Skip to main content
Log in

MAGNETISM TEACHING SEQUENCES BASED ON AN INDUCTIVE APPROACH FOR FIRST-YEAR THAI UNIVERSITY SCIENCE STUDENTS

  • Published:
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the impact on student motivation and understanding of magnetism of teaching sequences based on an inductive approach. The study was conducted in large lecture classes. A pre- and post-Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism was conducted with just fewer than 700 Thai undergraduate science students, before and after being taught the concepts, in three academic years. For 2005 and 2006, overall, the students had a better understanding of concepts associated with electricity, but a majority of the students seemed not to understand magnetism after the teaching. Drawing on these findings, the teaching sequences of the magnetism topic were developed, and then implemented in the academic year 2007. The teaching sequences included demonstrations and visuals to help students infer rules and theories for themselves (inductive method). In addition, interactive notes, information on historical science discoveries about magnetic phenomenon, questions, student discussions, and magnetism problems were used to support student learning during lectures. Students in the academic year 2007 performed significantly better after the teaching. In addition, the students had a positive perception towards the teaching sequences, which allowed them to be involved more actively during lectures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Aguirre, J. M. (1988). Student preconceptions about vector kinematics. Physics Teacher, 26, 212–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, B., & Bach, F. (2005). On designing and evaluating teaching sequences taking geometrical optics as an example. Science Education, 89(2), 196–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, J. L., Lee, M., & Carr, J. P. (2004). The effects of guided notes on undergraduate students’ recording of lecture content. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 31(4), 314–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bay, M., Staver, J. R., Bryan, T., & Hale, J. B. (1990). Science instruction for the mildly handicapped: Direct instruction versus discovery teaching. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 23(6), 555–570.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, L. M. (2006). An inductive approach to teaching elementary science. Science Education, 50(1), 31–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caramazza, A., McCloskey, M., & Green, B. (1981). Naive beliefs in ‘sophisticated’ subjects: Misconceptions about trajectories of objects. Cognition & Instruction, 9, 117–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, W. (2005). Impact of constructivist teaching on students’ beliefs about teaching and learning in introductory physics. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology, 5(1), 95–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (Eds.). (2000). Research methods in education (5th Ed.). London: Routlege Falmer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coles, C. R. (1985). Differences between conventional and problem-based curricula in their students’ approaches to studying. Medical Education 19(4), 308–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Driver, R., Asoko, H., & Leach, J. (1994). Constructing scientific knowledge in the classroom. Educational Research, 23(7), 5–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duit, R., & Treagust, D. F. (1998). Learning in science—From behaviourism towards social constructivism and beyond. In B. Fraser & K. Tobin (Eds.), International handbook of science education (pp. 3–25). Dordrecht, the Netherland: Kluwer.

  • Ebert-May, D., Brewer, C., & Allred, S. (1997). Innovation in large lectures--teaching for active learning. Bioscience, 47(9), 601–607.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edward, N. S. (2001). Evaluation of a constructivist approach to student induction in relation to students’ learning styles. European Journal of Engineering Education, 26(4), 429–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engelhardt, P. V., & Beichner, R. J. (2004). Students’ understanding of direct current resistive electrical circuits. American Journal of Physics, 72(1), 98–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felder, R. (1993). Reaching the second tier: Learning and teaching styles in college science education. Journal of College Science Teaching, 23(5), 286–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraser, B. J., & Wahlberg, H. J. (1995). Improving science education. Chicago, IL: National Society for the Study of Education

  • Haan, R. L. D. (2005). The impending revolution in undergraduate science education. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 14(2), 253–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewson, M. G. & Hewson, P. W. (2006). Effect of instruction using students’ prior knowledge and conceptual change strategies on science learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20(8), 731–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, D., Gambell, T., & Randhawa, B. (2005). Gender gaps in group listening and speaking: Issues in social constructivist approaches to teaching and learning. Educational Review, 57(3), 329–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kearney, M. (2004). Classroom use multimedia-supported predict–observe–explain task in a social constructivist learning environment. Research in Science Education, 34(4), 427–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keyser, M. W. (2000). Active learning and cooperative learning: Understanding the difference and using both styles effectively. Research Strategies, 17, 35–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Küçüközer, A. (2006). Evolution of the students’ conceptual understanding in the case of a teaching sequence in mechanics: Concept of interaction. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 2(1), 30–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leach, J., & Scott, P. (2002). Designing and evaluating science teaching sequences: An approach drawing upon the concept of learning demand and a social constructivist perspective on learning. Studies in Science Education, 38, 115–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leach, J., Hind, A., & Ryder, J. (2002). Designing and evaluating short teaching interventions about the epistemology of science in high school classrooms. Science Education, 87(6), 831–848

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lester, J. C., Stone, B. A., & Stelling, G. D. (1999). Lifelike pedagogical agents for mixed-initiative problem solving in constructivist learning environments. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 9, 1–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maloney, D. P., O’Kuma, T. L., Hieggelke, C. J., & Heuvelen, A. V. (2001). Surveying students’ conceptual knowledge of electricity and magnetism. American Journal of Physics, 69(7), S12–S23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, J. P., & Anderson, L. (2000). Active learning techniques versus traditional teaching styles: Two experiments for history and political science. Innovative Higher Education, 24(4), 279–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, L. C., & Redish, E. F. (1999). RL-PER1: Resource letter on physics education research. American Journal of Physics, 67(9), 755–767.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, L. C., & Shaffer, P. S. (1992). Research as a guide for curriculum development: An example from introductory electricity. Part I: Investigation of student understanding. American Journal of Physics, 60(11), 994–1003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Méheut, M., & Psillos, D. (2004). Teaching–learning sequences: Aims and tools for science education research. International Journal of Science Education 26(5), 515–535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millar, R., Leach, J., Osborne, J., & Ratcliffe, M. (2006). Improving subject teaching. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newble, D., & Cannon, R. (1995). A handbook for teachers in universities & colleges: A guide to improving teaching methods (3rd ed.). London: Kogan Pag.

  • Norman, G. R., & Schmidt, H. G. (1992). The psychological basis of problem-based learning: A review of the evidence. Academic Medicine, 67 (9), 557–565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paatz, R., Ryder, J., Schwedes, H., & Scott, P. (2004). A case study analysing the process of analogy-based learning in a teaching unit about simple electric circuits. International Journal of Science Education, 26(9), 1065–1081.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage

    Google Scholar 

  • Pozzer-Ardenghi, L., & Roth, W.-M. (2007). On performing concepts during science lectures. Science Education, 91(1), 96–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prince, M. J., & Felder, R. M. (2006). Inductive teaching and learning methods: Definitions, comparisons, and research bases. Journal of Engineering Education, 95(2), 123–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, M. J., & Felder, R. M. (2007). The many faces of inductive teaching and learning. Journal of College Science Teaching, 36(5), 14–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seymour, E., & Hewitt, N. (1997). Talking about leaving: Why undergraduates leave science. Boulder: Westview.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokoloff, D. R., & Thornton, R. K. (1997). Using interactive lecture demonstrations to create an active learning environment. Physics Teacher, 35(6), 340–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thacker, B., Kim, E., Trefz, K., & Lea, S. M. (1994). Comparing problem solving performance of physics students in inquiry-based and traditional introductory physics courses. American Journal of Physics, 62(7), 627–633.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viennot, L., & Rainson, S. (1999). Design and evaluation of a research-based teaching sequence: The superposition of electric field. International Journal of Science Education, 21(1), 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Windschitl, M. (2002). Framing constructivism in practice as the negotiation of dilemmas: An analysis of the conceptual, pedagogical, cultural, and political challenges facing teachers. Review of Educational Research, 72(2), 131–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pattawan Narjaikaew.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Narjaikaew, P., Emarat, N., Arayathanitkul, K. et al. MAGNETISM TEACHING SEQUENCES BASED ON AN INDUCTIVE APPROACH FOR FIRST-YEAR THAI UNIVERSITY SCIENCE STUDENTS. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 8, 891–910 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-009-9191-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-009-9191-x

KEY WORDS

Navigation