Remediating students’ misconceptions in some integrated science topics through the conceptual change model

Abstract

This study investigated students' misconceptions regarding the concepts of force, motion, and pressure at Wesley Girls' High School and evaluated how well these misconceptions might be corrected through the use of a conceptual change model teaching strategy. The conceptual change theory served as the foundation for the study's framework. For the study, an action research design was used. Eighty students were selected for the study from two Form 2 General Art classes at Wesley Girls' High School using a purposeful sampling strategy. Students' misconceptions were investigated using the Students Misconception Diagnostic Test (SMDT). Over the course of a month, the students were instructed utilising the conceptual change model. In order to distinguish between the variations in the students' academic achievements, the SMDTs were then carefully structured and administered to the students as the Science Performance Test (SPT). The SMDT results showed that students lacked understanding and had serious misconceptions regarding the concepts of force, motion, and pressure. A quantitative analysis (t-test) was done to determine students mean scores between the SMDT and SPT. Results from the analysis revealed that the Conceptual Change Model strategy is a strong strategy to remediate students’ misconceptions. Students mean scores from the SPT was significantly higher (m = 1.42, SD = 0.497) than the mean scores from the SMDT (m = 1.00, SD = 0.00, t = -2.054, p < 0.001). Eight students from each class made up the group of 16 were interviewed to find out how they felt about the conceptual change model as an intervention. A qualitative analysis of the data was performed. The interview segment also demonstrated that after using the CCM approach, the majority of students' misconceptions about force, motion, and pressure were cleared up. It is therefore recommended that before beginning lessons, science teachers are advised to ascertain their students' preconceptions in order to correct any misconceptions regarding the concepts of force, motion, and pressure utilising the conceptual change model approach.