners is that they perceive

school physics as difficult, unenjoyable, mathematical and of limited application (Zhu 2007).

Personal experiences show that some study physics only because it is a prerequisite for

careers and other subject areas. Formal misconceptions are further discussed below. The

causes of formal misconceptions and the discussions based on them are given below. Taking

care of these factors could solve the problem of misconceptions from formal learning.

Motivation

Motivation has been recognized as an important factor in the construction of knowledge and

the process of conceptual change (David 2005). Motivation can be extrinsic or intrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation refers to something enjoyable and extrinsic motivation focuses on factors

external to the individual such as rewards, praise, privileges or attention. Intrinsic motivation

could be enhanced by providing challenge, curiosity, fantasy and control (Hodell 1989). The

President‘s Education Initiative Research Project (1999) concluded that the most critical

challenge for teacher education in South Africa was the limited conceptual knowledge of

many teachers. Factors such as lack of motivation and lack of hands-on activities are due to

the inefficiency of the educators in organizing appropriate learning situations. Lack of

seriousness or capacity on the part of schools and government in equipping classroom and

laboratory and reskill educators‘ to handle new curricula with the new approach in teaching

are other factors. All these factors contributed to learner misconceptions.

30

Novelty and Hands-on activity

Novelty is very important in gaining learners‘ initial attention for a task (Man et al. 2004).

―It has been suggested that a variety of different types of activities are desirable, so

as to provide relevance to the full range of learners in a class and to avoid over

reliance on any one technique. As many tasks as possible facilitate the creation of

diverse participation structures such as working individually or collaboratively, active

movement and production of artifacts and allow social interaction among learners,

whether they collaborate or not (Keplan & Maehr 1999, p. 30)‖.

Situational interest

Through a process of scaffolding, an educator can gradually guide learners to develop

knowledge and skills while making connections with learners‘ existing schema (Vygotsky

1978; Lemke 2001). Situational interest is a short term interest that is aroused by aspects of

a specific situation. For example, spectacular demonstrations could arouse transient interest

even in learners who are not particularly interested in a science subject (Hidi 1990).

Correctly presented practicals and demonstrations eliminate misconceptions and could cause

conceptual change.

Textbooks

Textbooks are another source of misconception (Beatty 2009). Language and analogies in

those textbooks have been cited as sources of misconceptions (Head 1986). The language in

which the text is written causes problems of understanding particularly where it is not the

learners‘ mother tongue. In some cases when the concept itself is explained using improper

analogy, it confuses the learner. Analogical reasoning in creative processes usually leads to

31

inconsistencies. The analogy itself never provides reasons for accepting the solution (Meheus

2006). It points towards the need for improved textbook writing by taking care of both

language and concept clarity. Weak analogies by the teachers are due to following examples

from the textbook. For example, to teach internal structure of atoms one may select the

analogy of solar system. The analogy allows one to hypothesize that electrons

move around the nucleus in the same way as planets move around the sun. The mere fact

that planets move around the sun was not considered as a sufficient reason to believe that

electrons move around the nucleus. In the case of internal structure of atoms, inferences are

made not only from the analogy between atoms and solar system, but also from the relevant

theoretical and observational findings about atoms. It follows from the analogy between the

solar system and the internal structure of atoms that electrons never jump. This conclusion

is rejected because one could establish deductively that electrons do jump which results in

inconsistencies. When analogy fails, the logic inhibits the applications of specific rules

(Meheus 2006, p. 29).

Educators

Educators themselves have also been found to exhibit some misconceptions in physics (Ivowi

1986b; Bento 1980; Caillot & Xuan 1993). Teachers were once learners and any

misconception formed then persists unless some effort was made to erase it. The situation

has been worsened by employing unqualified teachers, especially in primary school (National

Teacher Education Audit 1995; Report on Ministerial Committee on Rural Education (2005).

The language used by the teacher for teaching is another cause of misconception due to

poor understanding by the pupil. Government is very well convinced of lack of pedagogical

content knowledge (PCK) and teaching skills of most of the teachers as well as the language

problem (President‘s Education Initiative 1999; Report on Ministerial Committee on Rural

32

Education 2005). Hence the formulation of National Education Policy Act (NEPA), 1996,

South African School Act (SASA), 84 of 1996, and National Policy Framework for Teacher

Education and Development of South Africa 2006 need to be implemented with full force.

It is evident that many teachers hold limited views of the teaching and learning process and

of the nature of science (Shymansky, Yore & Anderson 2004; Duit 2007). Teachers tend to

teach the way they were taught, and breaking this cycle requires different emphasis on

pedagogy in teacher education (Rose 2006). As Stofflett (1994) observed that changing

pedagogical knowledge, like scientific knowledge, will not occur through replication but

rather through reconstruction. If teachers have to change their views of science teaching,

they themselves must undergo a process of conceptual change (Stofflett 1994; Osborne &

Collins 2001; Sadler & Tai 2001). Basically the same conceptual change frameworks for

addressing learners‘ conceptions have proven valuable to develop teachers‘ views of science

concepts (Hewson et al. 1999; Duit & Treagust 2003). As noted by Anderson (2007) in his

recent overview of research about science learning, there is a large gap between what is

known in the research domain of conceptual change about more efficient teaching and

learning and what may be set into practice in normal classes. Policies have been formulated

to cater for the need, to implement the National Curriculum Statement (Physical Science

2003, Chap. 1), which is an outcomes-based education with the ammunition to eliminate

misconceptions. The South African Schools Act (1996) was intended to equip the school

managers, School Governing bodies Bodies (SGBs) and School administration to do all the

background work to implement OBE teaching in full force. On the other hand National Policy

of Framework for Teacher Development in South Africa (2006) did set the scene to train the

educators to handle the new curriculum. The document, Norms and Standards for Teacher

Education, Training and Development (1997) was expected to make the teachers‘ aware of

33

their roles and associated competencies required to facilitate learning the new curriculum.

The Council on Higher Education, CHE (2001) provides equal opportunity for all its citizens to

make use of the available facilities with all the support systems for their transformation to fit

in to the new environment. It aims to reduce the dropout rate in tertiary education.

Teacher absenteeism

A study conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on behalf of the

Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), entitled ‗Educator Supply and Demand‘, cited in

National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development of South Africa 2006

indicated that the poor health of educators, especially in regard to HIV and AIDS, resulted in

increased absenteeism and retirement of educators (National Policy Framework for Teacher

Education and Development of South Africa 2006). This has contributed to poor grasp of

science subjects and low levels of learner achievement (President‘s Education Initiative

1999). Low levels of grasp in the subject results in misconceptions and it becomes a

stumbling block to new knowledge conception in university, resulting in increased drop-out

rates from the courses. In turn, this leads to poor production of graduates from tertiary

institutions and hence the shortage of staff in the fields of science and technology needed to

compete in the world market (National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and

Development of South Africa 2006).

2.5. SOME POSSIBILITIES TO ELIMINATE MISCONCEPTIONS AND TO INITIATE

CONCEPTUAL CHANGE

2.5.1. POLICIES AND SCHOOL ACT – PROBLEM WITH IMPLEMENTATION

South Africa has world class education policies and teacher education and development

policies, but lacks expertise in implementing those policies. The present National Policy

34

Framework for Teacher Education and Development of South Africa 2006 once implemented

could produce better teachers who could handle the present curriculum provided the schools

are equipped to teach the new curriculum. This would, in one way or on other, reduce

misconceptions in physics among learners.

Educators face learners with varying capabilities and needs in a particular class. Learners‘

needs vary for many reasons. These include preconceptions held about certain topics, slow

understanding, poor background or upbringing and demotivation due to some other reason.

To handle such a group of learners, the educators need sound pedagogical content

knowledge, appropriate resources, right approach and appropriately contextualized content

to inspire all the learners in the class. The introduction of new curricula emphasized greater

professional autonomy and that required teachers to have knowledge and applied

competences, including the use of new technologies in order to cope with radical changes in

student demographics, and cultural and linguistic composition of classrooms (National Policy

Framework for Teacher Education and Development of South Africa 2006).

National Education Policy Act 27 (1996) is underpinned by the belief that teachers are the

essential drivers of a quality education system. It is clear that teachers need to enhance

their skills, not necessarily only qualifications, for the delivery of the new curriculum to be

effective. A large majority of educators need to strengthen their subject knowledge base,

PCK and teaching skills. Many need to revive their enthusiasm and commitment to their

calling (President‘s Education Initiative 1999)

35

2.5.2. REMEDYING MISCONCEPTIONS

An interest in misconceptions of learners is generated because it is believed that learners

could not be seen as ‗blank slates‘. To make teaching more effective and learning more

useful, it is essential that a student‘s preconceived ideas are taken into account while

planning the lessons. A number of research studies have indicated that learners come to

class with pre-conceived ideas (Stella et al. 2001; Sinatra & Pintrich 2003; Kinchin & Alias

2005; Rose 2006; Duit 2007). Learners‘ pre-conceptions are not always in harmony with

science concepts (Kinchin & Alias 2005; Duit 2007). Hence misconceptions stand as a

stumbling block to new knowledge conception. So the consideration of alternative

perspectives of the learners helps teachers to recognize this mismatch and restructure

teaching accordingly (Kinchin & Alias 2005). Some studies suggest that instructional

strategies leading to conceptual change can be employed to eliminate learners‘

misconceptions (Sinatra & Pintrich 2003; Duit 2007). Knowledge acquisition and conceptual

change take place through a process of formulation, reformulation, and reinterpretation of

knowledge, where the learners are constantly evaluating relevance, contrasting different

points of view, and testing their validity (Stella et al. 2001; Rose 2006).

The construction and the reconstruction of meanings by learners require that they actively

seek to integrate new knowledge with knowledge already in their cognitive structure (Novak

2002). Piaget calls this as assimilation followed by accommodation. Meaningful learning

involves learners in constructing integrated knowledge structures, which contain their prior

knowledge, experiences, new concepts and other relevant knowledge (Tsai 2000).

Consequently attempts have been made to formulate strategies to deal with misconceptions

that exist among learners (Clement 1987) to make accommodation possible.

36

A number of studies have suggested that instructional strategies leading to conceptual

change could be employed to eliminate student‘s misconceptions (Yanowitz 2001; Heywood

2002; Tekkaya 2003; Sinatra & Pintrich 2003; Abd-El-Khalick and Ackerson 2004; Dhindsa

and Anderson 2004; Rule and Furletti 2004; Luera, Otto & Zitzewitz 2005). Conceptual

change implies that a learner actively and rationally replaces existing pre scientific

conceptions with scientifically acceptable explanations as new propositional linkages are

formed in his/her conceptual framework. Many constructivist science educators have chosen

the use of conceptual change approaches in science education (Abd-El-Khalick & Ackerson

2004; Dhindsa & Anderson 2004; Luera, Otto & Zitzewitz 2005). Studies reveal that

analogies provide the learners‘ opportunities to work with their existing concepts and

construct their knowledge (Yanowitz 2001; Rule & Furletti 2004). Moreover, the linkage

between new understanding and the real world motivates learners‘ to learn better (Heywood

2002). Conceptual change text is another effective tool to promote meaningful learning

(Tekkaya 2003).

A theory that guides the remedial action of misconception has been the ‗constructionism‘

referred to in chapter 1 which allows learners to develop their own reasoned interpretations

of their interactions with the world. Perhaps more important, constructionist learning

environments allow learners to share and collaboratively reflect on these cognitive artifacts

(Kenneth & Sasha 2001). According to Hanze and Berger (2007), promoting feelings of

competence through cooperative grouping benefited learners with low academic self-

confidence because stronger feelings of competence lead to more motivation toward physics

and subsequently higher achievement.

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2.5.3. CONCEPTUAL CHANGE TEXT AND CONCEPTUAL CHANGE

Conceptual change texts are designed to change student‘s misconception and focus on

strategies to promote conceptual change by challenging learners‘ misconceptions, producing

dissatisfaction followed by a correct explanation which is both understandable and plausible

to the learners. Learners are given texts which identify common misconceptions. Learners‘

misconceptions are activated by presenting them with situations that are designed to elicit a

prediction or when they are challenged by introducing common misconceptions followed by

evidence that is incorrect. Finally, the instruction should present the correct scientific

explanation (Yurdagul & Petek 2002).

One of the strategies to invoke conceptual change is through creating cognitive conflict

(Nussbaum & Novak 1982). Cognitive conflict alone is not sufficient to induce conceptual

change; it has to be grounded on a more challenging context that creates learning

awareness (Gilbert, Osborne & Fen sham 1982). According to Zusho, Pintrich and Coppola

(2003) when learners are aware of the conflict between existing knowledge and the

scientifically accepted information, conceptual change is most probable to happen. Gilbert,

Osborne and Fen sham (1982) argued that learning abstract and complex chemistry

concepts require conceptual change. One way to induce conceptual change when learning

science is through engaging learners in learning situations that will necessarily challenge

learners‘ naïve thinking and leading them to reorganize their existing naïve knowledge

structure and moving towards a scientifically conceptual framework. Learners should

experience that the new conception enable them to solve problems and have the opportunity

to apply, test and evaluate their new conception. In most South Africa school situation, there

lacks the opportunity to apply science knowledge in solving everyday life problem. This

38

situation resulted in the science learning became boring, uninteresting and difficult to the

learners and hence arose problem of misconceptions in science.

2.6. CONCLUSION

This chapter gave the details of pertinent literature related to this study. Literature showed

that not only learners but also educators need conceptual change to achieve the correct

learning of correct science principles in general and physics concepts in particular. Active

learning and practicing of constructivist theories and principles could help to bring about

conceptual change. Educators being the essential drivers to quality education are responsible

for causing conceptual change through motivation of learners, creating situational interest,

diverse teaching modes and hands-on-activity. Successful implementation of Education

Policies and School Act could revive educators‘ enthusiasm and commitment to their calling.

39

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1. INTRODUCTION

This chapter provides the research design and methodology followed in this study.

3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN

This study used the ex-post facto research design. According to Brigg and Coleman (2007), a

research design ought to achieve the objectives of the research. This study attempted to

take note of the above. Thus, the ex-post facto design was used to find out the major

misconceptions in electrostatics that were carried from the schools by the first year B.Sc 1

learners.

3.3. THE POPULATION AND SAMPLE

There were two samples, namely, the learner and educator samples.

3.3.1. LEARNER SAMPLE

The learner population consisted of 198 first year B.Sc physics and chemistry learners from

the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology at a historically disadvantaged

University. The sample belonged to the same university where the researcher taught. The

target population also constituted the sample in this study. That is, all 198 learners (109

females and 89 males) participated in the study.

3.3.2. EDUCATOR SAMPLE

Another sample consisted of 28 educators: 10 males and 18 females. All the members in the

educator population formed the sample. The female science educators were more

40

represented since they were in majority in those selected high schools. They were selected

from 15 High Schools in the nearby surroundings of the university, from where most of the

learners came from, through convenient sampling considering easy accessibility of the

principals and educators. Some schools had two science educators each and others had one

each who completed the questionnaire. The educators were included in the research to

check whether they could be one of the sources of learners‘ misconceptions in electrostatics.

