vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
1
TITLE
PAGE
DECLARATION
ii
DEDICATION
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
iv
ABSTRACT
v
ABSTRAK
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
vii
LIST OF TABLES
xii
LIST OF FIGURES
xiv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
xv
LIST OF SYMBOLS
xvi
LIST OF APPENDICES
xvii
INTRODUCTION
1
1.1
Introduction
1
1.2
Background of Problem
3
1.3
Statement of the Problem
7
1.4
Research Objectives
9
1.5
Research Questions
10
1.6
Conceptual Framework
11
1.7
Significance of the Research
14
1.8
Scope and Limitation of the Research
14
1.9
Definition of Terms
15
1.10 Organization of the Thesis
17
1.11 Summary
18
viii
2
3
LITERATURE REVIEW
19
2.1
Introduction
19
2.2
Issues of Teaching and Learning
20
2.3
Conceptual Understanding in Basic Electric Circuits Courses
23
2.4
2.3.1. Learning difficulties
2.3.2. Alternative conception
Teaching and Learning Approaches
24
26
27
2.5
2.4.1. Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning
2.4.2. Circuits Simulation
2.4.3. Predict, Observe, Explain (POE) Tasks
Basic Electric Circuits at One Local Public University
28
31
33
36
2.6
Scope and Finding from Other Research
38
2.7
Summary
41
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
43
3.1
Introduction
43
3.2
Research Design
43
3.3
Operational Framework
45
3.3.1.
Preliminary Study
47
3.3.1.1 The Findings on Simple Circuits
47
3.3.1.2 The Findings on Open Circuits
49
3.3.1.3 The Findings on Open And Short Circuits
50
3.3.2.
Research Samples and Setting
51
3.3.3.
Pilot Study of Concept Test and Pretest
52
3.3.4.
Pretest and Interview after Pretest
52
3.3.5.
Approach Development
53
3.3.6.
Intervention
53
3.3.7.
Posttest and Interview after Posttest
54
3.4
Respondents
54
3.5
Research Instruments and Data Collection
55
3.5.1.
Concept Test for Pretest and Posttest
55
3.5.1.1 Pretest
56
3.5.1.2 Posttest
57
Interviews
57
3.5.2.
ix
3.6
4
60
3.5.2.2 Interviews after Posttest
61
3.5.3.
Documents
61
3.5.4.
Inquiry-Based Simulation-Supported Approach
62
3.5.5.
In the Lab Intervention
62
Data Analysis
64
3.6.1.
Paired Sample T-Test
65
3.6.2.
Constant Comparative Method
66
3.7
Reliability and Validity
67
3.8
Credibility and Transferability
68
3.9
Summary
69
DEVELOPMENT OF AN INQUIRY-BASED SIMULATIONSUPPORTED APPROACH
70
4.1
Introduction
70
4.2
The Approach Development and Pilot Testing
70
4.3
The Developed Approach
71
4.3.1.
Lesson Plan for Exercise 1
74
4.3.2.
Lesson Plan for Exercise 2
75
4.3.3.
Lesson Plan for Exercise 3
77
4.3.4.
Lesson Plan for Discussion and Conclusion
78
4.4
5
3.5.2.1 Interviews after Pretest
Summary
78
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
80
5.1
Introduction
80
5.2
Students’ Achievement from Pretest and Posttest
81
5.2.1.
Results of Pretest and Posttest for Control Group
81
5.2.2.
Results of Pretest and Posttest for Treatment Group
81
5.2.3.
Result for Themes of Concept Tested
82
5.2.3.1 Complete Circuits
83
5.2.3.2 Open Circuits
83
5.2.3.3 Short Circuits
84
5.2.3.4 Resistance
84
x
5.3
Students’ Alternative Conception from Interview
84
5.3.1.
