Seminar Fizik 2000
Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Nov 2000
Crossover into the Newtonian Beliefs -A
Preliminary Study on the First Semester
Engineering Students at Universiti Teknologi
MARA
SEMINAR FIZIK 2000
Title
Quotes
Motivation
Purpose
Design
Stats
Grade
G E Sch Subj
Instrument-FCI
Q1 Q6 Q15 Q19
Q21 Q25 G1 G6
G15 G19 G21 G25
Results - Scores
Sci Phys Grade
G E Sch Subj
Results - Gain
G E Sch Subj. Phys All
Mean Meangraph
Other
Conclusion
UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SABAH
Acknowledgement
 Assoc. Prof. Ho Wan Seng, Physics
Dept. Head, Science Faculty, UiTM
 Deans of Engineering Faculties
 Faculty of Applied Sciences
 Students
“…. Physics is about the rules of
nature - so beautifully elegant
that it can be neatly described
mathematically. That’s why
many physics courses are treated
as applied math…..”
Paul G. Hewitt, Conceptual Physics
“…. But introductory physics that
emphasizes computation misses
something essential comprehension - a gut feeling for
the concepts…..”
Paul G. Hewitt, Conceptual Physics
Most Students taking physics or otherwise; Hewitt,
Rigden, Hobart
“..Memorization is not only useless
but counterproductive..”
Whitaker, 1985
“..Introductory physics courses
have been structured to cover so
much content to be covered in a
very short period..”
French, 1988
“…. Taking (conventional) physics…. is
like trying to drink from a fire hose.
There are far too many topics
presented… too many abstract theories
which relates to reality… insufficient
concrete experiences with everyday
phenomena to comprehend the math
representation of them……”
Physics students at Dickinson College, Pennsylvania
“… Students beginning a physics
course usually have a rich
accumulation of interrelated ideas
that constitute a personal system of
beliefs about motion….”
Champagne, 1980
Motivation
Weak reasoning ability in explaining
physics central ideas about force &
motion
Inability to represent a physical
situation pictorially & verbally
Lack of power to verbally translate a
mathematical equation and vice-versa
Motivation
So much effort and dedication was put
into the teaching (the traditional way)
by lecturers to instill knowledge BUT
the result does not reflect the effort &
dedication
Motivation
Students emerging from study of
physics still have serious gaps in the
understanding of important topics in
all areas of physics
Motivation
Plenty of scientific papers have been
published about learning and teaching
of physics
The existence of standardized tests to
measure conceptual understanding in
the study of forces
Purpose
 Identify to what extent the beliefs were
successfully removed through formal
university traditional introductory
physics class
Note:
Traditional =
Lecture (Passive-learner) + Tutorial
(through problem-solving by instructor)
+ recipe lab
Research Design
 Give pretest to about 300 engineering
students who just enrolled for the Dec April 1998 semester.
 Give posttest to students who just
completed their first semester in Nov
1998. No pretest.
FOR MORE INFO...
Contact Dr. JJ at FSG, UiTM for more details
Research Design
 Another posttest was given to the group
who completed first semester in May 99.
Took the pretest.
 Allow 45 mins + 1 hr for the exam
 Key-in profile and item selections
 Analyse data using descriptive &
inferential stats. Excel + SPSS
FOR MORE INFO...
Contact Dr. JJ at FSG, UiTM for more details
Instrument: FCI & MBT
 FCI (30 items multiple-choice)
– designed to be meaningful to students
without formal training in mechanics
– probes beliefs over a wide range of
Newtonian concepts on force & motion
 MBT (26 items multiple-choice)
– designed to emphasize concepts that
cannot be grasped without formal
knowledge of mechanics
Desc. Statistics - Gender
Gender
Frequency
Percent
Male
117
65.7
Female
61
34.3
Total
178
100
Desc. Statistics - Course Grade
Grade
Frequency
Percent
A
B
C
D
Total
12
43
71
7
133
9
32.3
53.4
5.3
100
Desc. Statistics - Educ.