3.4. COMBINATION OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE APPROACHES

This study adopted the mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) approach. The rationale

of mixed approach was that the quantitative data gave a general picture of the research

problem while the qualitative data refined, explained or extended the general picture

(Creswell, Clark, Gutmann & Hanson 2003; Ivankova, Creswell & Stick 2006). The use of

quantitative and qualitative approaches in combination provided a better understanding of

the research problems than would have been the case using a single approach (Creswell &

Clark 2007; Masitsa 2008).

The quantitative view is described as being ―realist‖ or sometimes positivist. Realist means

that the researcher needs to be detached from the research as much as possible, and use

methods that maximize objectivity and minimize the involvement of the researcher (Daniel

2004, p.3-6). So, the researcher got detached from the participants while administering the

questionnaire. The strength of quantitative method included stating the research problem in

very specific and set terms (McMillan & Schumacher 2006). In quantitative research, the

researcher relied on numerical data to test the relationship between the variables (Charles &

Mertler 2002).

41

3.5. INSTRUMENTS

According to Maree and Pietersen (2008), questionnaire construction is an extremely

important part of the research process to generate required data. When the questionnaire

was designed, the researcher had to keep in mind what type of data had to be generated by

the questionnaire and the statistical technique that had to be used to analyze the data. The

items in the instruments were intended to answer the research sub-questions. Data

collection instruments were questionnaires for learners‘ and educators‘ (Appendix B & E) and

a semi-structured interview schedule for learners (Appendix D).

3.5.1. LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE

Multiple choice questions (MCQs) were used in quantitative analysis. Gyeke (2008) reported

that they were useful in the investigation of misconceptions. Although, MCQs do not exclude

the possibility of guessing, Gyeke (2008) refers to Merrill (1970) who observed that multiple

choice tests can be used to identify and locate misconceptions because:

they confirmed construct validity, content validity and hence face validity of multiple

choice items;

they covered a wide range of the syllabus;

respondents were given a wide range of options to make a choice.

In addition Merrill observed that some of the drawbacks of MCQs are that:

they demand extensive reading of the topic;

possibilities of guess work in answering it;

distracters may not be plausible.

In this study the researcher tried to overcome the above through careful selection of

distracters and phrasing of questions. The questionnaire was given for correction twice to

two experts for review in content and language.

42

The questionnaire (Appendix B) was intended to survey misconceptions in electrostatics

amongst learners. For section A, model of a questionnaire in the article ―Effects of instruction

based on conceptual change activities on learners‘ understanding of static electricity

concepts‖ by Baser and Geban (2007) was followed. It was then redesigned to answer the

research sub-questions in this research. The items in the questionnaire covered all the

important concepts and principles in the topic. The questionnaire comprised sections A & B.

Section A had 22 items and section B had 6 MCQs.

SECTION A

Items 1-3 gathered demographic data: learners‘ gender, language and age range. Items 4-

10 measured effects of motivation from the educators, hands-on activities and group work.

Items 11-22 were content based to check the misconceptions. Items 4-22 were Likert‘s scale

items, each with five options such as strongly agree (SA), agree (A), neutral (N), disagree

(D) and strongly disagree (SD) (see Appendix B).

SECTION B

The content area which was not covered through the Likerts‘ scale mode was covered with

six MCQs, each with one out of five options as the correct option in Section B. One among

the four other options was a misconception and the other three were distracters (Appendix

B).

Multiple choice questions were used to assess misconceptions by assessing how many

learners chose incorrect options in order to gain clues to misconceptions. If a number of

learners had chosen a particular incorrect option, then it could be a pointer to a

misconception.

43

3.5.2. EDUCATOR QUESTIONNAIRE

The Educator questionnaire (Appendix E) consisted of the 20 Likert‘s scale items (of which 3

items on demographic data), 6 multiple choice questions and 9 open-ended items. Likert‘s

scale items (except for the demographic ones) and MCQs were similar to the ones in the

learner questionnaire. Closed-ended questions were intended to expose educators‘

misconceptions. Whereas open-ended questions were intended to find out what precautions

the educators took to eliminate/reduce the misconceptions of learners‘ and their

recommendations.

3.5.3. LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

From the quantitative analysis of the responses to the learner questionnaire, the researcher

tried to locate the learners‘ misconceptions. The results from the quantitative analysis guided

the researcher to prepare the semi-structured interview schedule (Appendix D) to generate

data which were later qualitatively analyzed.

The interview schedule consisted of 20 semi-structured questions. Questions in the interview

schedule were re-structured forms of the items in the questionnaire for learners. This was

done to incorporate the same content as was in the questionnaire previously given.

Learners were encouraged to put forward their views, concerns and ideas about how they

arrived at their respective chosen answers. The items were framed in such a way that their

answers could guide the researcher with possibilities to trace the origins of the

misconceptions.

44

3.6. INSTRUMENT VALIDITY

Validity is the extent to which an instrument measures what it is supposed to measure

(Maree & Pietersen 2008, p. 216).

3.6.1. CONSTRUCT VALIDITY

To create a test with construct validity, first the domain of interest is defined and the

instrument which measures that domain is designed (Mathew 2008). Fundamentally and by

way of definition construct validity transcends all other forms of validity (Imenda &

Muyangwa 1996) as cited by Mathew (2008). The construct validity of the questionnaires for

the main study was improved with the help of a pilot study.

3.6.2. CONTENT VALIDITY

The content validity of the instrument is assured through cruising it by experts in the subject

(Pietersen & Maree 2008, p.217). An instrument with content validity has face validity. To

ensure content validity of an instrument, the researcher presented provisional versions to

two experts (one subject and one education expert) in the field for their comments before

finalizing the instrument. The content validity of the instrument was again tested through

the pilot study, and it was found to be necessary to rephrase some of the items. One item

was replaced by another which would answer the research questions better.

3.7. INSTRUMENT RELIABILITY

Reliability is the extent to which a measuring instrument is repeatable and consistent

(Pietersen & Maree 2008, p. 216). It means that the same instrument when administered to

different subjects at different times from the same population, the finding would be similar.

The next section would engage in showing how the instrument succeeded in reaching the

45

objectives of this research. This was done through drawing the items from the questionnaire

which answered each of the sub- research questions (Table 1)

3.8. PILOT STUDY

According to White (2002), a pilot study is aimed to make necessary changes in the

instrument to ascertain the feasibility, reliability and validity of the instrument. Gyeke (2008)

refers to Peat, et al. (2002) who explained the advantages of undertaking a pilot study as

follows: It

is an essential precursor to many research projects and improves the internal validity

of the questionnaire;

identifies ambiguities, difficult questions and other irregularities in the questionnaire;

gives feedback from the pilot study to discard unnecessary and difficult questions and

reword the questions that were not answered as expected;

assists in gauging the time needed for completing the questionnaire;

helps to assess whether each question gave an adequate number of responses.

The pilot study assisted the researcher to identify ambiguities, difficult questions and other

irregularities. For the pilot study 22 learners from the B.Sc 1 learners of another class (14

male and 8 female) volunteered to complete the questionnaire during orientation week held

at the beginning of the academic year. This class was not involved in the main study. The

gender ratio was not deliberately made to be biased towards males but it so happened that

more males volunteered. The researcher explained all the ethical considerations to the group

and then they signed the informed consent form. The researcher supervised the completion

of the learner questionnaire in the pilot study. This approach gave the researcher an

opportunity to clear the doubts and other problems of the members of the sample and the

46

problem were noted to improve the instrument. The completed questionnaires were

collected after 90 minutes. The data collected were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS

version 17. The pilot study results (Appendix F) from the analyzed data showed elements of

misconceptions and hence validity of the instrument was confirmed. It meant that the

instrument was capable of measuring what it was intended to measure. The feedback from

the pilot study showed that the items were capable of attracting answers to the research

sub-questions. Two educators were used to pilot study the educator questionnaire. It

enabled the researcher to remove difficult questions and rectify irregularities. Semi-

structured interview schedule was also pilot studied through interviewing a learner from the

interview sample to make necessary adjustments and modifications. Interviews were

conducted only for learners and not for educators.

3.8.1. IMPROVEMENT BASED ON THE FEEDBACK ON PILOT STUDY

Feedback on pilot study gave an opportunity to adjust the data collection instruments. The

following changes were made in the learner and educator questionnaires:

Some of the items were reworded since 3 learners asked for clarification on those

questions.

Two items were merged since they gave almost the same answer.

An item was replaced by another one since it didn‘t provide intended information.

Sections A and B of the educator questionnaire contained the same questions as in sections

A and B of the learner questionnaire which were previously corrected. The additional section

C of the educator questionnaire necessitated clarity in questioning. Semi-structured interview

schedule had one of the difficult questions removed.

47

3.9. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION AND PERMISSION TO USE THE SAMPLE.

Permission to use the learners to conduct the research was granted by the Research Ethics

Committee (Appendix G), Director of Applied and Environmental Sciences in Faculty of

Science, Engineering and Technology (Appendix H), Registrar of the selected university

(Appendix I), the Department of Education (Appendix J) and Principals of the selected

schools (Appendix K)

The informed consent forms (Appendix L) were distributed to the learners followed by an

explanation of the research. They had an opportunity to terminate their participation at any

time with no penalty. The learners were briefed on the confidentiality of their statements,

their anonymity and no harm to them. Informed consent forms were signed by learners and

educators after they had read it.

3.10. DATA COLLECTION FROM LEARNERS

The researcher collected data in two phases such as quantitative (questionnaires) and

qualitative data (interview schedule).

3.10.1. ADMINISTRATION OF LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE (Appendix B)

The questionnaires were administered to 198 B.Sc 1 learners during the first week of the

academic year. It took place in two venues under normal classroom conditions under the

supervision of two lecturers in each class. The researcher used group administration of

questionnaires. The researcher made herself available to clarify learners‘ doubts and

questions. It took approximately 90 minutes for the learners to complete the questionnaire.

The researcher waited while whole groups of respondents completed the questionnaire as

48

suggested by Maree and Pietersen (2008). The completed questionnaires were collected and

marked before data analysis.

3.10.2. ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATORS‘ QUESTIONNAIRE

Educators in the sample were given the Educator Questionnaire to check whether they might

be a source of misconception. A mixture of closed and open-ended items made the design a

good blend of quantitative and qualitative methods. Educators were also given informed

consent forms (Appendix L) to read and then sign. They were all co-operative enough to

return the completed questionnaire during the same week.

3.10.3. ADMINISTRATION OF LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

In the second phase of qualitative data collection, 30 learners out of the sample were

selected for interviews. They were selected on the basis of their score for the items in the

questionnaire: 10 learners from each of the three levels, namely below average, average and

above average. This qualitative phase of the semi-structured interview schedule was

intended to deduce the possible origins of the misconceptions (Nieuwenhuis 2008).

Each learner was interviewed for 40-60 minutes in the physics laboratory and responses

were audio-recorded with their permission. Learners were encouraged to put forward their

views, concerns, ideas about why and how they had arrived at the answers indicated in their

questionnaire.

The researcher took six days to interview 30 learners. The selected learners were happy to

attend the interview sessions. The ethical considerations were explained to them and then

49

they were requested to sign informed consent forms (Appendix C). The semi-structured

interviews were expected to give a deeper insight into the origins of misconceptions.

3.11. ITEMS OF THE LEARNER AND EDUCATOR QUESTIONNAIRES AND SEMI-

STRUCTURED INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

The items were carefully selected to answer the relevant research sub-questions. This was

done to make a clear link between the data gathering tool and the questions solicited by the

study in an attempt to ensure that the gathering tools really collected data relevant to the

answering of the set research sub-questions (Maphosa 2010). The Table 1 showed that

there was a close link between the data collection instruments and the research questions

sought.

Table 1: Summary of item numbers which dealt with research sub-questions

RESEARCH SUB-QUESTIONS

ITEM NO: IN LQ/LIS/EQ

EXPLANATION/Purpose

1. Major electrostatic conceptions up to grade 12

This was answered through the preliminary research by reviewing various textbooks from grade 1-12.

2. Major misconceptions in Electrostatics among B.Sc 1 learners

LQ: 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24. Section B: 1-5. EQ: 13-15, 18, 22, 23. Section B: 3, 4, 5. Section C: 2, 3, 8. LIS: 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 20.

To identify misconceptions. The items on the left also attempted to expose the origin of misconceptions.

3. How could educators eliminate each of these misconceptions from the learners; Possible ways by which educators address the challenge of misconceptions in learning Electrostatics

LQ: 8. LIS: 3. EQ: 4-8. EQ: Section B: 4, 5, 6. EQ: Section C: 9 LIS: 3

The methods made use of in order to eliminate misconceptions. The questions on the left have addressed the possible ways of challenging the misconception.

Key to table: LQ: Learner questionnaire; EQ: Educator questionnaire; LIS: Learner Interview Schedule.

50

3.12. SUMMARY

This chapter has provided details of research design and methodological processes for

collecting data for the study. The two phases of the study were quantitative survey

qualitative interviews. The steps taken in collecting the data were as follows;

Main study with 198 first year B.Sc learners at university entry point had been

administered with learners‘ questionnaire to check misconceptions in Electrostatics

(Appendix B).

An in-depth interview with 30 selected learners from the above group was

administered with semi-structured interview schedule in an attempt to find the

possible origin of misconceptions (Appendix D).

Educators‘ questionnaire was administered to 28 educators from various high

schools in Mthatha District from Eastern Cape Province in South Africa

(Appendix E).

All the instruments were formulated with the purpose of finding answers to the main

research question. In the next chapter the researcher presents, analyses and discusses the

data collected.

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CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.1. INTRODUCTION

In the previous chapter the researcher provided a description of the research design and

methodological procedures followed during data gathering. In this chapter the researcher

presents the data analysis and the discussions based on the results. Descriptive statistics

was used to summarize, organize and reduce a large number of observations. It transforms

a set of numbers or observations into indices that describe the data (McMillan & Schumacher

2010). The next section depicts the biographical variables for learners and educators who

responded to the questionnaire.

4.2. DATA ANALYSIS

Data analysis is the process of gathering, modeling and transforming data with the goal of

highlighting useful information, drawing conclusions, suggesting solutions and supporting

decision making (Mathews 2008).

4.2.1. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

The information collected was captured on computer as numbers called raw data. The

analysis process started with descriptive statistics in numerical and graphical way to organize

and summarize data in a meaningful way. This served to enhance the understanding of the

properties of the data (Pietersen & Maree 2008, p. 183). In this study, data analysis was

done using SPSS version 17 software.

52

4.2.2. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

As observed by Nieuwenhuis (2008, p. 104), organizing audio-recorded data had required

intensive examination, understanding and reading. The data collected by electronic means

were transcribed by the researcher by replaying the tape several times. Each participant was

given a number and the data transcribed for each learner was recorded under that number.

The data were sorted and typed. In order to get to know the data inside out, the researcher

read and reread it to do good analysis. Thereafter, the data were coded.

Coding was defined as ‗marking the segments of the data with symbols, descriptive words or

unique identifying names‘ (Nieuwenhuis 2008, p. 105). It was the process of reading

carefully through the transcribed data, line by line, and dividing it into meaningful analytical

units. Once meaningful segments were located, they were coded. In this study, the

researcher coded the transcribed data into several meaningful units and noted how many

learners fell in a specific category.

