Effect of the four-step learning cycle model on students’ understanding of concepts related to simple harmonic motion

With increasing technological developments in the late 20th century, there have been fundamental ranges in educational system with respect to factors like teachers, students and learning environment. Each country changed their curricular including new methods and techniques in order to educate their citizens better. In Nigeria, science curriculum was changed and developed under 6, 3, 3, 4 system of education where, 6 represents the duration of primary education, first 3 is for duration of Junior Secondary School, second 3 represents the duration of Senior Secondary School, while 4 is for minimum duration of University education. This system was unconsciously developed under constructivists learning theory.

Constructivist theory maintains that knowledge is constructed by the individuals actively and students can learn only by doing (Chem, 2003). The constructivist view is a very powerful and influential perspective to many science education researchers these days.

In this view, the most important tool in the process of learning is the interaction between the new knowledge and the existing knowledge (Richardson, 1997). But still there have been many discussions about how we can apply constructivist theory in the classroom.

Constructivism is seen as an orientation towards teaching and learning, and a way of viewing how teaching and learning occur or simply a way of thinking about learning (Richardson, 1997). Teachers do not view constructivism as a way of teaching and learning that can be followed to implement a teaching programme (Boddy, Watson & Aubusson 2003).Constructivism regards learning as a dynamic and social process in which learners actively construct meaning from their experiences in connection with their prior knowledge and social setting (Driver, Asoko, Leach, Mortimer, & Scott 1994). The constructivist view of learning argues that students do not come to the science classroom empty but have tenaciously held ideas about how the natural world works. In the view of constructivist, students should no longer be passive receiver of knowledge given by the teachers; and the teachers should no longer be provider of knowledge (Fosnot, 1996).The above views indicate that learning is a process of acquiring new information, which is active and complex. This is as a result of an active interaction of key cognitive process (Glynn, Yeary & Britton, 1999). This is also an active interaction between students and teachers, and students try to make meaning of what is taught by making effort to fit these with their own experience. Constructivist views also emphasize generative learning, questioning or inquiry strategies (Slavin,1994). An emphasis on constructivism and hands-on inquiry-oriented instruction to promote students conceptual knowledge by building on prior knowledge, active engagement with the physics content, and application to real life situations, has been advocated in science lessons. (Stofflett & Stoddart, 1994). Similarly, constructivist views emphasizing discovery, experimentation, and open-ended problems have been successfully applied in science of which physics is one of the sciences. Hence, the use of students’ ideas about physics to guide lessons in SHM, providing experiences to test and challenge those ideas to help physics students arrive at more scientifically understanding lend to use of four-step learning cycle (Exploration, Explanation (concept invention), Expansion, and Evaluation (4Es)).

The learning cycle is an approach to teaching and learning that increases the likelihood that students are engaged in the type of thinking that constructivist argues is necessary for productive thinking. This approach has proven effective in helping students construct concepts and conceptual systems as well as develop more effective reasoning skills. Therefore, to achieve this, teachers should have a clear idea of what students have already known and understood so that they can engage students in activities that help them construct new meanings. This provides opportunities for the students to discuss about their ideas concerning concepts in SHM and issues that are prominent in the learning process.

The study investigated the Senior Secondary Three (SS111) students understanding of concepts in simple harmonic motion which have been reported to be difficult to learn by students (Chief Examiners Report, West African Examination Council 2011). There are lot of studies in the literature concerning student’s misconceptions about physics concepts and their properties. The roots of these misconceptions; how they affect disciplinary knowledge, and how they can be removed have been investigated by many researchers. (Gill, Perez & Carrascosa, 1990; Heller & Finley, 1992). There have been much constructivist-oriented research on the understanding of a wide range of physics concepts in students (Eylon & Ganiel, 1990) undergraduate and post graduate physics students (Mc Dermott & Shaffer, 1993), and teachers of science and physics (Heller and Finley, 1992).