Excavating the Quality of Vocational Students' Mental Models and Prediction on Heat Conduction

Abstract

This study aimed to depict of vocational students mental models and the relationship of mental models with predictive on heat conduction. Participants in this study are 20 vocational students in eleventh grade. The descriptive method was used in this study. The data were taken using a semi-structured interview with the intreview protocol was adopted and adapted from Chiou and Anderson (2010). The data gathered was analysed by using constant comparison method. The results showed that there were 11 mental models emerged in heat conduction (Interaction, Friction, Gear-like interaction, Substance, Heat as Substance, Energy, Medium, Position, Absorption based Conduction, Numbers of particles and Sample Based Conduction). More than 90% of students have unscientific mental models. Moreover there is a complex relationship between mental model with prediction as it showed by Chiou. Investigating the students mental models on heat conduction of vocational students have a wide implication in improving the Physics learning in Vocational School.