An analysis of students' misconceptions about the implementation of active learning of optics and photonics approach assisted by computer simulation

Abstract

Misconceptions take place in a variety of Physics lessons including Lights and Optics. This study aims at determining the students' misconceptions and the effectiveness of the Active Learning of Optics and Photonics (ALOP) approach assisted by computer simulation to reduce misconceptions among students about the material of optical instruments. The mixed-method was employed in this study using an embedded mixed-method design. The study was conducted on students of Grade XI in one senior high school in Bandung. The participants were divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group in which each group consisted of 23 students. Conventional learning was applied in the control group, while the experimental class implemented the ALOP computer-aided simulation learning. The instrument used to identify the students' misconceptions were Four-Tier Optics and Photonics Test (FTOPT); it consisted of 18 items which were administered during the pre-test and post-test. The results showed that the misconceptions were disseminated over the concept of eyes, camera, magnifier, microscopes, and telescopes. Additionally, ALOP approach using computer-aided simulations was found to be effective to reduce students' misconceptions about optical instruments.