Exploring science teachers’ strategies for addressing misconceptions about electric circuits

Abstract

Despite interventions provided by teachers who teach electric circuits, misconceptions persist and are a barrier to learners’ conceptual understanding. Although literature show findings and recommendations on misconceptions in science education, there is limited attention given to how teaching strategies used by teachers can address them. This study explored Grade 11 Physical Science teachers’ awareness of common misconceptions in electric circuits, as well as their planned and enacted teaching strategies to address these misconceptions. Data was collected through a qualitative case study approach. This was done by means of a questionnaire for teachers and a test for learners adapted from the questionnaire, teacher interviews and lesson observations during feedback. The study relied on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Teacher Talk as conceptual frameworks used to analyse the teachers’ planned strategies and the enacted strategies. The findings demonstrate that while some teachers showed awareness of common misconceptions, their planned strategies were centred around curricular saliency and not representations or conceptual teaching strategies. Also, the enacted strategies were mostly authoritative and non-interactive, focusing on telling learners the correct answers without engaging them conceptually. Thus, the study underscores the necessity for professional development that incorporates PCK components, as well as dialogic and interactive teaching strategies to effectively address misconceptions and promote conceptual understanding in science classrooms.

Go sa šetšwe ditsenogare tšeo di filwego ke barutiši bao ba rutago dipotologo tša mohlagase, dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego di a phegelela gomme ke lepheko go kwešišo ya dikgopolo ya baithuti. Le ge e le gore dingwalo di bontšha dikhwetšo le ditšhišinyo ka ga dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego thutong ya mahlale, go na le šedi ye e lekanyeditšwego yeo e fiwago ka fao maano a go ruta ao a šomišwago ke barutiši a ka di rarollago ka gona. Thuto ye e lekotše temogo ya barutiši ba Mphato wa 11 wa Fisikale Saensese ka ga dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego tše di tlwaelegilego ka dipotologong tša mohlagase, gammogo le maano a bona a go ruta ao a rulagantšwego le ao a šomišitšwego go rarolla dikgopolo tše tše di fošagetšego. Datha e kgobokeditšwe ka mokgwa wa nyakišišo ya mohlala wa boleng. Se se dirilwe ka lenaneopotšišo la barutiši le teko ya baithuti yeo e fetotšwego go tšwa lenaneopotšišong, dipoledišano tša barutiši le ditebelelo tša dithuto nakong ya ditshwaotshwao. Thuto e be e ithekgile ka Tsebo ya Diteng tša Thuto (PCK) le Polelo ya Barutiši bjalo ka ditlhako tša dikgopolo tšeo di šomišitšwego go sekaseka maano ao a rulagantšwego a barutiši le maano ao a dirilwego molao. Dikutollo di laetša gore le ge barutiši ba bangwe ba bontšhitše temogo ya dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego tše di tlwaelegilego, maano a bona ao a rulagantšwego a be a tsepame go dikologa go tšwelela ga kharikhulamo e sego dikemedi goba maano a go ruta a dikgopolo. Gape, maano ao a šomišitšwego e be e le bontši bja taolo ebile a sa dirišane, a lebeletše kudu go botša baithuti dikarabo tše di nepagetšego ntle le go ba tsenya letsogo ka kgopolo. Ka go realo, nyakišišo e gatelela tlhokego ya tlhabollo ya profešene yeo e akaretšago dikarolo tša PCK, gammogo le maano a go ruta a poledišano le a tirišano go rarolla ka mo go atlegilego dikgopolo tše di fošagetšego le go tšwetša pele kwešišo ya dikgopolo ka diphapošing tša mahlale.

Naho hu na vhudzheneleli ho ṋetshedzwaho nga vhagudisi vhane vha funza sekithi dza muḓagasi, mihumbulo yo khakheaho i kha ḓi vha hone nahone ndi tshithivheli kha u pfesesa ha vhagudi ha mihumbulo. Naho maṅwalwa a tshi sumbedza mawanwa na themendelo dza mihumbulo yo khakheaho kha pfunzo ya saintsi, hu na ṱhogomelo ṱhukhu yo ṋewaho kha uri zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u funza zwo shumiswaho nga vhagudisi zwi nga zwi tandulula hani. Ngudo iyi yo ṱoḓisisa nḓivho ya vhagudisi vha Gireidi ya 11 ya sayense dza nndwa nga ha mihumbulo yo khakheaho yo ḓoweleaho kha sekithi dza muḓagasi, khathihi na zwiṱirathedzhi zwavho zwa u funza zwo pulaniwaho na u vhewa mulayoni u itela u tandulula mihumbulo iyi yo khakheaho. Datha yo kuvhanganywa nga nḓila ya ngudo ya tsumbo ya vhuimo. Hezwi zwo itwa nga nḓila ya mbudzisavhathu ya vhagudisi na mulingo wa vhagudi wo ṱanganedzwaho u bva kha mbudzisavhathu, inthavhiyu dza vhagudisi na u sedza ngudo nga tshifhinga tsha u ṋea vhupfiwa. Ngudo yo ḓitika nga Nḓivho ya Zwi re Ngomu ya Pedagogiki (PCK) na Nyambedzano ya Vhagudisi sa muhanga wa mihumbulo wo shumiswaho u sengulusa zwiṱirathedzhi zwo pulaniwaho zwa vhagudisi na zwiṱirathedzhi zwo vhewaho mulayoni. Mawanwa a sumbedza uri naho vhaṅwe vhagudisi vho sumbedza u ḓivha mihumbulo yo khakheaho yo ḓoweleaho, zwiṱirathedzhi zwavho zwo pulaniwaho zwo vha zwo sedza kha u bvelela ha kharikhuḽamu hu si kha vhuimeleli kana zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u funza zwa mihumbulo. Hafhu, zwiṱirathedzhi zwo vhewaho zwo vha zwi na maanḓa vhukuma nahone zwi sa ṱanganelani, zwo sedza kha u vhudza vhagudi phindulo dzo teaho hu si na u vha dzhenisa kha muhumbulo. Ngauralo, ngudo i ombedzela ṱhoḓea ya mveledziso ya phurofeshinaḽa ine ya katela zwipiḓa zwa PCK, khathihi na zwiṱirathedzhi zwa u funza zwa nyambedzano na zwa vhukwamani u itela u tandulula nga nḓila i bvelelaho mihumbulo yo khakheaho na u ṱuṱuwedza u pfesesa mihumbulo kha kilasi dza saintsi.