Complete Simple Circuits
85
5.3.1.1 Question 1: Concept Test
85
5.3.1.1.1
Concept Test Response
86
5.3.1.1.2
Interview Response
87
5.3.1.2 Question 2: Concept Test
5.3.1.2.1
Concept Test Response
88
5.3.1.2.2
Interview Response
89
5.3.1.3 Question 7: Concept Test
Concept Test Response
90
5.3.1.3.2
Interview Response
91
Concept Test Response
93
5.3.1.4.2
Interview Response
94
5.3.1.5.1
Concept Test Response
95
95
Open Circuits
96
5.3.2.1 Question 6: Concept Test
96
5.3.2.1.1
Concept Test Response
97
5.3.2.1.2
Interview Response
98
5.3.2.2 Question 10: Concept Test
99
5.3.2.2.1
Concept Test Response
100
5.3.2.2.2
Interview Response
100
Short Circuits
102
5.3.3.1 Question 3: Concept Test
102
5.3.3.1.1 Concept Test Response
5.3.3.1.2 Interview Response
5.3.3.2 Question 8: Concept Test
103
104
105
5.3.3.2.1
Concept Test Response
106
5.3.3.2.2
Interview Response
107
5.3.3.3 Question 9: Concept Test
5.3.4.
92
5.3.1.4.1
5.3.1.5 Question 12: Concept Test
5.3.3.
90
5.3.1.3.1
5.3.1.4 Question 11: Concept Test
5.3.2.
88
108
5.3.3.3.1
Concept Test Response
108
5.3.3.3.2
Interview Response
109
Resistance
110
xi
6
5.3.4.1 Question 4: Concept Test
110
5.3.4.1.1 Concept Test Response
5.3.4.1.2 Interview Response
5.3.4.2 Question 5: Concept Test
111
112
113
5.4
5.3.4.2.1 Concept Test Response
5.3.4.2.2 Interview Response
POE with Inquiry-Based Simulation-Supported Approach
113
114
116
5.5
5.4.1. POE Tasks on Simple Circuits
5.4.2. POE Tasks on Open and Short Circuits
5.4.3. POE Tasks on Discussion and Conclusion
Students’ Verbalizations
119
121
126
127
5.6
5.5.1. Student S4
5.5.2. Student S7
5.5.3. Student S8
5.5.4. Student S10
5.5.5. Student S12
5.5.6. Student S14
Summary
127
128
129
129
130
131
132
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
133
6.1
Introduction
133
6.2
Conclusion on Research Findings
133
6.3
6.2.1. Students’ Alternative Conceptions
6.2.2. Students’ Learning
6.2.3. Students’ Achievement
Conclusion
134
136
139
142
6.4
6.3.1. Conceptual Understanding
6.3.2. Teaching and Learning Activities
6.3.3. Conceptual Learning
Contribution
142
144
145
145
6.5
Implications
146
6.6
Recommendations for Future Work
146
6.7
Concluding Remarks
147
REFERENCES
Appendices A - S
149
163-230
xii
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE NO.
