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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 10, Issue 1, Article 6
(June, 2009) |
Prospective physics teachers level of understanding energy, power and force concepts
Ayşegül SAĞLAM-ARSLAN1,3 and Mehmet Altan KURNAZ2
1Karadeniz Technical University, Fatih Faculty of Education,
Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics
Education, 61335 Söğütlü-Trabzon/TURKEYEmail: asaglam_arslan@yahoo.fr
2 PhD Candidate, Karadeniz Technical University, Graduate School of Natural and
Applied ScienceEmail: altan.kurnaz@gmail.com
3 Correspondence author
Received 30 Apr., 2009
Revised 18 Jun., 2009
Contents
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Subjects
- Instruments
- Data Analysis
- Results
- Energy power and force as concepts
- Energy, power and force as physical quantities
- The Measurement of Units of Energy, Power and Force
- The relation between movement and energy, power and force
- Energy, power and force as a property of an object
- Conclusion and Discussion
- References
The aim of this study is to determine prospective physics teachers level of understanding of the concepts of energy and the related concepts of force and power. The study was carried out with the participation of 56 physics education department students at a university in Karadeniz region. All participants had previously taken an introductory physics course. To reach the aim of the study, an achievement test with 5 questions was formed for each concept and the collected data was analyzed using the description method. The data analysis revealed that majority of the students were not at the intended level in defining and explaining the energy, power and force concepts scientifically, and they could not associate these concepts with their daily life. Backed by the available results, utilizing associations of these concepts and using conceptual change texts were suggested for effective teaching of the concerned concepts.
Keywords: Energy, Power, Force, Prospective Physics Teachers, Level of Understanding
