Revealing Student's Multiple-Misconception on Electric Circuits

Abstract

Quick identification of misconception on classroom setting is an important step to gain deep understanding on physics. The study aims at developing simple tools to determine students' misconceptions and to reveal students' misconception about electric circuits. This research was conducted in the form of a survey study. Initially, Multiple Misconception Revealing Test (MMRT) with some characteristics, i.e. arousing curiosity on students to solve using of several concepts, potent to reveal one or more student's misconception(s), allow the students to explain their answers, as well as allow to be followed up, was developed. The test was administered to 60 of higher education students (prospective science teachers) and data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results shows that only 17% students have right conception about electrical circuit, the others have one of three type of multiple misconception. About 7% students hold Type 1 multiple misconception (cannot ditinguish between serial and parallel principles); 43% students have the Type 2 (misunderstand circuit principles as well as cannot ditinguish between serial and parallel principles); and 33% students have the Type 3 (misunderstand circuit principles, misunderstand circuit components, and cannot ditinguish between serial and parallel principles). The conclusion is that there is no single student misconception on classroom, particularly on electrical circuits; and the MMR test can reveal three kinds of multiple misconception on it.