Educ. Level Frequency
Percent
SPM
94
53.7
Prescience
81
46.3
Total
175
100
Desc. Statistics - School
School
Type
Boarding
Urban
Rural
Other
Total
Frequency
Percent
18
73
70
14
175
10.3
41.7
40
8
100
Desc. Statistics - Subject
Subject
SPM
Physics
Frequency
Percent
113
66.1
Science
58
33.9
Total
171
100
Results & Discussion
 Focus on the beliefs
check the overall mean score
(random guessing = 20% score)
observe the percentage of students
choosing the wrong answers for
each question
look at the choices of wrong answers
to learn more on their existing belief
system
Results & Discussion
 Focus on the gains
 Average Gain , G
– G = %Posttest, Sf - %Pretest, Si
 Standardized Average gain <g>
– <g> = G / Max G
– where max G = 100 - %Si
 check if the gains vary as a function of
subgroups
FCI & MBT - SPM Science
Grade for
SPM Sci.
1-6
N = 34
7-9
N = 24
Total
N = 58
FCI
pre
18.0
(8.9)
20.7
(6.7)
19.1
(8.2)
FCI
post
19.1
(6.9)
18.3
(9.0)
18.8
(7.8)
MBT
pre
21.7
(7.2)
22.8
(8.8)
22.1
(7.8)
MBT
post
24.2
(9.5)
21.3
(8.9)
23.0
(9.3)
FCI & MBT - SPM Physics
Grade for FCI
FCI
MBT
SPM Phy pre
post
pre
1-3
17.5
49.2
23.1
N=4
(11.7) (17.9) (5.4)
4-6
20.1
28.0
21.2
N = 39
(8.0) (10.6) (10.6)
7-9
19.0
20.0
21.7
N = 64
(7.8)
(7.3) (8.5)
Total
19.3
23.9
21.6
N = 110 (7.9) (10.9) (7.9)
MBT
post
44.2
(7.4)
30.4
(9.5)
24.1
(8.0)
27.0
(10.1)
FCI & MBT - Course Grade
Course
Grade
A
N = 12
B
N = 43
C
N = 71
FCI
pre
23.6
(6.4)
20.2
(8.7)
18.2
(8.2)
FCI
post
33.9
(18.2)
24.5
(10.1)
20.7
(7.3)
MBT
pre
24.0
(8.5)
22.3
(8.3)
21.6
(7.8)
MBT
post
37.5
(10.0)
25.8
(9.0)
23.3
(9.5)
FCI & MBT - Course Grade
Course FCI FCI
Grade
pre post
D
19.5 15.2
N=7
(5.6) (7.2)
Total
19.4 22.8
N = 133 (8.2) (10.4)
MBT
pre
22.5
(8.7)
22.1
(8.0)
MBT
post
22.5
(7.5)
25.3
(10.0)
FCI & MBT - Gender
Gender
Male
N = 117
Female
N = 61
Total
N = 178
FCI
pre
19.3
(7.9)
19.1
(8.1)
19.2
(8.0)
FCI
post
23.4
(11.2)
19.7
(6.8)
22.1
(10.1)
MBT
pre
21.5
(7.9)
22.3
(7.8)
21.8
(7.9)
MBT
post
27.2
(10.4)
22.1
(8.4)
25.