4.3. RESULTS

4.3.1. GENDER AND AGE OF LEARNERS

Out of the 198 respondents, 55 % were female and 45 % were male. The majority of 54%

respondents were in the 18-20 age groups. It shows that learners had straight passes in all

the grades up to Grade 12 and wasted no time before enrolment considering the entry age

for Grade 1 is 7 years. This age range of (18-20) years is important for this study since the

researcher wants learners to complete the questionnaire before they forget the concepts

learned in grade 12. The age distribution is portrayed in Fig. 1.

53

4.3.2. GENDER, AGE RANGES AND HOME LANGUAGE OF LEARNERS

Table 2: Gender, Age and home language of learner sample

Biographical variables Variable descriptions RN Rp (%) Gender Female 109 55

Male 89 45

Age (in years)

18 24 12 19 44 22 20 40 20 21 30 15 22 10 5

23 50 25

Home language IsiXhosa 174 87 IsiZulu 17 9 Others 7 4

Key: RN = Number of responses; RP = Percentage response

4.3.3. AGE RANGE OF LEARNERS

Figure 1: Age distribution of learner sample (n = 198)

54

4.3.4. HOME LANGUAGE OF LEARNERS

A large majority (87%) of the learners had IsiXhosa as their home language which is the

dominant language of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Higher representation of sample from

various parts of the Eastern Cape would increase validity and generalisability of the result.

4.4. EDUCATORS‟ TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND RELATED DATA (N=28)

Table 3 given below shows data on two educator factors, namely, their major subject

specializations and lengths of teaching experience.

Table 3: Summary of educator factors

Educator factor RN Rp (rounded off %)

Major teaching subject Biology

Physics

Chemistry

Mathematics

1 04

10 36

9 32

8 29

Teaching experience 1-5 years

5-10 years

10-15 years

15-20 years

20-25 year

13 48

4 15

2 07

3 11

5 19

Key: RN = Number of responses; Rp= Percentage response.

As per the data in Table 3, although 68% (19 out of 28) of educators had qualifications

majoring in the physical sciences, only 36% of the sample had physics as their major. One

could see that the majority (52% or 15 out of 28) of the educators were in the 5-25 years of

teaching experience group. Also, all the educators falling in the 1-5 years of teaching

experience were 48%, all may not be in the first year of teaching. It is then safe to assume

that a good proportion of educators had crossed their first years in the teaching profession.

55

4.5. PRELIMINARY RESEARCH RESULTS

As part of preliminary study, syllabus for Electrostatics was reviewed followed by Physical

science textbooks from various authors (Van Zyl et al. 2001; Arendse et al. 2004). The

preliminary study enabled the researcher to come up with the major electrostatic

conceptions up to grade 12 before the main study. Table 4 below presents the major

concepts in electrostatics at the school level.

Table 4: Electrostatic concepts and the grades in which they were introduced

ELECTROSTATIC CONCEPTS GRADE

1. The electric charges can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be transferred from one object to the other. For example, when Perspex and wool are rubbed together, Perspex loses electrons to wool

5 & 10

2. Material in which electric charges are free to move are electric conductors and material in which electric charges are not free to move are electric insulators.

5 & 10

3. Sparks are electrical discharge due to difference in potential. For example potential difference between a cloud and earth or between clouds produce lightning.

6 & 8

4. Atoms are electrically neutral. This means that an atom contains equal number of positive and negative charges. 8

5. Like charges repel and unlike charges attract 10

6. An uncharged object becomes polarized in the presence of a charged object. Then there is a temporary separation of charge inside the neutral object. That is why uncharged objects are attracted to both positively and negatively charged objects.

10

7. Electrostatic force of attraction or repulsion between two charges is directly proportional to product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

11

8. An electric field in a region in space is created by a charge. A small positive charge experiences a force in the direction of the field.

11

9. A uniform electric field is produced between oppositely charged parallel plates. A test positive charge released in a uniform field moves towards negative plate and a negative charge released moves towards the positive plate.

11

10. Electric field strength and potential difference are properties of an electric field, where electric field strength is force per unit charge at any point in the field and potential difference is the amount of work done per unit charge to move a positive charge from a point of low potential to high potential.

11

11. Capacitors store energy. When the plates of the capacitor are charged, the electron distribution of molecules of the dielectric between the plate shifts and the molecules become polarized. The electric field due to the charged plate and the polarized dielectrics superimpose to form a smaller resultant field and hence an increased capacitance.

11

12. Two identical spherical conductors of different charges when brought in contact will transfer charges from one conductor to the other until their charges are equal. 11

56

The preliminary review showed that Electrostatics was first introduced in Grade 5 and

continued in Grades 8, 10 and 11, consistently increasing in level of difficulty. Table 4

showed the electrostatic concepts up to Grade 12 and the corresponding grade/s in which

each of the concepts was introduced (Brooke et al. 2006; De Fontaine et al. 2005; Grayson

et al. 2005; Karin, Derrick and Jagathesan 2007).

4.6. LEARNERS‟ AND EDUCATORS‟ VIEWS ON LEARNING ENABLERS

The researcher investigated the learners‘ views on their experiences of teacher motivation,

social factors and experiential factors in school teaching (Table 5). The educators‘ view on

learning enablers were also sought (Table 6). In order to facilitate triangulation, both

learners and educators responded to the same questions except for the supervision of group

discussions of learners which was sought only from the educators.

Table 5: Learner's views on learning enablers

Factors RN Rp

Teacher motivation 131 68

Teacher welcoming learner questions 153 77

Availability of demonstration lessons 107 55

Availability of at least monthly group practical 134 68

Group discussion well supervised 144 72

Provision for study groups 175 88

Key: RN = Number of responses; Rp= Percentage response.

Table 6: Educators‟ views on learning enablers

Factors RN Rp

Teacher motivation 28 100

Teacher welcoming learner questions 28 100

Availability of Demonstration lessons 24 86

Availability of at least monthly group practical 16 59

Provision for study groups 27 96

Key: RP = percentage response; RN = Number of responses

57

The consensus between educators‘ and learners‘ views was more on some factors than on

others. For example, on teacher motivation, all educators (100%) and about 68% of learners

concurred. However, more learners (77%) concurred with the educators‘ claim (100%) on

welcoming learners‘ questions. Furthermore, 96% of educators and 88% of learners

concurred on provisions for study groups. Based on the data, it appears safe to assume that

the above three factors (motivation, educators welcoming learners‘ questions and the

provision for study groups) were common in the schools as learning enablers. Nevertheless,

both the educators‘ and learners‘ responses indicated that availability of demonstration

lessons and availability of at least monthly practicals were in place but not as common as

they ought to have been. In general, despite weaknesses on some factors such as infrequent

demonstration lessons, the school experiences facilitated learning and teaching to a large

extent.

4.7. LEARNERS‟ DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

In the next section the researcher presents and analyses data collected in line with the

research sub-questions which in turn guided the study into answering the main research

questions.

4.7.1. LEARNER RESPONSES (%) TO ITEMS BASED ON CAPACITOR, ELECTRIC FIELD,

ELECTRIC FORCE, ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND CHARGE TRANSFER BETWEEN NEUTRAL AND

CHARGED OBJECTS.

SECTION A

This section consisted of Likert scale items. The responses to the items were strongly agree

(SA), agree (A), neutral (N), disagree (D) to strongly disagree (SD). The options SA and A

58

were collapsed and options SD and D were collapsed to get agreement and disagreement

respectively with the given statement. No conclusion could be drawn from neutral responses.

Table 7: Learners‟ responses to the given item statements in the questionnaire (n=198)

LEARNER RESPONSES

A N D TOTAL

RN RP %

RN RP %

RN RP %

RN RP %

1. There is an electric field between the plates of a capacitor

147 75 14 7 36 18 197 100

2. There is no relationship between electric potential and electric field.

16 8 34 18 142 74 192 100

3. No work is done while charging a capacitor

43 21 30 15 126 63 198 100

4. Charges flow through a capacitor

135 69 22 11 38 19 195 100

5. Capacitors are sources of charges

98 50 42 22 55 28 195 100

6. There are excess charges in a charged capacitor

103 52 54 27 40 20 197 100

7. Electric forces are always along the field lines.

143 73 26 13 27 14 196 100

8. Field lines are real 86 44 51 26 59 30 196 100

9. The concept of electric field and force are the same

29 15 32 16 137 69 198 100

10. There are a finite number of field lines around a charged object

112

57

38

19

60

24

198

100

11. Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage

70 28 39 21 98 52 189 100

12. Charged object will lose or gain electron when kept in contact with an uncharged object until neutral

137 72 17 9 36 19 190 100

Key: A=Agree; N=Neutral; D=Disagree; RP=percentage response; RN=Number of responses

59

Results based on the data analysis presented in Table 7.

This classification given below is based on a subjective categorization by the researcher

which made use of the percentage of learners who showed deviation from the acceptable

scientific explanations to assign low, medium and high levels of misconceptions among

learners:

(20/<20) % = Low level of misconception

(20 to <40) % = Medium level of misconception

(40/>40) % = High level of misconception

Baser and Geban (2007: 252) states as follows, ―… misconceptions would lead to an

incorrect prediction.‖ The above quote renders support to the position that incorrect

answers may be indicative of misconceptions. The present researcher has relied on incorrect

answers as originating from misconceptions similar to Baser and Geban‘s observation but

acknowledge that giving a wrong answer may not always lead to the conclusion that it arises

from misconception but that could be one of the strong possibilities. As such, the

categorization is done relying on incorrect responses as a lead to the strong possibility of

misconception as a cause.

1. There is an electric field between the plates of a charged capacitor.

This item was asked with the intention of understanding the learners‘ knowledge about the

existence of an electric field between the two plates of a charged capacitor. According to

principles of physics, when the plates of a capacitor are connected to the terminals of the

battery (to form a complete circuit), electrons flow from the negative of the source to the

plate connected to it (plate B of the capacitor) making it negative. This negative plate B

repels electrons from plate A to the positive of the source making plate A positive. The

60

negative plate B and the positive plate A attract each other and make the charges on plate A

and B stay the same way. This results in the creation of uniform electrostatic field (Brookes

et al. 2006) between the oppositely charged parallel plates A and B.

The correct options to this item were SA and A. When the two answers were combined they

constituted 75% of the responses. Similarly, the combined options of SD and D constituted

18% of the responses and they formed the incorrect response (Refer Table 7).

From the analysis we can conclude that 18% of the learners in this study didn‘t agree with

the given correct concept. This is much lower compared to the 75% agreeing with the

correct answer. So the level of misconception on this concept is low among learners.

2. There is no relationship between electric potential and electric field.

The researcher presented this item with the view to testing learners‘ understanding of the

terms electric potential and electric field and their relationship. According to principles of

physics, electric potential is described as the amount of energy divided by the charge and it

is a scalar. That is, the electric work done per unit charge in moving a charged object from

infinity to the point of interest is the electric potential.

The electric field is the force per unit charge experienced by an object and it is a vector. The

work is done by an electric force on an object when it is displaced. Thus electric field and

electric potential are closely related (Sears, Zemansky & Young 1987, P. 556).

61

The statement given was incorrect. The correct responses (options) to this item were SD &

D. This constituted 74% of learner responses. The incorrect options to this item were SA &

A. This constituted 8% of learner responses. From the analysis we can conclude that

majority of the learner respondents understood the concept, meaning the educators

managed to make the learners understand the concept. This level of misconception is very

low.

3. No work is done while charging a capacitor

This item was expected to view learners‘ understanding of the work involved in charging a

capacitor. According to principles of physics charging a capacitor require an electric current

through the circuit in which the capacitor is connected. So a battery or source of current is

an important constituent of the circuit to supply energy to the charges to move around in the

circuit. This means work is required to charge a capacitor (Young 2000).

The given statement is incorrect. The correct responses to the item were SD & D and

incorrect ones were SA & A. The correct answers constituted 63% of learner responses. The

incorrect answers constituted 22% of the learner responses. So there is a medium level of

misconception.

4. Charges flow through a capacitor

The item statement above tested the understanding of the learners on the charge flow

between the plates of a charged capacitor. The above statement is incorrect

(Becker 2009). According to principles of physics, no charges flow through a capacitor.

While charging a capacitor, electrons from the negative terminal of the battery flow to one of

the plates and they accumulate to make it a negatively charged plate. These negative

62

charges pushes the electrons on the other plate and make the plate positive. In other words

the negative plate induces opposite charges on the other plate. When we connect the

capacitor to an electric appliance the capacitor discharges from the negative plate through

the appliance. In either case (during charging and discharging) there is no charge flow

through the capacitor.

The options SD & D became the correct answer and it constituted 19% of the learner

responses. The options SA & A became the incorrect answer and it constituted 69% of the

responses. There is high level of misconception in this regard among the learners (Figure.2).

FIGURE 2: Various response % to „charge flow through a capacitor‟

63

5. Parallel plate capacitors are sources of charges

The researcher presented this item with the view to understanding the learners‘ knowledge

about the role of the capacitor in a circuit. According to principles in physics a capacitor store

energy and not charge (Becker 2009). Most of the textbooks said that capacitors store

charges. But some textbooks said it stores charge and energy. The fact is that the energy

stored in the field is the one responsible for keeping the opposite charges apart.

The given statement was incorrect. The correct responses to the item were SD and D and it

constituted 28 % of the responses. The incorrect responses to the item were A and SA which

received 50% of the responses. From the analysis it can be concluded that 50% of the

learners under this study program had misconceptions on this concept.

6. There are excess charges in a charged capacitor

The researcher presented this item in an attempt to understand the knowledge of the

learner about the net charges in a charged capacitor. The statement given was incorrect.

According to principles of physics, a charged capacitor has zero net charge since the amount

of negative charges on one plate is equal to the amount of positive charges on the other

plate (Becker 2009).

The correct responses were SD and D, which came from 20% of the responses. The

incorrect responses were SA and A which constituted 52% of the responses. When majority

of learner respondents agreed with the scientifically incorrect statement ―charged capacitors

have an excess number of charges‖, it confirmed a high level of misconception in this

regard.

64

7. Electric forces are always along field lines around a charged object.

The researcher presented this item to test learners‘ understanding of electric forces in

relation to the field lines. According to principles of physics a unit positive charge (test

charge) placed in an electric field around a charged object will experience a force in the

direction of the field. If there are no other forces, the test charge moves in the direction of

the electric force. The field lines are assumed to be the path of the test charge in a field. So

we could say that electric forces are always along the field lines around a charged object

(Brookes et al. 2006)

The given statement was correct. The correct responses to the item were SA and A. They

constituted 73% of the learner responses. The incorrect responses were SD and D which

constituted 14% of the learner responses. So the level of misconception is low.

8. Field lines are real

The given statement was incorrect. Field lines are imaginary lines used to represent the

electric field and hence it is unreal. The lines of force are a convention that allows us to

visualize the field.

The correct responses to this item were SD and D and it constituted 30% of the learner

responses. The incorrect responses to the items were A and SA which constituted 44 % of

the responses. The level of misconception here is reasonably high because 44% supported

the incorrect answer.

65

9. The concepts electric field and electric force represent the same.

The statement given was not in line with the scientific principle. Electric field is the force per

unit charge experienced by an object due to its location in space. So the correct responses

to the item were SD and D and it came from 69% of the responses. The incorrect responses

were SA and A which constituted 15% of the responses. From the analysis it can be

concluded that the level of misconception is low.

