Students’ Alternative Conceptions in Thermodynamics

P. Kácovský Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Prague, Czech Republic.

Abstract. The paper focuses on alternative conceptions in thermodynamics which secondary school students have to overcome. The literature search outcomes concerning surveys in the field of alternative conceptions in thermodynamics will be presented. Further, the translation of TCE (Thermal Concept Evaluation) test, its current piloting and future intentions with using this instrument will be discussed.

Introduction Thermodynamics (in the Czech curriculum often named Molecular and Thermal Physics) is one

of the largest topics in secondary school physics (together with mechanics, optics and electricity and magnetism). Unfortunately, among Czech students molecular and thermal physics is the least popular part of all physical topics (this was found by Dvořák et al. [2008], popularity of other physical topics are shown in Figure 1). This finding can have many causes, and may be a reason to focus on students’ difficulties in thermodynamics, mainly in common thermal phenomena that we meet in everyday situations. This paper summarizes some general information about students’ alternative conceptions and then focuses on alternative conceptions in thermodynamics and their detection including literature search outcomes concerning existing surveys. Finally, one of the concept inventories designed to uncover students’ alternative conceptions is performed.

About alternative conceptions in general The concept of alternative conceptions is connected with constructivism. This theory claims that

students who come to school are not a blank slate (“tabula rasa”), but that they bring their past experience, their prior knowledge to every learning situation. This prior experience is formed due to students’ natural interaction with their surroundings and it is permanently rebuilt. Intuitive and spontaneous students’ ideas based on prior knowledge are called preconceptions [Skalková, 1999]. These can be consistent with the scientific theories — so called anchoring conceptions — or inconsistent with them — so called alternative conceptions or misconceptions [Clement et al., 1989]. (The terminology is not uniform in this case — some authors present preconceptions and alternative conceptions as the same thing.)

Figure 1. This graph published in Dvořák et al. [2008] shows how popular are different physical topics among Czech students. On the horizontal axis there are from left to right these physical topics: Mechanics, Vibrations and Waves, Molecular and Thermal Physics, Electricity and Magnetism, Optics, Physics of Microworld, Special Theory of Relativity and Astrophysics. On the vertical axis there is an average mark given by students (one is the best mark, five the worst).

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Concept Inventories To study students’ alternative conceptions, qualitative surveys or concept inventories are often

used [NC State University, 2013]. Concept inventories are multiple-choice tests designed to examine students’ understanding of a specific set of concepts.

The first concept inventory called “Common sense concepts about motion” was developed by Halloun and Hestenes [1985] and this one became a basis for a “Force Concept Inventory” (FCI), probably the most famous and most influential concept inventory. Further, other concept inventories were developed — e.g., “Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation” [Thornton and Sokoloff, 1998] or “Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment” [Chabay et al., 2006]. More than forty concept inventories are summarized on the website of NC State University [2013].

In thermodynamics, two concept inventories are often mentioned. The first one is the Introductory Thermal Concept Evaluation (TCE) developed by Yeo and Zadnik [2001], the second is The Heat and Temperature Conceptual Evaluation (HTCE) designed by Sokoloff and Thornton [2001].

Alternative Conceptions in Thermodynamics To get an idea about existing researches in the field of alternative conceptions in thermodynamics,

I have searched literature using ISI Web of Knowledge, EBSCO and ERIC databases trying to find out articles concerning this topic. The most cited articles I have found are chronologically ordered in Table 1. Due to the number of students involved, it is obvious that studies number (1), (2) and (3) were lead through qualitative methods, the studies number (4) and (5) through concept inventories.

Table 1. Some researches concerning alternative conceptions in thermodynamics in the last 20 years.