(10.0)
FCI & MBT - Educ. Level
Education
Level
SPM
N = 94
Prescience
N = 81
Total
N = 175
FCI
pre
19.4
(8.0)
18.8
(7.9)
19.1
(7.1)
FCI
post
23.0
(10.8)
20.4
(8.2)
21.8
(9.7)
MBT
pre
21.4
(7.5)
22.2
(8.4)
21.7
(7.9)
MBT
post
27.1
(10.4)
23.4
(9.1)
25.4
(10.0)
FCI & MBT - School types
Schools
Boarding
N = 18
Urban
N = 73
Rural
N = 70
Other
N = 14
Total
N = 175
FCI
FCI
MBT
pre post
pre
20.9 32.8 21.2
(7.2) (17.8) (7.1)
17.8 19.6 22.3
(8.6) (8.6) (8.0)
19.6 22.0 21.9
(7.3) (7.1) (7.4)
16.6 21.9 19.8
(9.2) (9.5) (10.8)
19.2 22.1 21.8
(7.9) (10.1) (7.9)
MBT
post
36.5
(9.9)
24.3
(9.5)
23.7
(9.3)
27.2
(8.7)
25.5
(10.1)
FCI & MBT - SPM subject
Subject
SPM
Physics
N = 113
Science
N = 58
Total
N = 171
FCI
pre
19.3
(7.9)
19.1
(8.1)
19.2
(8.0)
FCI
post
23.8
(10.8)
18.9
(7.9)
22.1
(10.2)
MBT
pre
21.5
(7.9)
22.3
(7.8)
21.8
(7.9)
MBT
post
26.8
(10.1)
23.2
(9.1)
25.6
(9.9)
FCI Gain-Gender
T
.
0
0
G
1
G
3
1
M
1
1
2
G
1
2
M
2
2
3
G
4
1
M
9
0
4
G
8
.
M
3
.
FCI Gain-Educ. Level
i
0
0
G
1
G
7
8
M
2
0
2
G
6
8
M
3
2
3
G
2
2
M
7
3
4
G
9
0
M
1
6
FCI Gain-School Types
O
.
.
.
.
0
0
0
0
G
1
G
7
0
1
7
M
8
2
1
9
2
G
0
4
2
0
M
0
6
2
7
3
G
7
1
9
2
M
3
1
4
3
4
G
0
4
0
.
M
6
6
4
.
FCI Gain-SPM Subject
k
0
0
G
1
G
7
3
M
6
5
2
G
3
8
M
3
0
3
G
8
3
M
6
4
4
G
8
.
M
3
.
FCI Gain-Physics Grade
.
.
0
0
0
G
1
G
7
.
.
M
6
.
.
2
G
3
3
.
M
3
2
.
3
G
6
1
.
M
4
0
.
4
G
4
1
6
M
5
8
7
FCI & MBT -Overall
is
N
t
a
e
i
s
a
l
S
0
6
6
S
0
4
0
S
0
7
1
S
0
8
6
FCI Mean Gain-Overall
N
K
a
u
l
r
r
r
u
c
c
c
V
1
3
6
3
3
2
0
1
1
3
3
7
2
7
0
4
0
6
8
8
5
1
6
6
4
6
1
6
6
0
T
2
6
0
M
S
6
4
M
T
6
4
T
8
0
FCI Mean Gain-Overall
Histogram
40
30
Frequency
20
10
Std. Dev = .16
Mean = .03
N = 178.00
0
-.38
-.25
-.31
-.13
-.19
MEANGAIN
0.00
-.06
.13
.06
.25
.19
.38
.31
.50
.44
.56
FCI - Compared
Hake’s
Score UiTM UKM Trad (14) IE (48)

Pre
Post
N

20
22
323
23
29
96
23
na
2084
23
na
4458
this work
 Collaboration with Prof. Khalijah Salleh, Jabatan Fizik,
UKM, unpublished
 Hake, R.R., “ A six-thousand -student survey of
mechanics test data for introductory physics courses”,
AJP, 66, 64-74 (1998)
FCI - Compared
Hake’s
Score UiTM UKM Trad (14) IE (48)

Gain
<g>
SD

2
0.025
na
6
0.08
na
na
0.23
0.04
na
0.48
0.14
this work
 Collaboration with Prof. Khalijah Salleh, Jabatan Fizik,
UKM, unpublished
 Hake, R.R., “ A six-thousand -student survey of
mechanics test data for introductory physics courses”,
AJP, 66, 64-74 (1998)
Instrument: FCI - Q1
1. Dua biji bola A dan B mempunyai saiz yang
sama tetapi bola A beratnya dua kali ganda
berat B. Bola-bola tersebut dijatuhkan serentak
daripada bumbung sebuah bangunan dua
tingkat. Masa yang diambil untuk bola-bola
tersebut sampai ke tanah ialah:
Instrument: FCI - Q1
(A) bola A mengambil masa separuh sahaja masa
yang diambil oleh bola B.