10. There are a finite number of field lines around a charged object

There is no finite number of field lines around a charged object since the field line itself is

unreal. The correct responses to this item were SD and D and it was supported by 24% of

the learner responses. The incorrect responses to this item were SA and A which constituted

57% of the learner responses. So there is high level of misconception among the learners.

11. Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage

This item was intended to measure the learners‘ knowledge on the relationship between

static electricity and high voltage. The above statement was scientifically incorrect. High

voltage has all the characteristics of ―static electricity‖. Static electricity is more visible when

there is a high voltage such as lightning in clouds and sparks when woolen clothes are pulled

out. The cause of static electricity itself has been the existence of high voltage at certain

space or region (Beaty 1999 & 2005).

66

FIGURE 3: Various response% to „static electricity has nothing to do with high

voltage‟

The correct responses (options) to this item were SD and D. This was supported by 52%

learner respondents. 28 % respondents chose the incorrect responses SA and A (Figure.3).

There is medium level of misconception among the learners.

12. Loss or gain of electrons when one charged object is in contact with an

uncharged object until neutral.

The above statement was incorrect. According to principles of physics, the charged object

when kept in contact with a neutral object can‘t be neutral because the net charge stays the

same and it is not zero.

67

The correct answers to the item were SD and D, which was supported by 19% of the learner

responses. The incorrect answers to the item were SA and A. They constituted 72% of the

responses. Learners‘ have high level of misconception.

4.7.2. Frequencies and percentages of responses to multiple choice items in

section B of the learner questionnaire and their discussions.

The section B checked learners‘ knowledge based on Characteristics of electrically positive

and neutral objects and static electricity, factors on which electric field depends, force

between charged objects and movement of charges by induction .

Each of the tables 8 to 13 presented below represents the learner responses to each of the

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ).

The researcher presented this item to test learners‘ understanding of various charge levels in

a positively charged body. The correct option was B. According to principles of

Table 8: Concept of charged body (MCQ 1)

Various

options

Contains only

positive charges

[Misconception]

A

Contains more

positive charges

than negative

[Correct concept]

B

Is rubbed

with another

material

C

Contains equal

number of

positive and

negative charges

D

Could

attract

all

other

objects.

E

Learner %

support

31 42 7 8 11

Number 61 83 14 16 22

Electrostatics a positively charged body contains more positive charges than negative

charges (Ron & Neil 2005). It was supported by 42 % of the learners (Table.8) whereas

68

31% of learners thought that positively charged body contains only positive charges. The

analysis indicated that A was a misconception. Another misconception was option E where

learners thought that a charged body could attract all objects such as positively charged,

negatively charged and neutral objects. This misconception was supported by 11% of the

responses.

Table 9: The characteristics of a neutral object (MCQ 2)

Various

options

They

have no

charges

A

They

contain

only

neutral

particles.

B

They contain

equal numbers

of protons and

electrons.

C

They

cannot

conduct

electricity

D

They could neither

attract nor be

attracted by a

charged object

E

Learner %

support

13 13 65 6 4

Number 26 25 130 11 7

This item was given with the view to understanding the learners‘ knowledge about neutral

objects. According to principles of physics a neutral object has equal number of protons and

electrons. Neutral objects could attract other neutral object, and be attracted by charged

objects (Summer 2006).

The correct answer to this item was option C. That is, neutral objects contained equal

number of protons and electrons, and 65% of learners selected it. The various incorrect

answers were chosen by the rest of the learners (Table 9). Options A and B were

misconceptions and were supported by 13% each.

69

Table 10: Definition of “static electricity” (MCQ 3)

Various conceptions

Non moving charges make

up static electricity

A

Friction causes static electricity [Misconception]

B

Opposite charges which are separated and prevented from moving freely to each other [correct

concept] C

It is a buildup of charges

D

It is opposite to current electricity

E

Learner % support

17 38 28 14 4

Number 32 73 54 27 8

The correct concept C was narrowly supported by 28 % of learner respondents (Table 10).

According to principles of physics static electricity is due to opposite charges which are

separated and prevented from moving freely to each other.

The major misconception, friction causes static electricity (Option B), was chosen by 38 %

learners, followed by 17 % support for ―static electricity as nonmoving charge‖ (Option A).

Another misconception was that it was build up of charges (Option D) and it constituted

14% responses (Fig.4). From the analysis we could conclude that there were various

misconceptions around static electricity as follows:

Friction causes static electricity (38%);

Non moving charges make up static electricity (17%);

Static electricity is a build-up of charges (14%);

(Beaty 2005, 2007)

70

FIG 4: Various response % to the term „static electricity‟.

Table 11: Which factor must decrease in order to increase the electric field?

(MCQ 4)

Various concepts

The charges on each

plate A

The distance between

the plates B

The potential difference

between the plates

C

The area of each plate

D

The thickness

of the plates

E

Percentage response

10 54 18 8 10

Number 20 107 35 15 20

This item was asked to test learners‘ understanding of the effect of decrease of distance on

the increase of electric field (intensity). According to principles of physics the distance

between the plates must decrease in order to increase the electric field. So the correct

71

option was B. Since the plates are oppositely charged there exists a potential difference of V

volts between the plates. If ‗d‘ is the distance between the plates the field strength, E can be

calculated using the formula, E = V/d. As‗d‘ decreases, E increases (Brink & Jones 1985).

The correct answer constituted 54% of learner responses. One of the incorrect answers to

the item was ―the potential difference between the plates‖ (Option C) and it constituted 18%

of responses (Table 11).

From the analysis it could be concluded that there were misconceptions as follows.

The magnitude of ―potential difference between the plates‖ must decrease in order to

increase the electric field (18%).

The magnitude of the charges on each plate must decrease in order to increase the

electric field (10 %)

Table 12: Compare the forces exerted on each of the objects S and T (MCQ 5)

Various concepts

S exerts on T a smaller force than

T exerts on S [misconception]

A

S exerts on T a greater force than

T exerts on S

B

S exerts on T a force equal to that exerted

by T on S [correct concept]

C

Answers A, B and C are

correct

D

Answers A, B and

C are incorrect

E

Learner % support

51 19 14 8 9

Number 100 37 27 16 17

The correct concept was that S exerts on T a force equal to that exerted by T on S (Option

C). According to principles in physics the force of attraction or repulsion exerted by one

charge on another charge is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely

72

proportional to the square of the distance between them by Coulombs‘ law (Grayson et al.

2005).

From the analysis it can be concluded that Learners demonstrated misconceptions on the

Coulombs‘ law, as follows:

In the event of attraction/repulsion between small and large charged objects, small

object exerts a smaller force on the large one than the large exerts on the small one

(Option A). A majority of 51 % responses were in support of this misconception.

The reverse statement (another misconception), small object exerts a large force on

the large object than the large one exerts on the small one (Option B), was supported

by 19% responses (Table. 12).

The support for the correct concept was only 14 % (Option C). This is too low compared to

the support for misconceptions. So there are some difficulties concerning this concept among

the learners.

Table 13: What are the charges on the two spheres X & Y (MCQ 6)?

Various

concepts

X is positive

and Y is negative

[correct concept]

A

X negative

and Y

positive

B

Both

positive

C

Both

negative

D

Both

neutral

[misconcep

t]

E

Learner %

support

19 23 10 21 27

Number 38 45 20 41 52

According to principles of physics the correct answer to the item was option A and had 19%

learner responses. The processes that occur behind are the following:

73

The negative rod induces a positive charge on the sphere X near the rod and pushes the

negative charges towards the far end of sphere Y. When Y is moved away from X, Y has

excess negative charges and X has excess positive charges. That means X is positive and Y

is negative.

Three other options which were not in line with scientific concept were better supported

than the correct option. The misconception ―both neutral‖ was supported by 27%. The other

misconceptions ―X negative and Y positive‖ was supported by 23% and ―both negative‖ by

21% learners.

4.7.3. Summary of misconceptions of learners

The study found out that the learners at university entry point had misconceptions in the

topic ‗Electrostatics‘ as summarized in table 14.

The major misconceptions identified and their corresponding correct concepts are given

below:

74

Table 14: List of misconceptions identified amongst the learner sample

No Identified misconception % of learners‘

response/support

Scientifically accepted

conception 1 Charges flow through the

capacitor

69% No charge flows inside

capacitor across the gap 2 Parallel plate capacitors are

sources of charges

50% Capacitors store energy

3 There is excess number of

charges in a charged capacitor

52% The net charge in a capacitor is

zero

4 Field lines are real

44% They are imaginary lines.

5 There are a finite number of field lines around charged object

57% Field lines are not countable

6 Static electricity has nothing to do

with high voltage

28% Static electricity is more

noticeable when there is a high voltage.

7 Charged object will lose or gain electrons when kept in contact

with an uncharged object until neutral

72% It can‘t be neutral because the net charge stays the same and

it is not zero.

8 Charged body is one which contains only one type of charges

31% Positively charged body contains more positive than

negative charges. 9 Friction causes static electricity 38% Opposite charges which are

separated and prevented from

moving freely to each other 10 Small and large charged objects

when separated by a distance (a) small object exerts a smaller

force on the large object than

large object exerts on the small object.

(b) small object exerts a large force on the large object than the

large object exerts on the small object.

51%

19%

Small and large charged objects exert equal force on

each other.

11 Two metal spheres, X and Y,

each on an insulating stand, were brought into contact. A negatively

charged rod is held near X

without touching it. Sphere Y is now moved away from X followed

by the rod. The charges on the two spheres will now be

(a) X negative and Y

positive.

(b) both negative

(c) both neutral

23%

21%

27%

X positive and y negative

75

4.8. POSSIBLE ORIGINS OF MISCONCEPTIONS

In the next section the researcher presents and discusses the analyzed data from the semi-

structured interview schedule in an attempt to confirm the identified misconceptions and

their source. The data collected from the semi-structured interview schedule and their

analysis is summarized in Table 15.

4.8.1 FREQUENCY AND PERCENTAGES OF RESPONSES TO ITEMS IN THE SEMI-

STRUCTURED LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE (LIS) IN COMPARISON WITH THE

RESPONSES TO LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE (LQ).

Responses to semi-structured interview items summarized below in Table 15 were intended

to attempt to establish some possible origins of misconceptions amongst some members of

the sample. For some of the questions (concepts tested) learners said they didn‘t know the

answer. Hence, the total number of learners reflected was not always 30 for LIS and not

always 198 for LQ.

Presentation and discussion of the LIS result in comparison with LQ result

Learners (30) were named from A to Z and the remaining learners from A1 to A4. As such, a

letter or a number preceded by A (tags) always refer to the same person. Some of their

answers to LIS are quoted below. Responses of learners with designated tags during the

interviews are quoted verbatim at the end of each of possible misconception to illustrate the

basis from which inferences were drawn.

76

Table 15: Analysis of learner interview data

Concepts tested LIS Response

(N=30)

LQ(N=198)

Response

Possible source of

misconception

(Conclusions arrived below are from their

conversations during interviews)

A D A D

RN RP

%

RN RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

1. There is an electric field between the

plates of a capacitor

24 80 3 10 75 18 Misconception is very low;

Possible source is experience .

2. There is no relationship between

electric potential and electric field.

7 23 23 77 8 74 Misconception is moderate or

medium level.

Source is intuition.

3. No work is required to charge a

capacitor

3 10 26 87 22 63 Daily life experience-don‘t see

any physical work by battery

4. Charges flow through a capacitor 13 43 14 47 69 19 1. Daily language because of

the word ‗charged capacitor‘- 2.Intuition -Charges jump

across the gap

5. Capacitors are sources of charges 22 73 6 20 50 28 1. Intuition because both

plates got charges 2. Daily language –capacitors

are charged 3. Textbooks

6. There is excess number of charges in a charged capacitor

9 30 21 70 52 20 1. Intuition because of the word ‗charged capacitor‘-

2. Educator because learners said ―that is what we were

taught‖.

7. Electric forces are always along the

field lines.

16 53 5 17 73 14 Low misconception:

Source is intuition.

8. Field lines are real 13 43 16 53 44 30 1. Intuition - Unexplained

observation tempted learners

to guess 2. Educator because learners

said ―we were taught like that‖.

9. Electric field and force are same thing 5 17 17 57 15 69 Educator-we were taught.

10. There is finite number of field lines around a charged object.

2 7 25 83 57 24 1. Educator– we were taught 2. Intuition-field lines they see

are countable

11. Static electricity has nothing to do

with high voltage

12 40 13 43 28 52 1. daily experience

2. Educator-we were taught.

12. Charged object will lose or gain

electron when kept in contact with an Uncharged object until neutral

12 40 10 33 72 19 1. Intuition- Charge flows from

charged body to neutral body 2. Educator- we were taught

Key: A = Agree; D = Disagree; Rp = Percentage response; RN = Number of responses

77

1. There is an electric field between the plates of a capacitor (Item 5 of

interview schedule)

This was a correct statement and 80% learner responses were in favor of the statement.

There were 10% responses against the statement (Column 2 & 3 under LIS). These

percentage responses are very close to the results obtained from the quantitative data

analysis of 75% agreement and 18% disagreement (column 6 & 7 under LQ) in Table 15. So

only a few learners had misconceptions regarding the above concept.

Learner P said, ―I agree there was an electric field between the plates because there is field

around charge‖. Learner Y said, ―I agree there is an electric field between the plates of the

capacitor since the plates are charged‖. Learner W said, ―There is an electric field between

the capacitor plates if there is insulator (dielectric) between the plates and no field if

vacuum‖. Learner P & Y answered and reasoned correctly. Though the learner W agreed

that there is an electric field between the plates, the conditions attached to it shows a sign

of misconception.

2. There is no relationship between electric potential and electric field (Item 14

of interview schedule)

This was an incorrect statement. The qualitative analysis result (LIQ) showed a 23%

agreement and 77% disagreement with the statement. The quantitative analysis result (LQ)

gave 8% agreement and 74% disagreement. Though more people agreed with the incorrect

statement during the interview, disagreement percentages were very close. So we could

conclude that the percentage of misconceptions regarding this concept was low.

78

P said, ―There is no relationship between electric potential and electric field‖. Y said,

―Electrical potential is controlled by electric field. In order to have electric potential there

must be electric field‖. Both the learners displayed misconception.

3. No work is required to charge a capacitor (Item 11 of interview schedule)

The statement given was incorrect. So the correct answer was ‗disagree‘. The result from

qualitative analysis revealed 10% agreement and 87% disagreement with the above

statement. On the other hand, the results from the quantitative analysis showed 22%

agreement and 63% disagreement. These results confirmed low level of misconception on

the above concept.

Though there were some differences in the percentage agreement and disagreement

between the qualitative and quantitative results, the majority of the learner respondents said

there was work done in charging a capacitor. The high percentage disagreement in

qualitative result was because of the time they got to reflect on their reasoning for the

answers they chose to the items in the questionnaire.

Y said, ―Agree that no work is done because electron flows from battery to the capacitor‖. T

said, ―Disagree because the flow of electron is from negative plate to positive plate‖. These

are misconceptions. Work is done.