Number Country Authors Age of

students Number of

students

(1) USA Lewis, Linn [1994] 12–14 37 (2) Australia, RSA Harrison, Grayson, Treagust [1999] 16–17 5 (3) USA Wiser, Amin [2001] 14 4 (4) Australia Yeo, Zadnik [2001] 15–18 478 (5) South Korea Treagust, Chu, Yeo, Zadnik [2012] 15–18 515

Lewis and Linn [1994] designed and used so called CLP (Computer as a Lab Partner) curriculum

to foster the integration of students’ scientific knowledge in the field of heat and temperature concepts. Using this tool they identified these alternative conceptions held by students (but adults as well):

• Metals attract, hold or absorb cold. • Conductors conduct heat more slowly than insulators. • Insulators conduct heat fast and heat leaves so insulators don’t feel hot. • Insulators absorb/trap heat. • Wool warms things up. The next qualitative study was carried out by Harrison et al. [1999] in Australia. In this case, five

Grade 11 boys were taught thermodynamics using “Physics by Inquiry” textbook written by McDermott [1995]. The paper describes a change from boys’ intuitive conceptions to the scientific view of heat and temperature during the 8-week student-centered teaching. Similar approach was applied by Wiser and Amin [2001].

The studies number (4) and (5) both used the TCE test mentioned above. In Treagust et al. [2012] the list of common alternative conceptions taken from previous literature studies is stated. In addition to alternative conceptions diagnosed by Lewis and Linn [1994] another are mentioned:

• There are two types of heat: hot heat and cold heat. • Heat is a material substance. • Temperature is an extensive quantity. • Temperature of boiling water can exceed 100 °C during boiling. • Temperature is a measure of heat.

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• The temperature of different objects is different event though they have been placed in the same environment over an extended period of time.

The use of the TCE test is described in this paper in greater detail (see the next paragraph).

The Thermal Concept Evaluation (TCE) In order to study students’ alternative conceptions in the Czech Republic, I have chosen the above

mentioned concept inventory designed in 2001 by Yeo and Zadnik [2001] at Curtin University in Perth in Australia. This test named Thermal Concept Evaluation (TCE) consists of 26 multiple-choice questions focused on thermal phenomena in common everyday situations (the example of two questions is shown in Figure 2).

In Australia almost five hundreds secondary school students were tested [Yeo and Zadnik, 2001], later the test was (both in its full or reduced version) used in other countries like the United States [Luera et al., 2005; Schnittka and Bell, 2011], Turkey [Baser, 2006] or Libya [Alwan, 2011]. In the last year, the reduced version (only 19 items) of the TCE was used to test 515 South Korean secondary school students [Treagust et al., 2012].

Czech version of the TCE In March 2013, I have started to prepare the Czech version of the TCE. The test was translated

into Czech (the example of two translated questions is shown in Figure 3) and during next months the translation was discussed with five secondary school expert teachers (more than twenty years of practice) and with seven university experts from the Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics in Prague. Taking into account their comments, the number of questions was reduced from 26 to 19.

In May 2013, piloting of the Czech version of the TCE has started and over 70 students at three different secondary schools were involved. The main goals of the pilot study are to check the intelligibility of the test and its time adequacy; in addition, students had a possibility to comment each item. Nowadays the results of the pilot study are being evaluated.

Figure 2. The example of two multiple-choice questions included in the TCE test.

Figure 3. Czech translation of questions shown in Figure 2.

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Future plans In the next school year, after modifications based on the pilot study, I plan to use the Czech

version of the TCE as a pre-test and post-test targeted at secondary school students aged from 15 to 17 years. The pre-test will be administered before students start the topic of thermodynamics in their regular physics lessons, the post-test will be administered after that in order to assess the acquisition of teaching this topic in Czech secondary schools for students’ understanding of common thermal phenomena.

The obtained information concerning alternative conceptions in thermodynamics will become the basis for developing sets of experiments trying to connect scientific knowledge in thermodynamics with everyday situations and praxis.

Conclusion This paper summarized general information about students’ alternative conceptions in

thermodynamics and literature search outcomes concerning their diagnosis. As a diagnostic tool for using in Czech environment, the Thermal Conceptual Evaluation (TCE) test was chosen. In March 2013, the test was translated into Czech and modified for the conditions of Czech education system. In May 2013, the piloting of its Czech reduced version has started. In the future, the test will be used as a pre-test and post-test in order to identify alternative conceptions of Czech students and to access the acquisition of physics lessons for students’ understanding of common thermal phenomena in everyday life.

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