(B) bola B mengambil masa separuh sahaja masa
yang diambil oleh bola A.
(C) lebih kurang sama.
(D) bola A lebih cepat sampai tetapi tak semestinya
separuh masa yang diambil oleh bola B.
(E) bola B lebih cepat sampai tetapi tak semestinya
separuh masa yang diambil oleh bola A.
Instrument: FCI - Q6
6. Arah laluan manakah dalam gambarajah di
sebelah kanan yang akan diikuti oleh bola
setelah ianya keluar daripada saluran pada
kedudukan “r” dan bergerak di atas
permukaan meja tanpa geseran?
Instrument: FCI - Q6
Instrument: FCI - Q15
Sebuah lori mengalami kerosakan dan menerima
tolakan dari belakang oleh sebuah kereta kecil
untuk menghantarnya ke bandar seperti yang
digambarkan di bawah.
15.Sewaktu kereta kecil tersebut menolak lori dan
memecut untuK mencapai kelajuan seragam;
Instrument: FCI - Q15
(A) daya tolakan yang dikenakan oleh kereta terhadap
lori adalah sama dengan daya lori menolak kereta
(B) daya tolakan yang dikenakan oleh kereta terhadap
lori adalah lebih kecil berbanding dengan daya lori
menolak kereta
(C) daya tolakan yang dikenakan oleh kereta terhadap
lori adalah lebih besar berbanding dengan daya lori
menolak kereta
Instrument: FCI - Q15
(D) oleh kerana injin kereta hidup, maka ia
mengenakan tolakan terhadap lori tetapi lori tidak
mengenakan tolakan terhadap kereta kerana injin
lori tidak dihidupkan. Lori tersebut ditolak hanyalah
kerana ia mengganggu laluan kereta
(E) tidak ada daya dikenakan oleh kereta dan oleh lori.
Lori tersebut ditolak hanyalah kerana ia
mengganggu laluan kereta
Instrument: FCI - Q19
19.Kedudukan dua buah blok pada turutan sela
masa 0.20 saat diwakili oleh kotak-kotak
bernombor dalam gambarajah di bawah. Blokblok tersebut sedang bergerak ke kanan.
Instrument: FCI - Q19
19.Adakah ketikanya blok-blok tersebut
mempunyai kelajuan yang sama?
(A)Ya.
(B)Ya iaitu pada kedudukan 2.
(C)Ya iaitu pada kedudukan 5.
(D)Ya iaitu pada kedudukan 2 dan 5.
(E)Ya iaitu pada suatu ketika diantara
kedudukan 3 dan 4.
Instrument: FCI - Q21
Sebuah roket yang berada di angkasa "hanyut" ke
kanan dari "a" ke "b" tanpa pengaruh daya luaran.
Pada kedudukan "b", enjin roket dihidupkan untuk
mendapatkan tujahan (daya terhadap roket)
seragam yang bertegak lurus kepada garis "ab".
Tujahan ini dikekalkan sehingga roket tiba di titik
"c".
Instrument: FCI - Q21
21.
Laluan manakah yang ditunjukkan di bawah
yang akan mewakili pergerakan roket dari
titik "b" ke titik "c"?