4. Charges flow through a charged parallel plate capacitor (Item 9 of interview

schedule)

During the interviews, 43% respondents agreed with the incorrect statement and 47%

79

respondents disagreed. On the other hand, 69% agreed and 19% disagreed with the

incorrect statement in the LQ. So the misconception identified through the questionnaire was

confirmed through the interview schedule. Some learners thought that charging a capacitor

was like pumping charge through the capacitor between the plates. So it was their intuition

and the daily language ‗charged‘ that caused this misconception. This was revealed through

the interview.

P said, ―Yes, there is flow of electrons because electricity needs to go around‖. Y said,

―Agree because electrons flow from battery to the capacitor‖. This showed the

misconceptions of learners. There is no charges flow between the plates of a capacitor.

5. Parallel plate capacitors are sources of charges (Item 11 of interview schedule)

This scientifically incorrect statement ―capacitors are sources of charges‖ was agreed by

73% and disagreed by 20% (Table.15) during LIS. On the other hand 50% of the learner

responses agreed and 28% disagreed with the given statement in the LQ. In the interview

more learners than in LQ said that the capacitors are sources of charges because of the net

charge on each of the plates. It would appear that the language ―charge‖ made them think

that charge is pumped into the capacitor and hence space between the plates are filled with

charge. During interview some said the field between the plates constituted field lines which

are path of electrons. According to principles of physics capacitors are sources of energy.

The high percentage response to incorrect answer confirmed that they demonstrated a high

level of misconception. So the sources of misconception were daily language used, textbooks

and learners‘ intuition.

80

W said, ―Agree that parallel plate capacitors are sources of charges because plate A is

negative and plate B is positive‖. Y said, ―Agree because we charge the capacitor using

energy from the cell‘‘. Capacitors are sources of energy not charges.

6. There is excess number of charges in a charged capacitor (Item 10 of interview

schedule)

According to principle of physics the above statement was incorrect. A charged capacitor got

excess positive charges on one plate and an equal number of excess negative charges on

the other plate, meaning no excess charge in the capacitor.

The qualitative result (LIS) showed 30% support to the incorrect statement and 70%

disagreement to the statement. Even though majority of learner respondents disagreed with

the incorrect statement, misconceptions of 30% could not be ignored. Moreover, the

quantitative result constituted 52% support for the incorrect statement and 20%

disagreement with the statement. This change in percentage disagreement to the incorrect

answer from 20% to 70% was due to the opportunity received by learners to reflect on the

reasoning during the interview. The purpose of the interview was to get to what was on their

minds. The source of misconception could possibly have been their intuition that capacitor

has two plates with net charge on each of them. It could have made them believe that

capacitors have excess charges.

P said, ―I say there is excess because if electron come from A, then it pass to B. I think there

is excess‖. S said, ―Agree, because plates of the capacitor are charged‖. Both ‗P‘ and ‗S‘ got

misconceptions because a capacitor got no excess charges.

81

7. Electric forces are always along the field lines (Item 12 of interview schedule)

The above statement was correct and in line with scientific principle. Electric force when

exerted on a test charge shall follow the path of field line. This meant that the electric forces

are always along the field lines. The results from qualitative analysis presented 53%

agreement and 17% disagreement to the correct statement. On the other hand results from

quantitative analysis presented 73% agreement and 14% disagreement to the correct given

statement. This showed that learners were not sure of their answers and hence many said

that they do not know when interviewed. Though the agreement percentage was in

majority, a decrease in agreement percentage from 73% to 53% shows that they were not

convinced of the correct concept from the teaching.

J said, ―Electric force enables electric field to move to B‖. H said, ―Electric force can give a

field line. Electric field lines indicate the force‖. U said, ―Electric force depends on the power

of electric field lines‖. The above statements by the learners are not in line with correct

scientific concept. In fact electric forces are always along the field lines.

8. Field lines are real (Item 5 of Interview schedule)

According to principles of electrostatics, field lines are imaginary lines and hence the above

statement is incorrect. The incorrect statement was supported by 53% learner respondents

and opposed by 43 %. Some learners said that they have observed the iron filings lined up

in an electric field during demonstration and they were convinced that field lines are real. A

thorough explanation of the concepts based on what learners observed, if not followed up

and explained soon after the practical or demonstration, they will end up guessing to

completion. The results from quantitative analysis showed 44% agreement and 30%

82

disagreement to the incorrect statement. So the misconception regarding this concept was

confirmed through the interview and the origin of it was intuition.

T said, ―Disagree, we don‘t see it. They look like real.‖ U said, ―Agree, because I saw iron

filing lining around the charge‖. The learners have misconceptions because of the lining up

of iron filings around the charge due to the polarization of the iron dust in the direction of

the force. So the direction of the force is conventionally represented by the field lines.

9. Electric field and force are the same (Item 12 LIS)

This statement was incorrect. In the qualitative result 17% agreed and 57% disagreed with

the incorrect statement whereas in the quantitative result 15% agreed and 69% disagreed.

There was a decrease in percentage of disagreement from 69% to 57% indicating incorrect

choice. This pointed to their misconception that electric field and force are the same.

U said, ―Electric force depends on power of electric field line‖. On the other hand, V said,

―Electric force is proportional to the field‖. Field and force are not the same. They co-exist in

the region around a charge. In other words, electric force is the characteristic of an electric

field.

10. There are a finite number of field lines around a charged object (Item 5 of

LIS)

This is a scientifically incorrect statement. The results from qualitative analysis (interview)

showed 7% agreement and 83% disagreement to the incorrect answer. The results from

quantitative analysis (LQ) showed 57% agreement and 24% disagreement to incorrect

answer. This meant that the learners had realized their mistakes and corrected themselves

83

during the interview. The possible sources of this misconception could have been intuition

and educators as reflected in Table 15-17 (Table 16-17 are to follow).

L said, ―Agree, If not real repulsion and attraction will not take place‖. Learner ‗I‘ said,

―Agree, because this is what is taught‖. There is some misconception. There is no definite

number of field lines and lines are just representative of the field and its direction.

11. Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage (Item 15 & 16 of LIS)

This was a scientifically incorrect statement. The results from the qualitative analysis showed

40% agreement and 43% disagreement to the incorrect statement. The results from the

quantitative analysis showed 28% agreement and 52% disagreement to the incorrect

statement. There was a decrease in disagreement percentage from 52% to 43%. This

showed that during the interview some learners moved away from the correct answer. So

there is misconception among the learners about this concept. The possible source of

misconception is educator as reflected in Table 16-17.

H said, ―It needs friction to start of static electricity. It doesn‘t need a source‖. Y said, ―Yes

agree, because cell has voltage and capacitor is connected to the cell‖. Both ‗H‘ and ‗Y‘ got

misconceptions because in reality static electricity has every thing to do with high voltage as

explained in the above paragraph.

12. Charged object will lose or gain electrons when kept in contact with an

Uncharged object until neutral (Item 17 of LIS)

This was a scientifically incorrect statement. When it came to charge transfer problems,

84

though they knew that like charges repel and unlike charges attract, they couldn‘t explain

the effect of a neutral object in contact with a charged object.

In the qualitative result 40% learner respondents agreed and 33% disagreed with the

incorrect statement. On the other hand, from the quantitative result, 72% agreed and 19%

disagreed with the incorrect statement. Though there was a dramatic decrease in agreement

percentage from 72% to 40%, 40% misconception was still high. At the same time an

increase in disagreement percentage from 19% to 33% is too low to exclude

misconceptions. The sources of misconceptions could have been among others, intuition and

partially educators as per data in Tables 15-17.

V said, ―There are no attraction and repulsion and no transfer of charges‖. A2 said, ―Positive

attract neutral and negative repel neutral‖. Both ‗V‘ and ‗A2‘ got misconceptions. Both the

objects in contact will gain a charge equal to the algebraic sum of the individual charges.

4.8.2. DATA PRESENTATION FOR EDUCATORS FOR POSSIBLE SOURCE OF

MISCONCEPTIONS

The sub-research question, ―Finding the origins of misconceptions‖, is continued through

presenting educators‘ data.

4.8.2.1. Section A

The analyzed data for educators‘ are given below in Table 16 for various concepts in section

A of educator questionnaire (Appendix E). Options strongly agree (SA) and agree (A) were

collided to get the answer agree (A) and options strongly disagree (SD) and disagree (D)

were collided to give the answer disagree (D). So the table 16 shows answers agree (A),

85

neutral (N) and disagree (D). Some of the educators didn‘t answer all the questions. So

number of respondents (RN) under the column ‗Total‘ was less than 28.

Table 16: Summary of percentage and number of educators‟ responses to various

concepts in educator questionnaire (N=28) and levels of misconceptions

Rp = Percentage response; RN = Number of response

Various concepts A N D TOTAL

RN RP

%

RN RP

%

RN RP

%

RN RP %

Level of

misconceptions

1. There is an electric field between the

plates of a capacitor

23 89 - - 3 11 26 100 Low

2. There is no relationship between

electric potential and electric field.

4 15 1 4 22 81 27 100 Low

3. No work is required to charge a

capacitor

4 15 1 4 21 81 26 100 Low

4. Charges flow through a charged

capacitor

13 50 - - 13 50 26 100 High

5. Capacitors are sources of charges 17 65 - - 9 35 26 100 High

6. There is excess number of charges

in a charged capacitor

11 48 1 4 11 48 23 100 High

7. Electric Forces are always along the

field lines around a charged object

20 77 1 4 5 19 26 100 Low

8. Field lines are real 8 31 2 8 16 62 26 100 Medium

9. Electric field and force are same

thing

7 28 - - 18 72 25 100 Medium

10. There is a finite number of field

lines around a charged object

10 39 1 4 15 58 26 100 Medium

11. Static electricity has nothing to do

with high voltage

16 62 2 8 8 31 26 100 High

12. Charged object will lose or gain

electron when kept in contact with an

uncharged object until neutral

19 70 1 4 7 26 27 100 High

86

4.8.2.2. Summary of educators‟ misconceptions: level and percentage The study further found out the origin of learners misconceptions. Each of the

misconceptions identified were found to originate from learners‘ intuition, daily language,

textbooks and educators. This was revealed through the responses to the items in the semi-

structured interview. The results from the data analysis of educators showed that they too

held misconceptions. Most of the misconceptions of learners‘ were found among educators‘.

Refer to Table 16 & 17.

The Table 17 below is a summary of misconceptions of educators from Table 16. Table 17

included misconceptions that were found among more than 15% of educators except the

13% in the last row where the response was ―both negative‖. Those choices ‗X negative and

y positive‘ with 17% support and ‗both negative‘ with 13% support are too close and those

two together make up 30% misconceptions.

87

Table 17: Educators‟ misconceptions

No.

Identified misconceptions % of educator response

Level of misconception

1 Charges flow through a charged capacitor 50% High

2 Capacitors are sources of charges 65% High 3

.

There is excess number of charges in a charged capacitor 48% High

4

.

There is a charge flow across the space between the plates of a

charged capacitor

82% High

5

.

Field lines are real 31% Medium

6. Electric field and force are same thing 28% Medium

7 There is a finite number of field lines around a charged object 39% Medium 8

.

Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage 62% High

9 Charged object will lose or gain electron when kept in contact with an uncharged object until neutral

70% High

10 Charged body is one which contains only one type of charges 18% Low

11

(a) Non moving charges make up static electricity (b) Friction causes static electricity

41% 41%

High High

1

2

Small charged object exerts a smaller force on the large charged

object than large object exerts on the small object when separated by a distance.

27% Low

13 Two metal spheres, X and Y, each on an insulating stand, were brought into contact. A negatively charged rod is held near X

without touching it. Sphere Y is now moved away from X followed

by the rod. The charges on the two spheres will now be (a) X negative and Y positive

(b) Both negative

17% 13%

Low Low

4.8.3. COMPARISON OF LEARNER RESPONSES WITH EDUCATOR RESPONSES TO VARIOUS CONCEPTS IN SECTION A OF THE LEARNER AND EDUCATOR QUESTIONNAIRES

The Table 18 compared the agreement, disagreement and neutral responses of the learner

and educator responses. It also presented the correct answer to each of the items, origin of

those misconceptions and level of misconceptions as percentage of educators compared to

those of the learners in terms of low, medium and high as described earlier.

88

Table 18: Percentage responses of educators and learners and comparison of their misconceptions (miscon)

Statement given Educator Responses (N=28) Learner Responses (N=198) Correct concept Origin of

Learners‟ miscon

Level of educators‟

misconception compared to learners‟

RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RN RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RN RP

%

A D N Tot Tot A D N Tot Tot

1. There is an electric field

between the plates of a capacitor

89 11 - 26 100 75 18 7 197 100 Given concept was

correct.

Educators

-Low level of

misconception for both

2. There is no relationship between electric potential and

electric field.

15 81 4 27 100 8 74 18 192 100 E.potential: Work done in moving a

charge back from

infinity.E.Field:Work done by E.force to

displace an object with unit charge.

They are related.

Educators

-Low level of misconception-

for both.

3. No work done while charging

a capacitor

15 81 4 26 100 55 34 11 195 100 Work is done to

charge a capacitor

Intuition and

partially educators

-Low level of

miscon for educators‟.

–Medium level for learners‟.

4. Charges flow through a charged capacitor

50 50 - 26 100 22 63 15 199 100 No charge flows inside capacitor

across the gap

Educators

-High level for educators‟ and

medium level for learners.

89

Statement given Educator Responses (N=28) Learner responses (N=198) Correct concept Correct concept

Origin of Learners‟

misconception

Level of educators‟ misconception

compared to learners‟

RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RN RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RN RP

%

A D N Tot Tot A D N Tot Tot

5. Capacitors are store charges

65 35 - 26 100 69 19 11 195 100 Capacitors store energy

Educators

Both got high level of miscon

6. There are excess charges in a charged capacitor

48 48 4 23 100 50 28 22 195 100 The net charge in a capacitor is zero

Educators .

Both got high level of misconception

7. Electric Forces are always along the field lines around a

charged object

77 19 4 26 100 73 14 13 196 100 Given concept is Correct.

Educators Low level of miscon for both

8. Field lines are real 31 62 8 26 100 44 30 26 196 100 Field lines are

imaginary Lines.

Educators

and intuition

-Medium level for

educators‟. -High level for

learners‟.

9. The concepts of electric

field and force are the same.

28 72 - 25 100 15 69 16 198 100 Electric field is the

force per unit charge experienced

by an object due to

its location in space. They are not the

same.

Educators

-Medium level for

educators‟ -Low level of

misconception for

learners‟

10. There are finite number

of field lines around a

charged object

39

58

4

26

100

57

24

19

198

100

They are not

countable

Educators

and

intuition

-Medium level for

educators‟.

-High level for learners‟.

90

Key: Rp = Fractional percentage; RN = Number of responses; SD = strongly disagree; D = Disagree; SA = strongly agree; A = Agree; N = Neutral

Statement given Educator Responses (N=28) Learner responses (N=198) Correct concept Correct concept

Origin of Learners‟

misconception

Level of educators‟

misconception compared to

learners‟

RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RN RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RP

%

RN RP

%

A D N Tot Tot A D N Tot Tot

11. Static electricity has

nothing to do with high voltage

62

31

8

26

100

28

52

21

189

100

Static electricity is

more noticeable when there is

a high voltage.

