Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 18, Issue 2, Article 18 (Dec., 2017)
Dumcho WANGDI, Paisan KANTHANG and Monamorn PRECHARATTANA
Development of a hands-on model embedded with guided inquiry laboratory to enhance students’ understanding of law of mechanical energy conservation

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Development of a hands-on model embedded with guided inquiry laboratory to enhance students’ understanding of law of mechanical energy conservation

 

Dumcho WANGDI1, Paisan KANTHANG2 and Monamorn PRECHARATTANA1,*

1Institute for Innovative Learning, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, THAILAND
1Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10300, THAILAND

*Corresponding author's E-mail: mprecharattana@hotmail.co.th

Received 11 Aug., 2017
Revised 31 Dec., 2017


Contents

Abstract

This paper attempts to investigate the understanding of the law of mechanical energy conservation using a guided inquiry approach. A simple hands-on model was constructed and used to demonstrate the law of mechanical energy conservation. A total of 30 grade ten students from one of the middle secondary schools in western Bhutan participated in this pilot study. A single group pretest-posttest design was used. The participants were selected by purposive sampling method. The means of the pretest and posttest were determined to find the understanding of the law of mechanical energy conservation. The attitude survey questionnaire was used to explore the students’ attitude towards the guided inquiry laboratory teaching using the hands-on model. A paired sample t-test showed that there was a statistical significant difference in the means of pretest (M = 13.43, SD = 3.766) and posttest (M = 21.67, SD = 2.893) at t(29) = -10.739, p =.000, α =.05 indicating an improvement due to the treatment. The attitudes of the students towards the developed learning unit were also found positive.

Keywords: Physics, the law of mechanical energy conservation, hands-on model, guided inquiry laboratory, Bhutan.  

 

 


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