Instrument: FCI - Q25
25. Seorang wanita mengenakan suatu daya yang
malar secara mendatar terhadap sebuah kotak
yang besar. Kotak tersebut kemudiannya
bergerak dengan kelajuan “v0” merentasi
permukaan lantai. Daya malar yang mendatar
yang dikenakan oleh wanita tersebut:
Instrument: FCI - Q25
(A)sama nilainya dengan berat kotak yang ditolak
(B)lebih besar nilainya daripada kotak yang ditolak
(C)sama nilainya dengan jumlah daya yang
menentang pergerakan kotak
(D)lebih besar daripada jumlah daya yang
menentang pergerakan kotak
(E)lebih besar daripada kedua-dua iaitu berat kotak
dan jumlah daya yang menentang pergerakan
kotak
FCI - Sample Q1
Comparing Pre & Posttest FCI change in scores for question 1
UiTM students. Answer is C.
60%
Pre A
Post A
Pre B
Post B
Pre C
Post C
Pre D
Post D
Pre E
Post E
50%
Percentage
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Pre A Post A Pre B Post B Pre C Post C Pre D Post D Pre E Post E
Answer Options for Pre & Post Test
FCI - Sample Q6
Comparing Pre & Posttest FCI change in scores for question 6
UiTM students. Answer is B.
50%
Pre A
Post A
Pre B
Post B
Pre C
Post C
Pre D
Post D
Pre E
Post E
45%
40%
Percentage
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Pre A Post A Pre B Post B Pre C Post C Pre D Post D Pre E Post E
Answer Options for Pre & Post Test
FCI - Sample Q15
Comparing Pre & Posttest FCI change in scores for question
15 - UiTM students. Answer is A.
70%
Pre A
Post A
Pre B
Post B
Pre C
Post C
Pre D
Post D
Pre E
Post E
60%
Percentage
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Pre A Post A Pre B Post B Pre C Post C Pre D Post D Pre E Post E
Answer Options for Pre & Post Test
FCI - Sample Q19
Comparing Pre & Posttest FCI change in scores for question
19 - UiTM students. Answer is E.
60%
50%
Percentage
40%
30%
20%
Pre A
Post A
Pre B
Post B
Pre C
Post C
Pre D
Post D
Pre E
Post E
10%
0%
Pre A Post A Pre B Post B Pre C Post C Pre D Post D Pre E Post E
Answer Options for Pre & Post Test
FCI - Sample Q21
Comparing Pre & Posttest FCI change in scores for question
21 - UiTM students. Answer is E.
40%
35%
Percentage
30%
Pre A
Post A
Pre B
Post B
Pre C
Post C
Pre D
Post D
Pre E
Post E
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Pre A Post A Pre B Post B Pre C Post C Pre D Post D Pre E Post E
Answer Options for Pre & Post Test
FCI - Sample Q25
Comparing Pre & Posttest FCI change in scores for question
25 - UiTM students. Answer is C.
45%
40%
35%
Pre A
Post A
Pre B
Post B
Pre C
Post C
Pre D
Post D
Pre E
Post E
Percentage
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Pre A Post A Pre B Post B Pre C Post C Pre D Post D Pre E Post E
Answer Options for Pre & Post Test
Concluding Remarks
 Focus on the gains & scores
 Scores far below entry threshold (65%)
 Average Gain , G, too small
 negative gains is too high, 48%
Concluding Remarks
 Focus on the gains & scores
 negative gains among those getting A
& B for the course grade
 Standardized Average gain <g> far
smaller than documented work
Concluding Remarks
 the present instructional method failed
miserably to promote crossover into
Newtonian world for any subgroups
except those from boarding schools
 could there be other reasons??
Concluding Remarks
 Work in the pipeline
– Extending the database
• doing the pretest and posttest for the
whole population - this semester
Concluding Remarks
 Invitation to collaborate
– plenty of research can be done on
• problems identification
• instructional development (Pn. Laila Hanim
will work on this to help overcome problems
that was highlighted in today’s talk
• many areas of physics
Dr. J.J.,
Applied Sciences Education Research Group
(ASERG)
Faculty of Applied Sciences, UiTM
Email: drjjlanita@hotmail.com
Phone: 03-5516-4886
WebPage:
http://www.itm.edu.my/acaprg/fsg/drjj1.html