Educators

-High level for

Educators‟

-Medium level of miscon for

learners‟

12. Charged object will lose

or gain electron when kept

in contact with an uncharged object until

neutral

70

26

4

27

100

72

19

9

190

100

It can‟t be neutral because the net

charge stays the

same and it is not zero.

Educators

Both educators and learners

got high level of miscon.

91

The Table 18 shows the percentage agreement and disagreement responses to

items of educator & learner questionnaires. By organizing the table as above enabled

the researcher to identify educators‘ misconceptions and compare them with the

misconceptions of the learners. Whatever misconceptions learners had they were

also found among educators. For example, in the concepts 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12, there

were very high levels of misconceptions among educators as well as learners.

Special attention to concept 11 showed the misconceptions of educators were higher

than the misconceptions of learners‘. In concepts 8, 9 and 10, medium level of

misconceptions were found among educators‘ as well as learners‘. Concept 9 showed

misconceptions of educators‘. Misconceptions of educators‘, though medium level,

had caused a higher level of misconceptions in learners‘. Concepts 1, 2, 3 and 7

showed low levels of misconceptions among educators as well as learners with

educators‘ misconceptions higher in concepts 2 & 7 and less in concept 3 than

learners‘. So the researcher was able to conclude that misconceptions held by

educators were a major source of misconceptions of the learners.

4.8.4. COMPARISON BETWEEN LEARNER AND EDUCATOR RESPONSES TO SECTION

B (MCQs) OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Percentage responses to various concepts under MCQ of section B are given in Table

19 for educators and learners. In Table 19 correct concepts as well as

misconceptions of educators and learners are compared and their origins identified.

92

Table 19: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 1 by educators and learners VARIOUS CONCEPTS

EDUCATOR SUPPORT

%

LEARNER SUPPORT

%

SOURCE & LEVEL OF LEARNERS‟ (LRS‟) MISCONCEPTIONS (miscon.)

Source Level of LRS‘ miscon. in relation to educators‘

1. A charged body contains only one type of charge [incorrect concept](A)

18 31 Educator Medium, but more than educators‘.

A charged body is one which contains both types of charges but unequal in number (Correct concept) (B)

64 42 Experience & Educator

Very high 42<64<100 LRS‘ miscon. is more than educators‘.

A charged body is one which is rubbed with another material (incorrect concept) (C)

11 8 Educator Low, but LRS‘ is less than educators‘.

Contains equal number of positive and negative charges (incorrect concept) (D)

4 8 Educator (Ignored)

Low, but more than educators‘.

Could attract all other objects (incorrect concept) (E)

3 11 Educator

Low, but more than educators‘.

TOTAL % 100 100

Concept 1 of charged body was not understood by the learners. The educators‘

responses to the correct answer, B, was 64% and the learners‘ responses to correct

answer was 42%. The misconception A was supported by 18% educator responses

and 31% learner responses. It was found that misconceptions of educators and daily

experience have caused the misconception of the learners.

MCQ 2

The second concept tested under section B was that of neutral body. The

percentage response of educators to the correct answer C was 89%. The learners‘

93

responded with 65% support to the correct answer C. Misconception A was

supported by 11% educator responses whereas learner response was 13%. The

misconceptions of educators and learners were low. So one of the sources of

misconceptions held by learners could be the educators (Table 20). Since the rest of

the responses of learners were for various misconceptions, such as 12% for answer

B, 6% for answer D and 4% for answer E which educators did not have, the sources

of misconceptions cannot be pin-pointed. So the misconceptions of learners were

due to educators‘ and other sources, especially daily language used by the learners

in their community. Another source was intuition. Learners make sense out of the

word ‗Neutral‘ without fully listening the teaching. They think they know the word

since they use it often. Moreover, responses to item 18 of LIS revealed the learners‘

understanding of the word ‗Neutral‘.

Table 20: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 2 by educators and learners VARIOUS CONCEPTS EDUCATOR

SUPPORT %

LEARNER SUPPORT

%

SOURCE & LEVEL OF LEARNERS‟ (LRS‟) MISCONCEPTIONS (miscon.) Source Level of LRS‟

miscon. in relation to educators‟

2. Neutral objects have no charges (Incorrect ) (A)

11 13 Educator Language

Low, More than educators‟.

They contain only neutral particles (incorrect ) (B)

- 12 Intuition Language used

Low, but no misconception of educators‟.

Neutral objects have number of protons and electrons equal. (Correct) (C)

89 65 Educator & Intuition

65<89<100 Medium miscon. more than educators‟.

They cannot conduct electricity (incorrect ) (D)

- 6 Intuition Low, but no miscon. for educators‟

They could neither attract nor be attracted by a charged object (incorrect) (E)

- 4 Intuition Low, but no miscon. for educators‟.

TOTAL % 100 100

94

MCQ 3

The third concept tested under section B was that of definition of static electricity.

The educators responded to the correct answer with 11% and the learners‘

responded with 28%. The rest of the responses of learners‘ were for various

misconceptions such as 17% for answer A, 38% for answer B, 14% for answer D

and 3% for answer E. On the other hand the educator response to misconceptions A

and B were 41% each. Here, misconceptions held by educators were higher than

those of learners (Table 21). The source of misconceptions of learners was the

educators.

Table 21: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 3 by educators and learners

VARIOUS CONCEPTS EDUCATOR SUPPORT

%

LEARNER SUPPORT

%

SOURCE & LEVEL OF LEARNERS‟ (LRS‟) MISCONCEPTIONS

(miscon.) Source Level of LRS‟

miscon. in relation to educators‟

3. Non moving charges make up static electricity

(incorrect ) (A)

41 17 Educator Medium, LRS‟ miscon. less than

educators‟.

Friction causes static electricity (incorrect )

(B)

41 38 Educator Medium high, LRS‟ misconceptions less

than educators‟.

Static electricity is interaction of opposite

charges which are separated and prevented

from moving freely to each other (Correct) (C)

11 28 Educator Very high, LRS‟ misconceptions less

than educators‟.

Static electricity is build up of charges (Incorrect )

(D)

7 14 Educator Low, but more than educators‟.

It is opposite to current electricity (Incorrect )

(E)

-

3 Intuition Low, but no miscon. of educators‟.

TOTAL % 100 100

95

MCQ 4

The fourth concept tested was electric field intensity. The educators responded to

the correct answer B with 74% support. The learners responded with 54% to the

correct answer B. The rest of the responses of learners‘ to various misconceptions

were 10% for answer A, 18% for answer C, 8% for answer D and 10% for answer

E. Responses of educators‘ to misconceptions A and C are 11% and 15%

respectively (Table 22). The source of misconceptions of learners‘ is partially due to

educators‘.

Table 22: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 4 by educators and learners

VARIOUS CONCEPTS EDUCATOR

SUPPORT %

LEARNER

SUPPORT %

SOURCE & LEVEL OF LEARNERS‟

(LRS‟) MISCONCEPTIONS (miscon.)

Source Level of LRS‟ miscon.

in relation to

educators‟ The electric field intensity

increases as the charge on each of the plates decreases

(Incorrect ) (A)

11 10 Educator Low, but LRS‟ miscon.

is equal to educators‟.

The electric field intensity

increases as the distance

between the plates decreases (Correct) (B)

74 54 Educator High, more than

educators‟.

The electric field intensity increases as the potential

difference between the plates

decreases (Incorrect ) (C)

15 18 Educator Low, Learners‟ and educators

misconceptions are

close to each other.

The electric field intensity

increases as the area of each

of the plates decreases (Incorrect ) (D)

- 8 - Low, No

misconceptions for

educators‟.

The electric field intensity increases as the thickness of

the plates decreases.

(Incorrect ) (E)

- 10 - Low, No misconceptions for

educators‟.

TOTAL % 100 100

MCQ 5

The fifth concept tested was Coulomb‘s law. Educators‘ response to the correct

answer C was 73%. Only 14% of learner response was for the correct answer C.

The rest of the learner responses to various misconceptions were 51% for answer A,

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19% for answer B, 7% for answer D and 9% for answer E. On the other hand, the

educator response to misconception A was 27% which was quite high to be a source

of misconceptions in learners (Table 23). The sources of misconceptions were

educators and intuition of learners‘.

Table 23: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 5 by educators and learners

VARIOUS CONCEPTS EDUCATOR

SUPPORT %

LEARNER SUPPOR

T %

SOURCE & LEVEL OF LEARNERS‟ (LRS‟) MISCONCEPTIONS (miscon.)

Source Level of LRS‘ miscon. in relation to educators‘

S exerts on T a smaller force than T exerts on S (Incorrect ) (A)

27 51 Educator High, Learners‘ miscon. is more than educators‘.

S exerts on T a greater force than that T exerts on S (B)

- 19 Intuition Medium, No misconception for educators‘.

S exerts on T a force equal to that exerted by T on S. [correct concept] (C)

73 14 Educator & intuition

Very high, Learners‘ is much higher than educators‘.

Answers A, B and C are correct (Incorrect ) (D)

- 7 - Very low, no misconceptions for educators

Answers A, B and C are incorrect (Incorrect ) (E)

- 9 - Low, no misconceptions for educators

TOTAL % 100 100

MCQ 6

The last concept tested was charge transfer by induction. The correct answer was A

with 63% educator responses and 19% learner responses. The rest of the learners‘

responses were for various misconceptions such as 23% for answer B, 10% for

answer C, 21% for answer D and 27% for answer E. Educators‘ responses to the

misconceptions B and D were 17% and 12% (Table 24), respectively, which is low

compared to the learners‘ 23% and 27% for B and D, respectively. The possible

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sources of misconceptions were educators and intuition of learners‘. This was

evident from their responses to item 20 of LIS.

Table 24: Comparison of % responses to MCQ 6 by educators and learners

VARIOUS CONCEPTS EDUCATOR

SUPPORT %

LEARNER SUPPOR

T %

SOURCE & LEVEL OF LEARNERS‟ (LRS‟) MISCONCEPTIONS (miscon.)

Source Level of LRS‘ miscon. in relation to educators‘

6. X is positive and Y is negative [correct concept] (A)

63 19 Educators & intuition

Very high, Learners‘ misconceptions are higher than educators‘.

X negative and Y positive (Incorrect ) (B)

17 23 Educator Medium, learners‘ misconception is more than educators‘.

Both positive (Incorrect ) (C) 4 10 Educator Low, Learners‘ misconception is more than educators‘.

Both negative (Incorrect ) (D) 12 21 Educator Medium, Learners‘ misconceptions are more than educators‘.

Both neutral (Incorrect ) (E) 4 27 Educator Medium, Learners‘ misconceptions are more than educators‘.

TOTAL % 100 100

4.9. ELIMINATION OF MISCONCEPTIONS OF LEARNERS AT SCHOOL

CONSIDERING THE VIEWS OF LEARNERS, EDUCATORS AND THE

LITERATURE REVIEWED

The study enabled the researcher to suggest some of the steps educators could take

to reduce, if not eliminate, each of these misconceptions from learners‘ conceptual

framework. The learners‘ themselves suggested their opinion on what change in

teaching would improve their understanding. The responses to item 3 of the semi-

structured interview schedule of learners allowed the learners to bring up their views

on expected changes in teaching to improve their understanding in the topic.

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4.9.1. PRESENTATION OF LEARNERS‘ AND EDUCATORS‘ REMEDIAL SUGGESTIONS

TO MISCONCEPTIONS

In the learners‘ view, relating the topic to everyday problems in life inculcates

interest and curiosity to learn more. Forming study groups where they discuss their

work and make changes through interaction under supervision. Then they should

present the work in front of the class group by group in presence of educators.

Educators must provide learners with extra classes and materials, texts and more

drill work in the form of homework and class work, well equipped library and

laboratory. Hands–on activities such as practical and demonstrations would help

learners to improve their understanding of the topic.

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Table 25: Remedial suggestions of educators‟ and learners‟

Item Learners‘ response (N= 30)

No. of learner support

Educators‘ response (N= 28)

Number of educator support

1 More drill in the form of tutorials or class activities or home works, practicals

14 Encourage discovery learning with Practicals, exercises, demonstrations and hands-on activity

14

2 Form study groups to discuss and make changes under supervision

10 Form study groups and encourage discussions

4

3 Give topic earlier and Present the work in the class by each group in presence of the educator.

6 Encourage learners to ask questions, clarify doubts and pay attention to their responses: atmosphere conducive to learning

5

4 Educator has to have passion for teaching so that they will have patience to deal with learners‘ problems and all the above programs

6 Encourage to read more. Use authorized textbooks, educational TV channels, websites and provide learning materials.

11

5 Relate teaching to problems daily experience in life.

2 Apply science knowledge to solve daily life problem

6

6 Provide extra materials, texts, extra classes, equipped library and laboratory.

4 Get to know learners‘ primary knowledge and teach from known to unknown

3

9 Educators should be dedicated and well prepared for teaching with proper introduction.

4

10 Teachers should be given seminars and teacher in-service workshops.

1

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During interview the following conversation took place between the researcher and

learners.

Researcher: What changes in teaching would have improved your understanding of

electrostatics?

Learner G: ―They must understand that we are not the same. We are unique

because everybody has his IQ to understand. Some are studying. The teacher needs

to be passionate and explain. It doesn‘t matter if the learner is slowly learned. But

she must consult her, make her to understand and be passionate with her and try to

give her some questions, some exercise to do more per day for that topic she is

trying to explain, so that we can go and then allow us to give questions that we

don‘t…. and that we don‘t understand here and explain more‖.

Learner R: ―Mh‘….The thing starts with improve understanding. First, we taught may

be twice in a week and then the other period per teacher give us student to study

on our own…mh‘….may be we share with the students or else …….well….study on

his/her own‖.

Learner A1: ―Mh‘…I think if the teacher was more active and gave in more energy

and interest and ask the student like…. to go solve the question on

board….something like that…..mh‘. Ask more questions…and also..mh‘…if we are in

a group we could also discuss what happening in the book and… Yah‘….and to be

more practical; more practical in and mh‘…and to be like when you teaching you

should take it on like everyday experience in life. So we don‘t forget or you always

remember the something that happens in our life. Something practical that everyone

knows that will be more easier for us to understand‖.

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Learner F: ―Response of teacher was shocking when asked for help. I think it is that

intercommunication between teacher and student and not caring students whether

they understand or not. A teacher must be in a position to accommodate learners

and also be willing to see and try to make us to understand as much as possible.

Teaching and nurturing learners are understanding what you are teaching them. It is

worth, I think‖.

Learner A3: ―Solving lots of problems helps. Just writing notes on the board doesn‘t

help much. Have a good teacher but loud. Some times teachers come to school and

they stressed out and….Yah…so….Yah…Sometimes you don‘t understand what is

wrong. Some other teachers have favorites. They concentrate only on favorites and

not the whole class‖.

In summary, all the learners when interviewed voiced one or the other problem

mentioned below. That is, their teachers were seldom available at school, don‘t care

attitude towards learners and lack of passion for the job they do. One student went

to an extent to say that educators have to have passion for their profession so that

they would be approachable, listen to the learners and solve their problems. More

than 50% of the learners hoped and wished to have the topics given to them in

advance and then after self preparation and group discussion they present it to the

class in presence of the educator.

