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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 93 (2013) 2010 2014

3rd World Conference on Learning, Teaching and Educational Leadership WCLTA 2012

Supporting Conceptual Development in Newtons Laws of Motion

using an Interactive Computer-Simulated Laboratory Environment
Prapaporn Sornkhatha a, Niwat Srisawasdi b *
a

Chanumanwittayakorn School,683 Moo.5 Chanuman, Amnatcharoen 37210, Thailand

Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University,123 Mitthaphap Highway, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand

Abstract
Currently, educational research provides promising evidence that the use of computer simulations can enhance
students conceptual understanding in science. Building on this finding, simulation-based inquiry learning using a
Dual-Situated Learning Model (DSLM) was developed and implemented with Grade 10 students in order to
investigate students conceptual understanding at pre-test, post-test and at a retention test. The results showed that
their conceptual understanding scores were significantly different and they gained better conceptual understanding
after attending the simulation class. According to our findings, this method of simulation-based inquiry learning
could be considered as a pedagogical tool for promoting students conceptual understanding.
Selection
peer review
under
responsibility
of Prof. Dr. Ferhan Odaba.

2013 Theand
Authors.
Published
by Elsevier
Ltd.
Selection and peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Ferhan Odaba

Keywords: DSLM, open inquiry, computer simulation, conceptual change

2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Background and motivation
Newtons laws of motion play such a fundamental role in explaining real life physical phenomena that these laws
have been taught at many levels of education, such as in primary schools, secondary schools and at university level.
Many previous studies have reported that most students have misconceptions about Newtons laws of motion
(Obaidat & Malkawi, 2009; Saglam-Arslan & Devecioglu, 2010). Several researchers have conducted practical
studies of the process of conceptual change through the teaching of Newtons laws of motion (Atasoy & Akdenz,
2007; Macabebe, Culaba & Maquiling, 2010; Saglam-Arslan & Devecioglu, 2010).
Taking into account the likelihood of misconceptions mentioned above, a new research trend has developed, in
which efforts are made to use computers, technologies and computer simulation for teaching these laws of motion.
Depending on the computer simulation, this could help students to visualize scientific phenomena and gain scientific
conceptual understanding (Srisawasdi, 2008). It can also develop conceptual change strategies during the teaching
and learning process of the laws of motion because it can engage students to investigate scientific concepts by
adjusting variable values and observing the effects to form conclusions by themselves (Hennessy, Deaney &
Ruthven, 2006). Among teaching and learning methods/models used in recent years, the dual-situated learning

* Corresponding Author: Niwat Srisawasdi Tel.: +6-681-775-9559

E-mail address: niwsri@kku.ac.th

1877-0428 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Selection and peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Ferhan Odaba
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.157

Prapaporn Sornkhatha and Niwat Srisawasdi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 93 (2013) 2010 2014

2011

model, proposed by She (2003), could facilitate conceptual change during the simulation-inquiry learning
(Srisawasdi, 2012).
Consequently, in this study, the dual-situated learning model was used to frame the learning activities during the
simulation inquiry-based learning environment, to facilitate the conceptual development of Newtons laws of
motion.
2. Literature review
2.1. Computer simulation for Newtons laws of motion
Over the past three decades, the study of conceptual change has been a major research area within science
education (Duit & Treagust, 2003), especially on the topic of Newtons laws of motion for both physics majors and
non-physics majors, by using computer simulation to develop students conceptions (Spyrtou, Hatzikraniotis &
Kariotoglou, 2009; Tao & Gunstone 1999). From studies in the physics classroom, researchers have reached a
consensus that computer simulation could develop students conceptual learning of the laws of motion because of its
features of presenting dynamic theoretical or simplified models of real-world components, phenomena or processes,
encouraging students to observe and explore by changing and recreating variables and enabling them to receive
immediate feedback about real objects, phenomena and processes. However, computer simulation alone is not
enough to overcome alternative concepts where misconceptions exist; the instructional model may also be required
to facilitate conceptual change during the use of computer simulation (Srisawasdi, 2012).
2.2. The Dual-Situated Learning Model (DSLM) for the learning process of conceptual change
The Dual-Situated Learning Model (DSLM) provides a unique tool to emphasize that the learning process of
conceptual change should be situated in the nature of the scientific concepts in question, and students beliefs about
these concepts, in order to determine, design and create the essential mind-set required for constructing a more
scientific view of these concepts (She, 2003, 2004). DSLM includes six stages: 1) examining the attributes of the
scientific concept; 2) probing students alternative scientific conceptions; 3) analysing which mind-sets the students
lack; 4) designing dual-situated learning events; 5) instructing with these dual-situated learning events and 6)
instructing with challenging-situated learning events (She & Liao, 2010).
3 . The interactive computer-simulated laboratory environment based on the dual-situated learning model
In this study, Yenka was used as an interactive computer simulation as a conceptual tool for students inquiry
learning in a laboratory environment. Based on DSLM procedures, the interactive computer-simulated laboratory
environment was developed to overcome students alternative conceptions of Newtons laws of motion as follows.
Figure 1 shows a screen interface of Yenka simulation for science learning.
(C1) Concept of Newtons first law: after the students were probed about their alternative concepts of this law,
the interactive computer simulation was used to allow students to explore the visual representation of the interaction
between time and velocity.
(C2) Concept of Newtons second law: after the students were probed about their alternative concepts of this law,
the interactive computer simulation was used to allow students to adjust the force and mass of each object. Then,
they were asked to explore the simulation graph for each object.
(C3) Concept of Newtons third law: after the students were probed about their alternative concepts of this law,
the interactive computer simulation was used to allow students to adjust the driving force of each object. Then, they
were asked to explore the simulation graph for each object to challenge their understanding of the concept.
(C4) An advanced concept which integrates all three of Newtons laws: the interactive simulation was designed
to be a challenging-situated learning event that combines all of the particular mind-sets for all three of Newtons
laws. The students were asked to adjust the force and mass of each object and, then, they were asked to explore the
graph representation of the interaction between time and acceleration for each object.

