Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 25

THE APPROACH OF GRADE 12 STEM STUDENTS TO OVERCOME PHYSICS

DIFFICULTIES AND IMPLICATIONS


Title Author Year of Participants Locale Results and Discussion Conclusion
Publication
1. Students M. Vijaya Bhaskara 2017 303 Bachelor Piler In this study 303 subjects were The results of the study
Problem-Solving Reddy, Buncha of education Mandal, included from high school revealed that the high failure
Difficulties and Panacharoensawad students of Chittoor physics students. Out of 303 rate in physics due to their
Implications in physics in district, children 174 Journal of inability to understand the basic
Piler Mandal,
Physics: An Andhra Education and Practice subject matter content,
Chittoor
Empirical Study Pradesh, www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 principles of physics in formulas.
district,
on Influencing Andhra India. (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) It leads to lack of remembering
Factors Pradesh, Vol.8, No.14, 2017 61 (57.4%) problem-based equations in
India children were perceived that the physics. To overcome these
lack of ability in remembering obstacles, it is recommended
related equations is one of the that each student should be
most influencing factor in given the ample time and
physics problem solving opportunity to solve the physics
difficulties. Followed by Lack of problems during the process of
practice on problem solving learning physics. Science
during the classes (55.1%), Lack educators and curriculum
of understanding the developers need to incorporate
fundamental basics of the and emphasize on mathematical
physics problem (50.8), Poor concepts which are necessary to
mathematical skills on necessary the understanding of physics
understanding of the physics and its new dimensions.
problem (45.8%), lack of Eventually, the study has

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
motivation from the physics revealed that the stakeholders
teachers and inexperience of the should take initiative steps to
teacher (40.2), Inadequate strengthen the educational
exercises on specific unit wise practices. It is clear that the lack
physics problems (37.6%), Poor of problem-solving skills in
comprehensive skills on physics in nationwide is of
definitions, laws, and basic alarming magnitude, but also of
principles of physics (33.9), lack great intricacy.
of books or materials on
problem-solving in physics
(25.7%), and Confusion arise
from unit to unit and its
reflections on physics problem
(18.4%) respectively. The results
of the investigative study
reported and revealed that the
index of agreement of the
physics students on problem
solving difficulties as follows: 1.
Lack of ability in remembering
related equations in physics
subject. 2. Lack of practice on
physics problem solving during
the classes. 3. Lack of
understanding the fundamental
basics of the physics problem. 4.
Poor mathematical skills on
necessary understanding of the

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
physics problem. 5. Lack of
motivation from the physics
teachers and inexperience of the
teacher. 6. Inadequate exercises
on specific unit wise physics
problems. 7. Poor
comprehensive skills on
definitions, laws, and basic
principles of physics. 8. Lack of
books or materials on problem-
solving in physics. 9. Confusion
arise from unit to unit and its
reflections on physics problem
The study elevates the typical
validation for student’s class
room perceptions on physics
problem solving difficulties. The
results of the study revealed the
inconclusive association
between students’ perceptions
and their attitudes on problem
solving difficulties and
individualized physics classes,
trainee teacher interpersonal
behaviours on problem solving
and physics laboratory
experiments to encourage the
students to learn how to solve

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
the problems in physics showing
significance as an indicator of
students’ attitudes toward
physics. Having a standardized
set of items for the assessment
of achievement was shown to
give more comparable sample
results. Physics laboratory
classes’ attitudes had a positive
effect on both the five scales of
ICEQ and PLEI. In terms of the
QTI scales, the influence and
proximity: students in highly
motivated classes had a more
favourable perception of their
trainee teachers. Finally, this
study only found an association
between students’ perceptions
and their attitudes toward
physics variables associated to
students’ perceptions. Possible
suggestions were identified from
the pooled results of the study
to reduce student’s difficulties in
problem-solving in physics. In
accordance with the pooled
survey suggestions are as
follows: 1. Teachers need to give

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
enough homework and
assignments from each topic. 2.
Need to conduct the mock tests
on each topic before the final
exams. 3. Schools especially
private schools need to recruit
qualified (Ph.D.) teachers and at
least one teacher must have 5-
10 years of teaching experience
in physics. 4. Prepare and
execute a detailed blueprint on
physics. 5. Teachers need to
prepare summary notes on key
topics and how to solve the
physics problems. 6. Need to
emphasize in explaining the
basic equations to be used in
solving physics problems. 7.
Laboratory based problem
solving should be performed
with special reference to
physics. 8. School must provide
good textbooks, which
emphasise on problem-solving.
9. Providing organized tutorial
on how to solve problems with
easy way and each time a
problem is to be solved. 10.