Educators viewed (Table 25 from responses to section C of educator questionnaire)

as follows. Proper communication with the learners while correcting their work is an

important factor in understanding them. Get to know learners‘ previous knowledge

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and correct them before a topic is introduced to them. Language barrier was another

stumbling block in communicating. So educators should encourage learners to ask

questions. Application of science concepts should be related to solving daily life

problems to make teaching and learning more interesting. Educators should watch

out for learners‘ misconceptions and correct them as early as possible. Educators

have suggested discovery learning in which (learner centered) learners learn through

doing things. Educators should be well prepared with their lessons and have to be

taught from known to unknown after giving a proper introduction which would

stimulate the learners to get interested in the lesson. Educators should be upgraded

through frequent teacher in-service workshops.

4.10. THE CORRECT CONCEPTS AND THE EXPLANATIONS NEEDED TO

OVERCOME THE IDENTIFIED MISCONCEPTIONS (Table 14)

Misconception 1: Charges flow through the capacitor

There is no charge flow through a capacitor between the plates. While charging a

capacitor, electrons from the negative terminal of the battery flow to one of the

plates and accumulate there make it the negative plate. These negative charges

push the electrons on the other plate and make that plate positive. When we

connect such a capacitor to an electric appliance the charge flow is from the

negative plate through the appliance and to the initially positive plate.

Misconception 2: Parallel plate capacitors are sources of charges

Parallel plate capacitors are sources of energy. Electrical Potential energy is stored in

the electric field between the plates.

Misconception 3: There is excess number of charges in a charged capacitor

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There is no excess number of charges in a capacitor because the number of negative

charges on one of the plates is equal to the positive charges on the other plate.

So the net charge on the capacitor plates is zero.

Misconception 4: Field lines are real

Electric field lines are not real. They are useful as an aid to visualizing electric fields.

Field lines are imaginary lines used to represent the electric field and hence it is

unreal (Sears, Zemansky & Young 1987, P. 556).

Misconception 5: There are a finite number of field lines around charged

object

There could not be a finite number of field lines around a charged object since the

field line itself is unreal (Becker 2009).

Misconception 6: Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage

Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage is an incorrect statement

Static electricity is another word for high voltage. Whenever we have high voltage,

then we also have electrostatic attraction and repulsion. With high voltage we also

get long sparks, crackling noises, and blue glows and flashes which are caused by

intense electric fields. Intense electric fields are another way of saying "high voltage‖

(Beaty 2005).

Misconception 7: Charged object will lose or gain electrons when kept in

contact with an uncharged object until neutral

A Charged object will lose or gain electrons when kept in contact with an uncharged

object until neutral is an incorrect statement. According to principles of physics, the

charged object when kept in contact with a neutral object can‘t be neutral because

the net charge stays the same and it is not zero.

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Misconception 8: Charged body is one which contains only one type of

charges

A charged body contains only one type of charges‘ is an incorrect statement. The

correct way of defining a charged body is that it contains unequal amounts of

positive and negative charges.

Misconception 9: Friction causes static electricity

Friction causes static electricity is scientifically incorrect. Friction could add to or

remove charges from an object and make it either positively or negatively charged. An

object which is charged could attract neutral objects and opposite charges. Conditions

required for producing static electricity is explained under misconception 6.

Misconception 10: Small and large charged objects when separated by a

distance

(a) small object exerts a smaller force on the large object than large

object exerts on the small object.

(b) small object exerts a large force on the large object than the large

object exerts on the small object.

Two charged objects S and T are kept a distance r apart. Charge on T was ten times

greater than that on S. The force exerted by S on T was smaller than that exerted

by T on S. This is a misconception and it can be cleared to the learners with the

following explanation.

According to Coulomb‘s law force between a small charge and a large charge could

be calculated using the formula F=KQsQT/r2. Interchanging the value of Qs and QT

does not change the force. That is, the forces on either object are the same in

magnitude but opposite in direction.

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Misconception 11: Two metal spheres, X and Y, each on an insulating stand,

were brought into contact. A negatively charged rod is held near X without

touching it. Sphere Y is now moved away from X followed by the rod. The

charges on the two spheres will now be

(d) X negative and Y positive.

(e) both negative

(f) both neutral

Two misconceptions derived from MCQ 6 are that a charged body kept near a

neutral object:

Induces the same charge on the neutral object as that of the charged body

at the nearer end and opposite charge at the farther end.

Has no effect on the neutral object and hence the neutral object/objects

remains/remain neutral.

According to statistical principles of physics, a charged body held near an uncharged

body induces an opposite charge at the nearer end and a like charge at the farther

end.

The traditional method of teaching has to give way to constructivist mode of

teaching. In the constructivist mode of teaching, the educator takes the role of a

facilitator. Learners themselves generate knowledge through the active participation

of the learner in the group discussion, hands-on activities and challenging ideas.

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4.11. DISCUSSION ON THE RESEARCH RESULT AGAINST THE LITERATURE

REVIEWED

The following are the research findings.

4.11.1. LEARNERS AT UNIVERSITY ENTRY POINT GOT MISCONCEPTIONS IN

ELECTROSTATICS (REFER TABLE 14).

Misconceptions 1, 4 & 5 emanated from the research study agreed with the

misconception ―Charges jump from one plate to the other plate of a capacitor (Baser

& Geban 2007)‖ found in the article ―Effect of instruction based on conceptual

change activities on students‘ understanding of static electricity concepts‖. Learners

think that electrons flow between the plates of a capacitor and the field lines

between the plates are the path of electrons. Misconception 5 from the study

findings was also found in the articles, ‗Surveying students‘ conceptual knowledge of

electricity and magnetism‘ by Maloney, O‘kuma & Hieggelke (2001) and ‗Students‘

understanding of superposition of electric fields‘ by Rainson, Transtromer & Viennot

(1994). According to the learners field lines are real and there is a definite number

of field lines.

Misconceptions 2 & 3 from the study result were also found in the article by

Baser & Geban (2007) mentioned above. Learners believe that charging a capacitor

is like filling it with (storing) charges. So there is excess charge in it and hence,

could be used as a source of electricity.

Misconceptions 6 & 9 emanated from the study was also found in the

literature reviewed (Beaty 2005, 2009). Learners said friction caused static electricity

and it has nothing to do with high voltage.

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Misconceptions 7 & 8 from the study result was also found in the article

―But electricity isn‘t static‘: science discussion, identification of learning issues, and

use of resources in a problem-based learning education course‖ by Siegel & Lee

(2001). Learners were confused with charge transfer concepts. According to the

learners a positively charged object contained only positive charges, negatively

charged object contained only negative charges and neutral object contained only

neutral particles. Learners also thought that a charged object when kept in contact

with an uncharged object would transfer all its charges to the uncharged until the

charged object became neutral.

Misconceptions 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b and 11c from the study finding were not

found among the literature reviewed. Learners misunderstood the Coulomb‘s law.

Learners said ―the force of attraction or repulsion a small charged object exerted on

the large one was smaller than the large one exerted on the small one When a small

and a large charges are separated by a distance‖ and vice versa. Learners also had

problems with the concepts of charge induction. Learners said that a negative

charged object kept near a neutral object induced a negative on the neutral object.

Some other learners said that neutral object will remain neutral since it is not

touching the charged object.

4.11.2. EDUCATORS ARE THE MAJOR SOURCE OF MISCONCEPTIONS OF THE

LEARNERS.

This is an important outcome of the research study carried out by the researcher to

answer the sub-research question 3. Educators as the source of misconceptions

were also appeared in the literature review (Benton 1980; Caillot & Xuan 1993)

which was not proved. This study was able to prove the above. According to Myer

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(1992), Tekkaya (2003) and Beatty (2009), errors in the textbooks as another

source of misconceptions were proved in their research articles.

4.11.3. MISCONCEPTIONS OF LEARNERS‘ CAN BE ELIMINATED THROUGH

PUTTING THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, CONSTRUCTIVIST THEORY, INTO

PRACTICE.

Knowing learners‘ preliminary knowledge in the topic and correcting their wrong

concepts, peer interaction and interaction of the learners with educators are some of

the steps involved in the constructivist approach. Conceptual change text is another

tool to correct misconceptions. The chapter 2 dwelled a lot on constructivist theory

which could guide educators to eliminate misconceptions in electrostatics among

learners.

4.12. CONCLUSION

The learner questionnaire helped the researcher in identifying learners‘

misconception. The semi-structured interview enabled the researcher in getting

clarity on the choices they made in the quantitative data. It also gave clue on why

they selected a particular option. The responses to items in semi-structured

interview schedule confirmed learners‘ misconceptions and some of the possible

sources of their misconceptions such as intuition, educators‘ misconceptions,

textbooks and daily language. The responses to items in the educators‘

questionnaire helped to identify educators‘ misconceptions. The educators‘

misconceptions came out as one of the major sources of misconception of learners.

Learners‘ responses to item 3 of semi-structured interview schedule suggested some

changes in teaching that would enable learners to improve their understanding.

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Analysis of qualitative data from the educator questionnaire (section C Question 9)

helped the researcher to suggest remedial actions to reduce misconception of

learners.

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CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. INTRODUCTION

In the previous chapter the researcher presented the analyzed data, results and

their discussions. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the findings by linking

various aspects in a meaningful way, conclude and then make recommendations.

The learner sample consisted of 45% male and 55% female which is close to the

gender ratio of the country (GeoHive 2009). The 54% of the learners were in the

age group 18-20 years. Since the school going age was 7, they were expected to

have straight passes in all the grades from 1-12 (National Education Policy Act No.

27 of 1996). The learners with IsiXhosa as their home language were 87% of the

sample, and they were expected to be from Eastern Cape. The educator sample,

63% had with 1 - 10 years of teaching experience and 37% with physics major,

could positively impact on learning physics. Learner enablers such as 68%

motivation, 77 % welcoming questions and 88 % provision for group study had been

in place in most schools at a moderate rate though not as much as the expectation

of educators‘ 100% motivation, 100% welcoming questions and 96 % provision for

study group.

5.2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

5.2.1. MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS

The learners at university entry point had misconceptions in Electrostatics. The

major misconceptions identified were the following:

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1. Charges flow through the gap between the plates of a capacitor.

2. Parallel plate capacitors store charge.

3. There is excess amount of charges in a charged capacitor.

4. Field lines are real.

5. There are finite numbers of field lines around a charged object.

6. Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage.

7. Charged object will lose or gain electrons when kept in contact with an uncharged

object until neutral.

8. Positively charged body is one which contains only positive charges.

9. Friction causes static electricity.

10. A small charged object exerts a small electrostatic force on a large charged

object than the force large charged object exerts on the small charged object and

vice versa when the two are separated by a distance.

11. A charged rod held near two neutral objects in contact and on insulated stands

gain the following charges when the charged object is moved away.

(a) Neutral object nearer to the charged rod gained negative and the farther one

gained positive charge.

(b) Both gain negative charge.

(c) Both neutral.

5.2.2. ORIGIN OF MISCONCEPTIONS

The origins of the identified misconceptions were investigated with the help of

learner interview schedule. An educator questionnaire sought to establish the

misconceptions of educators to check whether they were one of the sources of

misconceptions of learners. The researcher found that one of the sources of

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misconceptions of learners could possibly be misconceptions of educators. One of

the sources of educators‘ misconceptions was the textbooks. The Other sources of

learners‘ misconceptions were intuition, daily language, textbooks and experience.

The study revealed major misconceptions in electrostatics among the learners at

university entry point and their origins. This showed that matriculants carried

misconceptions from schools to universities. The findings if brought to the attention

of the educators through the district education office, with all misconceptions, their

corrections and suggestions on how to implement them will enable the educators to

eliminate this problem of misconception among the learners. It will help the learners

not to carry their electrostatics misconceptions forward to university and interfere

with the thought process required in learning deeper concepts in the field. In this

way the student dropout rate from science courses in universities can be reduced.

The study could also open avenues to finding solutions to misconceptions in various

other subjects and the ways to implement them in classroom teaching.

This study was able to expose educators‘ misconceptions as well. If the educators‘

misconceptions are alleviated through interventions, it could stop them from passing

those misconceptions to the learners.

Beaty (2005) in his article ―high voltage misconceptions: static electricity‖ said that

some elementary science textbooks contain subtle errors which pose barriers to

learners‘ understanding. So far the researcher hasn‘t come across any literature on

misconceptions in electrostatics locally and any effort taken internationally in proving

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educators‘ misconceptions as one of the origin of learner‘s misconception. So this

study bridges that gap in knowledge.

The study could add more to the pool of electrostatic knowledge. Basic

understanding of electrostatics is essential for better understanding of electricity,

which is the central learning area in physics (Ganiel 1999). Correct electrostatic

conception lays foundation for the successful handling of spark explosion hazards in

industries, electrostatic precipitators in reduction of pollution and electrostatic

generators to produce millions of volts for accelerating sub-atomic particles in

nuclear physics research (Tom 1987, P. 250) among others.

5.3. CONCLUSIONS

This study has contributed towards exposing the electrostatic misconceptions of

learners as well as educators, and has suggested some of the steps to reduce

misconceptions. Since most of learners‘ misconceptions tallied with those of the

educators, the major source of misconceptions was confirmed to be educators. So

once the educators‘ misconceptions are rectified, we can reduce/eliminate

misconceptions of learners. The study gave all possible steps to reduce if not

eliminate electrostatic misconceptions among matriculants by the time they start

university, which will give them correct foundation to carry on with science courses

successfully. The findings made from the study would guide the Department of Basic

Education to provide schools with equipped laboratories and educators with the skill

and knowledge in handling learners‘ misconceptions. The proper implementation of

the findings and suggestions for solution could provide proper guidance to educators

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in eliminating or reducing misconceptions of the learners at school level which in

turn will lay a better foundation to their tertiary education.

5.4. RECOMMENDATIONS

A number of recommendations were made from the research findings and findings

from the literature. They were made in line with the sub-research questions with

the view to eliminate and prevent misconceptions in electrostatics among learners in

schools.

The researcher made the following recommendations:

STEP 1: Identification and clarification of electrostatic misconceptions of learners

Step 1 attempted to eliminate misconceptions accrued from informal sources such as

friends, culture, experience and daily language. Educators should collect learners‘

preliminary knowledge in the topic through a questionnaire. With the help of a

proper introduction at the start of each lesson educators could instill interest in the

topic among the learners. This is the time the educators would bring up the

misconceptions from their answers to the items in the questionnaire. Explain clearly

and with correct reasoning to get rid of those misconceptions. This requires

educators with good content knowledge in the topic, well equipped laboratory and

library. So constant upgrading of both primary and secondary teachers through

teacher in-service workshops is very important.

STEP 2: Introduction of conceptual change text

Conceptual change textbooks could also be used to reduce misconceptions.

Conceptual change textbooks are printed with misconceptions and their correct

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explanations in the margin. It is self explanatory and helps the learners being aware

of possible misconceptions and their corrections.

STEP 3: Educator exchange programme is another important activity that could

reduce misconceptions from formal source. This is like summarizing all the topics

learnt so far with a different approach of the exchanged teacher in the allotted time.

This attempted to make up for whatever points the educator missed out or ill-

explained as well as for the one the learners failed to understand.

