Investigating high school students’ ideas about energy transfer in simple electric circuits

Louisa Christine Winter; Anna Pilser

doi:10.51724/ijpce.v15i2.361

Authors

Louisa Winter University of Vienna; University College of Education Vienna https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5333-3795
Anna Pilser GRg3, Kundmanngasse, Austria https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4477-2851

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51724/ijpce.v15i2.361

Keywords:

Energy transfer, energy frameworks, interviews, qualitative study, demonstration experiments

Abstract

In a recent study, nine students, aged 16-17 years, from Vienna, Austria have been interviewed about energy in electrical circuits. This paper reflects on one part of the study focusing on questioning students about the process of energy transfer. The research design and method involved semi-structured interviews with demonstration experiments, in which the students were asked to observe, describe and explain the experiments. The analysis of the interviews revealed the difficulties students faced in explaining the role of energy and drawing the path of energy transfer in electrical circuits. The paper presents the different energy frameworks described by previous studies that have been used by the students and discusses the inconsistencies in their reasonings. The findings emphasize the need for suitable teaching materials to promote students’ understanding about energy and energy transfer in electrical circuits.

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Author Biographies

Louisa Winter, University of Vienna; University College of Education Vienna

Louisa Winter is a physics education researcher affiliated with the Austrian Competence Centre for Physics at the University of Vienna, where she is currently pursuing her PhD.

Anna Pilser, GRg3, Kundmanngasse, Austria

Anna Pilser finished her Master's studies in physics education research (PER) and is currently working as a secondary school teacher of Physics in at GRg3 Kundmanngasse in Vienna, Austria.

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