2012

Prapaporn Sornkhatha and Niwat Srisawasdi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 93 (2013) 2010 2014

Figure 1: An illustrative example of Yenka simulation

4 . R esults a nd discussion
To investigate the potential of simulation-based inquiry learning on physics students conceptual understanding of
Newtons laws of motion, a pre-post-retention repeated-measures design experiment was conducted with thirty-six
Grade 10 students in a science classroom. A series of open-ended questions were asked to examine the students
conceptual understanding before their participation in the interactive computer-simulated laboratory environment
based on DSLM (the pre-test). Afterwards, the same questions were asked of the students again, to explore their
conceptual understanding on exit and to investigate the change in their conceptual understanding resulting from the
intervention (the post-test). Moreover, the same questions were asked of the students, two months after the post-test,
to examine their conceptual retention (the retention test). The conceptual scores for pre-test, post-test and the
retention test for each concept are shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Friedman test results for pre-test, post-test and retention test
Concepts
C1

C2

C3

C4

Test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test

Mean
0.81
1.44
1.19
1.11
1.56
1.14
0.81
1.19
1.14
0.14
0.39
0.83

Median
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
2.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.00
0.00
1.00

SD
0.47
0.56
0.40
0.46
0.50
0.35
0.40
0.47
0.54
0.42
0.77
0.74

Chi-Square

Asymp.sig.

26.82

0.000

22.95

0.000

14.48

0.001

20.08

0.000

2013

Prapaporn Sornkhatha and Niwat Srisawasdi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 93 (2013) 2010 2014
*

p value < 0.05

Table 1 shows that there is a significant difference between the conceptual scores for pre-test, post-test and the
retention test for each concept. Further data analysis was used to examine whether there is significant difference
between the pre- and post-tests and between the post and retention tests for each concept. Table 2 shows that, for
each concept, there is a significant difference between the pre- and post-tests and between the post and retention
tests.
Table 2: Wilcoxon test results for pre-test, post-test and retention test
Concepts
C1

C2

C3

C4
*

Test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test
Pre-test
Post-test
Retention-test

Mean
0.81
1.44
1.19
1.11
1.56
1.14
0.81
1.19
1.14
0.14
0.39
0.83

Median
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
2.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.00
0.00
1.00

SD
0.47
0.56
0.40
0.46
0.50
0.35
0.40
0.47
0.54
0.42
0.77
0.74

Z
3.957

*
2.496

3.398

*
3.873

3.071

*
0.707

1.937

*
2.610

p value < 0.05

These results show agreement with the consensus that an interactive computer-simulated laboratory environment
based on DSLM could support conceptual development of Newtons laws of motion for the students. This finding is
consistent with studies that show that the use of DSLM can improve students conceptual learning of scientific
concepts (She, 2002, 2003, 2004; Tang, She & Lee, 2005). The interactive simulation emphasizes the need to
provide students with visualizations and to challenge their beliefs regarding the laws of motion phenomenon in order
to help them build a more scientific view of the concepts.
5. Conclusion
The results of this study reveal that the incorporation of learning by DSLM into an interactive simulation has the
potential to aid the development of students conceptual understanding in science through the mechanical process of
conceptual change regarding Newtons laws of motion. This learning environment provides students the opportunity
to visualize the forces, action and reaction phenomena, helping them to change their conceptual views of each law.
Moreover, the change in their conceptions was a deep process of repairing the students alternative conceptions into
accurate scientific conceptions. This implies that students can more quickly and efficiently recall correct scientific
ideas in order to conceptualize more advanced scientific concepts, once this conceptual change has been successful.
The results from this study suggest that an interactive computer-simulated laboratory environment based on DSLM
could provide an alternative way of developing conceptual understanding of Newtons laws of motion.
Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) during the year
2012-2013.

2014

Prapaporn Sornkhatha and Niwat Srisawasdi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 93 (2013) 2010 2014

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