In order to eliminate misconceptions from formal learning such as educators, the

teacher training colleges have to introduce the possible misconceptions and their

corrections in all the topics in the subject in the curriculum (syllabus). Student

teachers have to be taught how to clarify the corrections to those misconceptions.

Methodology of teaching has to stress the importance of collecting preliminary

knowledge of learners in the topic. A successful lesson is one which is well

introduced. So student teachers should be taught how to give a proper introduction

at the start of the lesson followed by discussion and clarification of learners‘

misconceptions identified from preliminary knowledge. Clarifying the misconceptions

from previous knowledge could eliminate misconceptions from both informal and

formal learning whereas the successful introduction of the topic would inspire

learners and instill interest in the topic

The supervision of student teachers by their lecturers should be compulsory to see

whether they follow the instructions given to them. At the moment, lecturers‘ pay

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only one or two visits to the schools to check the student teachers. This is not

enough and it has to change.

5.5. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

A similar study could be conducted with primary school learners and their educators

to find misconceptions in electrostatic as well as other topics. A solution to their

misconception shall provide the high school educators an opportunity to build on to

learners with good foundation.

The study can be carried out with learners in the high school. Here learners would

be given a pre-test on the topic followed by intervention and then post-test. This will

enable the researcher to see how effective the intervention was in eliminating

electrostatic misconceptions.

The same study could be carried out with learners in tertiary institutions in the

beginning of first year in South Africa and abroad.

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134

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

B.Sc 1 year end result for 4 consecutive years

135

136

APPENDIX B

LEARNER QUESTIONNAIRE

MISCONCEPTIONS IN ELECTROSTATICS AMONGST

MATRICULANTS AND THEIR ORIGINS

This questionnaire aims to identify the misconceptions in Electrostatics

among the matriculants. YOU ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THE

QUESTIONNAIRE. Your contribution is invaluable to this research. Your

identity will be required to conduct the interviews. However, in the mini-dissertation,

you will be described by a code for anonymity.

INSTRUCTIONS

Answer all the questions in the space provided in the questionnaire.

Follow the directions under each section.

SECTION A

Tick one of the options that you think is applicable.

PERSONAL PURTICULARS

1. Gender

Male Female

2. Age

<18 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 >25

3. Home language

English IsiZulu IsiXhosa Sesotho Afrikaans Others

LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGIES IN THE HIGH SCHOOL

4. I was well motivated in physics by my teacher

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

5. My physics teacher always welcomed our questions.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

6. We always have demonstration lessons in the subject.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

137

7. We did physics practical in groups, at least once in a month.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

8. Availability of group learning in physics made me think better.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

9. Group discussion in the subject is well supervised.

strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

10. There were provision for study groups and we respected the contributions from

each other.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

ELECTROSTATICS CONTENT

Questions from 11- 18 are based on a capacitor which is connected with a

battery for 2minutes and then disconnected.

Battery

capacitor resistor

A B

11. There is an electric field between the plates of a capacitor

strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

12. There is no relationship between electric potential and electric field

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

13. No work is while charging a capacitor.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

14. Charges flow through a capacitor

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

15. Parallel plate capacitors are the sources of charges

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

16. There are an excess number of charges in a charged capacitor

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

17. Electric forces are always along field lines around a charged object.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

18. Field lines are real

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

19. The concepts of electric field and force are same thing

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

138

20. There are a finite number of field lines around a charged object.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

21. Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

22. A charged object will lose or gain electrons when kept in contact with an

uncharged object until it becomes neutral.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

SECTION B

STATIC ELECTRICITY CONCEPT TEST

Multiple Choices of answers are given for each of the following questions.

Tick one of the options A, B, C, D OR E that is applicable

1. A positively charged body is one which

A. Contains only positive charges.

B. Contains more positive charges than the negative charges.

C. Is rubbed with another material.

D. Contains equal number of positive and negative charges.

E. Could attract all other objects.

A B C D E

2. An object is said to be electrically neutral if

A. It contains neither positive nor negative charges.

B. It contains only neutral particles.

C. It contains equal number of protons and electrons.

D. It could not conduct electricity.

E. It could not be attracted by a charged object.

A B C D E

3. Which of the following can define the term “static electricity”?

A. Non moving charges make up static electricity.

B. Friction causes static electricity.

C. Opposite charges which are separated and prevented from moving freely to each other.

C. It is a buildup of charges.

D. It is opposite to current electricity.

A B C D E

4. Which of the following magnitudes must decrease in order to increase the electric field

intensity between two oppositely charged parallel plates?

A. The charge on each plate

B. The distance between the plates

C. The potential difference between the plates.

D. The area of each plate.

E. Thickness of the plates

A B C D E

139

5. Two charged objects S and T are kept a distance r apart. Charge on T is ten times

greater than S. The force exerted on each other is as follows.

A. S exerts on T a smaller force than T exerts on S.

B. S exerts on T a greater force than T exerts on S.

C. S exerts on T a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to that exerted by T

on S.

D. Answers A, B and C are correct. S T

E. Answers A, B and C are incorrect.

r

A B C D E

6. Two metal spheres, X and Y, each on an insulating stand are brought into contact. A

negatively charged rod is held near X without touching it. Sphere Y is now moved away from

X followed by the rod. The charges on the two spheres will now be…..

A. X positive and Y negative.

B. X negative and Y positive

C. Both positive Y X

D. Both negative

E. Both neutral

rod

A B C D E

- - - - - - - - - - - -

140

APPENDIX C

LEARNER CONSENT FORM – INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

PURPOSE OF SEMI-STUCTURED INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

AND INSTRUCTIONS

The purpose of the study and the extent to which you will be involved in this study were

explained to you in person, and you have consented to this interview. The purpose of this

research is to gather data on your understanding and the difficulties on the topic

Electrostatics. I would like to assess the understanding of the concepts and principles on

Electrostatics. The data elicited will be confidentially dealt with and will be used only for the

purpose of this research. Your name and identity will not be revealed to anyone. Thus

guarantee your anonymity. You have the freedom to withdraw from the research at any time

you wish. This interview will be approximately for 30mins. About 30 students will attend the

interview. The interview would last for 4 days. We also include the use of their answers to

the questionnaire which is previously distributed and completed by them. Do you have any

questions before we start the interview?

I would also like to audio record the interview, as it would help me to listen to it again later

and to transcribe the interview for data analysis. If you consent to the above, kindly sign the

consent form. However, if you need further clarification before signing the consent form,

please feel free to do so.

INTERVIEWEE‟S CONSENT

The researcher, Mrs. S.T. Muthiraparampil, has explained to me the purpose and instructions,

anonymity of the participants and confidentiality of the information I give. I do/do not object

to audio-recording of my responses.

Student signature student name student number date

…………………. ………………. …………….. ……………

141

APPENDIX D

LEARNER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

1. Tell me about one memorable experience in your physics class when you were

studying at high school?

2. On how many occasions did you sit around different tables as small groups in physics

class?

3. What changes in the teaching would have improved your understanding of

Electrostatics?

4. What is an electric field?

5. Can you explain your answers to questions 20, 22 and 11 in that order from the

questionnaire?

6. What are the charges on plates A & B of the capacitor?

7. If a positive charge is put between A & B, what would happen to it?

8. If a negative charge is put between A & B, what would happen to it?

9. Elaborate on your answers to question 13 and 16?

10. Explain your answers to questions 15 & 18?

11. Explain a little more about your answers to questions 14 & 17?

12. How do you relate or differentiate between the terms electric field lines and electric

forces?

13. What do you understand by the term electric potential?

14. What is the relationship between electric field and electric potential?

15. What is static electricity?

16. Does a capacitor store voltage? Explain your answer.

17. What change do you expect to happen in a charged object and in a neutral object

when they are in contact?

18. What do you mean by an electrically neutral object?

19. From where did you get that information?

20. Refer to question 8 of section B. Explain the series of events that occurred before and

after moving the metal sphere, Y, away?

142

APPENDIX E

EDUCATORS’ QUESTIONNAIRE This questionnaire aims to identify the misconceptions in Electrostatics among the

matriculants. YOU ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE.

Your contribution is invaluable to this research.

INSTRUCTIONS

Answer all the questions in the space provided in the questionnaire.

Follow the directions under each section.

SECTION A

Tick one/more of the options that you think is applicable. PERSONAL PURTICULARS

1. What grades do you currently teach?

8 9 10 11 12

2. How long have you been teaching these grades?

1-5 years 6-10 years 10-15 years 15-20 years 20-25 years

3. What are your major science subjects during your teacher training?

1. Biology 2. physics 3. chemistry 4. mathematics 5. physiology

TEACHING STRATEGIES

4. I do appreciate, acknowledge and encourage the students when they accomplish a

difficult task.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

5. I always welcomed questions from learners.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

6. I often gave demonstration lessons in physics.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

7. I conduct physics practical fortnightly.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

8. Learning physics in groups make students think better.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

Questions from 9-17 are based on a capacitor which has its plates separated

by a vacuum space is connected to a battery for 2minutes and then disconnected.

B A

battery

C R

143

9. There is an electric field between the plates of a capacitor

strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

10. There is no relationship between potential difference and electric field between

plates.

Strongly agree agree neutral disagree Strongly disagree

11. No work is required to charge a capacitor.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

12. Charges flow through a charged capacitor.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

13. Capacitors are the sources of charges.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

14. There is an excess number of charges in a charged capacitor

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

15. Electric forces are always along field lines around a charged object.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

16. Field lines are real.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

17. Electric field and force are same thing

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

18. There are a finite number of field lines around a charged object.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

19. Static electricity has nothing to do with high voltage

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

20. A charged object will lose or gain electrons when kept in contact with an uncharged

object until it becomes neutral.

Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree

SECTION B

STATIC ELECTRICITY CONCEPT TEST

Multiple Choices of answers are given for each of the following questions.

Tick one of the options A, B, C, D OR E that is applicable

1. A charged body is one which

A. Contains only one type of charges.

B. Contains both types of charges but unequal in number.

C. Is rubbed with another material.

D. Contains equal number of positive and negative charges.

E. Could attract all other objects.

A B C D E

144

2. An object is said to be neutral if

A. They have no charges.

B. They contain only neutral particles.

C. They contain equal number of protons and electrons.

D. They cannot conduct electricity.

F. They could neither attract nor be attracted by a charged object.

A B C D E

3. Which of the following can define the term “static electricity”?

A. Non moving charges make up static electricity.

B. Friction causes static electricity.

C. Interaction of separated and pressurized charges causes static electricity.

D. It is a buildup of charges.

E. It is opposite to current electricity.

A B C D E

4. Which of the following magnitudes must decrease in order to increase the electric field

intensity between two oppositely charged parallel plates?

A. The charge on each plate

B. The distance between the plates

C. The potential difference between the plates.

D. The area of each plate.

E. Thickness of the plates

A B C D E

5. Two charged objects S and T are kept a distance r apart. Charge on T is ten times greater

than S. The force exerted on each other is as follows.

A. S exerts on T a smaller force than T exerts on S.

B. S exerts on T a greater force than T exerts on S.

C. S exerts on T a force equal to that exerted by T on S.

D. Answers A, B and C is correct. S T

E. Answers A, B and C is incorrect.

r

A B C D E

6. Two metal spheres, X and Y, each on an insulating stand are brought into contact. A

negatively charged rod is held near X without touching it. Sphere Y is now moved away from

X and then the rod is removed. The charges on the two spheres will now be…..

A. X positive and Y negative.

B. X negative and Y positive

C. Both positive Y X rod

D. Both negative

E. Both neutral

A B C D E

- - - - - - - - - - - -

145

SECTION C

What do you mean by “misconception”?

How do learners get science misconceptions? Where do they come from?

What are the common misconceptions your learners have in Electrostatics?

If the learners have got misconceptions, how are those misconceptions going to affect them?

How do their misconceptions affect the success of your teaching?

How much do you think about misconception while you are planning a science lesson before

teaching?

146

What have you done to help the students to correct their misconceptions?

To what extend do teachers understand what students „misconceptions are and how science

misconceptions develop?

What are your suggestions to address student‟s misconceptions?

147

APPENDIX F LEARNERS’ PILOT STUDY Participants’ gender

Statistics

Participants’ gender

N Valid 22

Missing 0

Participants’ gender

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative

Percent

Valid Male 14 63.6 63.6 63.6

Female 8 36.4 36.4 100.0

Total 22 100.0 100.0

148

Participants’ age

Statistics

Participants’ age

N Valid 21

Missing 1

149

Participants’ age

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative

Percent

Valid 18 years of age 4 18.2 19.0 19.0

19 years of age 7 31.8 33.3 52.4

20 years of age 4 18.2 19.0 71.4

21 years of age 2 9.1 9.5 81.0

22 years of age 1 4.5 4.8 85.7

23 and above 3 13.6 14.3 100.0

Total 21 95.5 100.0

Missing System 1 4.5

Total 22 100.0

150

APPENDIX G

151

APPENDIX H

152

APPENDIX I

153

APPENDIX J

154

155

APPENDIX K

156

APPENDIX L

WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY

DIRECTORATE OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

INFORMED CONSENT FORM

Title of the project:

_________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Name of Researcher: _____________________________________________________________

Researcher's Institution: __________________________________ Phone: _______________

Name of the Main Supervisor (in case of students): _____________________________________

Purpose of the study/research: (if research is for a qualification, which one?):________________

PARTICIPANT'S INFORMED CONSENT

The purpose of the study and the extent to which I will be involved was explained to me by the

researcher or another person authorized by the researcher in a language which I understood. I

have understood the purpose of the study and the extent to which I will be involved in the study.

I unreservedly agree to take part in it voluntarily. I understand that I am free to withdraw from

the study at any time at any stage at my own will. I am aware that I may not directly benefit

from this study. I am made aware that my responses will be recorded anonymously and that I

may be audio- or video-taped for the purpose of this research.

For participants who are under 18 years (minors): I have explained to my parent/guardian that

I am willing to be part of this study and they too have agreed to it.

Signed at (place) _________________________ on (date) _________________ by (full

name) _____________________________________ of (address) _________________________

Witness: Name: _____________________ Signature: _________________________Date: ______

In case where minors are participants, the parent/guardian, also needs to sign below (In such cases, a

letter of introduction in a language which the parent/guardian understands will accompany this form)

PARENT'S/GUARDIAN'S INFORMED CONSENT

I _______________________________ am the father/mother/guardian of the minor. The

purpose of the study/project and the extent to which the minor under my care will be involved

was explained by the researcher or another person authorized by the researcher to me in a

language which I understood. I have understood the purpose of the study and the extent to which

the minor will be involved in the study. I unreservedly agree for him/her/them to take part in it if

he/she/they have no personal objection. I understand that I and/or the minor are free to

withdraw our consent at any time at any stage at our own will. I have explained to the minor

under my care that I have no objection in him/her in taking part in this study and he/she too

have agreed to it.

Signed at (place) ____________________ on (date) _______ by (full name)________________

of (address):______________________________________________________________________

Witness: Name: __________________ Signature:

__________________________________ Date:___________________________

ENDORSEMENT BY THE HEAD OF THE PARTICIPANT'S INSTITUTION

Name:_____________________________________________________Signature:_____________

Office Stamp: