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Fostering Understanding and Reducing Misconceptions About Image Formation by a Plane Mirror Using Constructivist-Based Hands-on Activities

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Overcoming Students' Misconceptions in Science

Abstract

This study aims to identify the effectiveness of constructivist-based hands-on activities to reduce misconceptions of students about image formation by a plane mirror. For this purpose, a total of 112 14-year-old Form 2 (equivalent to grade 8) students were randomly assigned to comparison and experimental groups. Students in the comparison group were instructed using a more traditional teacher-centred teaching method while students in the experimental group were taught using constructivist-based hands-on activities. The Test of Image Formation by Optical Reflection (TIFOR) was administered prior to the treatments to both groups to measure the students’ pre-conceptions and again after instruction to identify the effect of the treatments. The results clearly indicated that constructivist-based hands-on activities caused a significantly better acquisition of concepts and remedied misconceptions related to image formation by a plane mirror compared to the traditional instruction. As such it is suggested that constructivist-based hands-on activities be used as alternative to the traditional teaching approach to enhance students’ understanding and to reduce the incidence of misconceptions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Penang Chinese Girls’ High School, Penang, Malaysia

    Tan Wee Ling

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  1. Tan Wee Ling
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Correspondence to Tan Wee Ling .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

    Mageswary Karpudewan

  2. School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

    Ahmad Nurulazam Md Zain

  3. Science and Mathematics Education Centre (SMEC), Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    A.L. Chandrasegaran

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Ling, T.W. (2017). Fostering Understanding and Reducing Misconceptions About Image Formation by a Plane Mirror Using Constructivist-Based Hands-on Activities. In: Karpudewan, M., Md Zain, A., Chandrasegaran, A. (eds) Overcoming Students' Misconceptions in Science. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3437-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3437-4_11

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