An Investigation of Students’ Conceptual Understanding of the Concepts of Force and Energy

Abstract

The research is done to investigate the level of alternative conceptions of the concepts of Force and Energy that exist among the college students, junior high school, and elementary students in Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines. Research samples are 323 students consists of 67 college students, 83 grade 7 junior high school students, 89 grade 10 junior high school students, and 84 grade 6 elementary students from the school year 2017 – 2018 comprising eight entire physics classes. The instruments in the study are the test (Appendix A) used in the research project of the Asia-Pacific Teachers and Educators Association (APPTEA) and the questionnaire developed by R. Duit of West Germany (Appendix B). Research findings that there is a persistent alternative conception in college students and secondary students on the concepts of force and energy, while in the elementary students’ responses were more experiential and less abstract or conceptual. This research recommends that both college students, high school and elementary students in the Philippines to be exposed with a metacognitive strategy such as inquiry-based approaches, hands-on activity, 7E’s innovative approaches as to introduce a variety of teaching skills and in the same time creates student-centered learning.