Diagnostic Assessment of Students' Misconceptions about Heat and Temperature Through the Use of Two-Tier Test Instrument

Abstract:

The research looked into the misconceptions held by Physics students about some selected heat and temperature concepts. The research design employed in this study was a diagnostic-descriptive research design. A sample of 56 Senior High School (SHS) two (2) students, drawn from Berekum Senior School in the Berekum Municipality, Ghana, were used for the study. An instrument known as the Two-Tier Test Instrument of Heat and Temperature Concepts (HTCT) was employed in data gathering. Mean score, standard deviation, frequencies, percentage were used to answer research questions one and two, while one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and correlational analysis was used to answer research question three. Results indicated that students used for this study hold misconceptions, lack understanding, and have difficulties explaining the selected heat and temperature concepts used in the HTCT instrument. The results also revealed that misconceptions about heat and temperature concepts non-significantly interact with student age (F .545 = .463, p > .05), but significantly interact with students' gender (F 4.541 = .038, p < .05). Based on the results obtained, the researchers recommended the use of two-tier test instruments and advanced organisers to identify students’ misconceptions of scientific concepts.