TITLE
PAGE
1.1
Electric Circuits grade
12
2.1
Essential feature of classroom inquiry
29
2.2
Circuits courses for Diploma in Electrical Engineering
37
2.3
Identifying and investigating difficult concepts
38
2.4
Teaching and learning of BEC
39
2.5
Concept inventory on BEC
40
3.1
Research method and data analysis
44
3.2
Operational Framework
46
3.3
Concept tested
56
3.4
Pretest schedule
57
3.5
Posttest schedule
57
3.6
Interview schedule after the pretest
60
3.7
Interview schedule after the posttest
61
3.8
Intervention session schedule
63
4.1
Lesson plan of the approach
72
4.2
Lesson plan of Exercise 1
75
4.3
Lesson plan of Exercise 2
76
4.4
Lesson plan of Exercise 3
77
4.5
Lesson plan of Discussion and Conclusion
78
5.1
Paired-sample t-test of posttest and pretest (control group)
81
5.2
Paired-sample t-test of posttest and pretest (treatment group)
82
5.3
Result paired-sample t-test for themes
82
5.4
Concepts tested and related questions
84
5.5
Analysis of Question 1
86
5.6
Analysis of Question 2
88
xiii
5.7
Analysis of Question 7
90
5.8
Analysis of Question 11
93
5.9
Analysis of Question 12
96
5.10
Analysis of Question 6
97
5.11
Analysis of Question 10
100
5.12
Analysis of Question 3
103
5.13
Analysis of Question 8
106
5.14
Analysis of Question 9
109
5.15
Analysis of Question 4
111
5.16
Analysis of Question 5
114
5.17
Example of descriptive codes and categories of analysis
119
5.18
Prediction task
120
5.19
Connecting meters
120
5.20
Short circuits alternative conceptions
122
5.21
Conception about voltage and current
122
5.22
Conception about branches
123
5.23
Engage in inquiry-based
123
5.24
Inquiry capabilities
124
5.25
Conception about resistance
124
5.26
Individual work with inquiry-learning
125
5.27
Dependent upon Ohm’s law
125
5.28
Not confident to verbalize
126
5.29
Reflection for conclusion
126
5.30
S4 verbalization
128
5.31
S7 verbalization
128
5.32
S8 verbalization
129
5.33
S10 verbalization
130
5.34
S12 verbalization
130
5.35
S14 verbalization
131
6.1
Students’ alternative conceptions from interviews
134
6.2
Students’ alternative conception from intervention session
139
6.3
Students’ Alternative Conceptions
143
xiv
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO.
TITLE
PAGE
1.1
Conceptual framework ................................................................... 13
1.2
Thesis organization ........................................................................ 18
3.1
Question 1 ...................................................................................... 48
3.2
Question 2 ...................................................................................... 49
3.3
Question 3 ...................................................................................... 50
3.4
Lab session..................................................................................... 64
4.1
Sequence flow of the exercises ...................................................... 72
4.2
Sequence flow of activities ............................................................ 73
5.1
Question 1 ...................................................................................... 86
5.2
Question 2 ...................................................................................... 88
5.3
Question 7 ...................................................................................... 90
5.4
Question 11 .................................................................................... 93
5.5
Question 12 .................................................................................... 95
5.6
Question 6 ...................................................................................... 97
5.7
Question 10 .................................................................................... 99
5.8
Question 3 .................................................................................... 103
5.9
Question 8 .................................................................................... 106
5.10
Question 9 .................................................................................... 108
5.11
Question 4 .................................................................................... 111
5.12
Question 5 .................................................................................... 113
5.13
Flow of concept thinking about the operation of a circuit ........... 118
xv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
AC
-
Alternating Current
BEC
-
Basic Electric Circuits
CDR
-
Current Divider Rule
DC
-
Direct Current
KCL
-
Kirchoff’s Current Law
KVL
-
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law
VDR
-
Voltage Divider Rule
xvi
LIST OF SYMBOLS
A
Ω
R
V
-
Ammeter
-
Ampere
-
Battery
-
Bulb
-
Ohm
-
Resistor
-
Resistor
-
Switch
-
Variable Resistor
-
Voltage Source
-
Voltmeter
-
Volts
xvii
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX NO.
TITLE
PAGE
A
Electric Circuits Course Learning Outcome
163
B
Circuits Theory 1 Course Learning Outcome
168
C
Circuits Theory 2 Course Leaning Outcome
173
D
Electric Circuits Grade for 2005/2006-1
177
E
Thevenin and Norton Theorems
179
F
Preliminary Test
180
G
Concept Test
182
H
Lesson Plan
189
I
Answer Sheet
196
J
Multisim Simulated Outputs
206
K
Explanatory Statement and Consent Form
210
L
Content Validation by Expert
211
M
Translation Validation by Expert
220
N
Flow of Research Activities
222
O
Checklist during Intervention
223
P
Assessing Reliability and Normality
224
Q
Paired-Sample T-Test
226
R
Deleted Question
229
S
List of Published Papers
230