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
Revise the key and fundamental
topics in physics and
mathematical skills
2. Factors Fiki Alghadari , 2020 101 Indonesia Talking about learning on The data analysis directs to a
Affecting Senior Tatang Herman, Indonesian geometry concept, especially conclusion that BGC, MSE and
High School Sufyani high school distance in three dimensions, one model of mathematic test-
Students to Solve Prabawanto students will emerge different perception taking, and interaction between
Three- and learning experience among gender and learning, have
Dimensional people. As geometry orientation significantly predisposed
Geometry is visual-spatial, explicitly it has geometry problem solving.
Problems burdened on strategy of Then, either being moderated
abstract spatial reasoning by by learning or gender, there is a
understanding problems and significant effect of BGC, MTSE
manipulating information and MSSE on geometry problem
(Buckley, Seery, & Canty, 2019). solving. In this field, MTSE is a
Thus, solving geometry key mediator factor influencing
problems in its context required geometry problem solving.
visualization-spatial and spatial- Nevertheless, MSSE sways
transformation (Rosilawati & negatively geometry problem
Alghadari, 2018), as the process solving. Thereupon, the
of spatiality is implemented students’ BGC affects MTSE and
earlier than mathematic ability GPS, which causes self-efficacy
(Alghadari, 2016). For the on the task they work on. Even
requirement mentioned above, so, some factors mentioned do
it has been declared that gender not touch geometry problem
factor is a strong predictor in solving substantially. It occurs
spatial issue due to some study due to the students’ low
reports underlining that man’s achievement which produced by

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
ability is a lot better than visualization barrier, in which
woman’s (Buckley et al., 2019; the female students face more
Goos et al., 2017). Further, difficulties than the male
gender factor influences students do. The female
students’ self-efficacy (Schunk & students from direct learning
Dibenedetto, 2016), and gender are categorized as the one who
is a significant moderator to find the most visualization
govern basic competence on barrier. Some studies report the
self-efficacy directing to students’ different ability seen
mathematic achievement from LA and gender. Students’
(Chang, 2015; Grigg, Perera, ability and accuracy to solve
McIlveen, & Svetleff, 2018). All problems have made an impact
factors listed above have been a on their self-efficacy and
part of the present research. geometry achievement. Hence,
Hereinafter, the fact speaks that LA and gender are the factor
based on the average of moderating students’ BGC and
achievement, there is score efficacy. Consequently, the
increase as the result of present research recommends
geometry competence and LA adjustment to gender as the
learning approach. It is visualization process becomes
geometry basic and problem- the main obstacle preventing
solving competence for each the students from geometry
learning approach to place material mastery
higher position. The researchers
denote that learning habit
implemented in the approach is
the reason. During the
implementation of direct

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
learning, problem-solving
process suiting the curriculum
standard tends to be taught to
students, as the textbook usually
contain questions to apply
aspect of cognitive process
dimension. For that reason, in
direct learning group, it is
acceptable to see the female
students’ competence on
geometry is much higher than
the male students’ competence.
The bigger female student
number also supports this
different score. To explain this
phenomenon, the researchers
see the analysis result for trend
percentage of students’
obstacle, finding out that there
is a much higher tendency of
male students in investigative
learning to encounter obstacles
in applying concept compared to
female students (after
visualization and representation
process). Moreover, the male
student composition in the
investigative learning group is

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
more than the female student
number; it is vice versa in the
direct learning group. This result
exhibit different view from the
discussion of Alghadari and
Herman’s study (2018) as the
students do not go through
verbal and communication
barriers in interpreting
information, concept, and
problems to finish. Howbeit, in
both groups, the female
students specifically tend to find
difficulties in visualization while
percentage of student’s
obstacles Organization
Visualization Representation
Application.
3. Analyzing Dewi Sartika and 2018 25 physics Physics As stated in the previous section Based on the results of the
Students’ Nur Aisyah students Education that this research is a study and discussion, it can be
Problem-Solving Humairah Study qualitative-explorative research. concluded that: a) The majority
Difficulties on Program of This research describes the of the students in physics
Modern Physics West actual condition of research education study program of
Sulawesi, subjects that is related with Western Sulawesi University
Indonesia students’ difficulty in solving experience difficulty in solving
problem of modern physics. The problem on modern physics
data collection in this research with percentage; 78% students
uses pre-test towards students, feel difficult in the phase

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
i.e. by giving a number of question understanding, 67%
exercises that are taken from students feel difficult in
modern physics material. The completion phase, 100%
pre-test result will be Pre-Test students feel difficult in the
Problem-Solving Difficulty phase of review/evaluation. b)
Identification Test Interview Test One of the solutions in solving
(Exploration of ProblemSolving problem that is faced by
Difficulty) Data Analysis students of physics education
Conclusion Composing Research study program in western
Report 4 1234567890 ‘’“” 2nd Sulawesi University in solving
International Conference on problem of modern physics
Statistics, Mathematics, subject is to implement a
Teaching, and Research IOP learning model that is suitable
Publishing IOP Conf. Series: e.g. the cooperative problem
Journal of Physics: Conf. Series solving learning model.
1028 (2018) 012205
doi :10.1088/1742-
6596/1028/1/012205 used as a
foundation in taking research
subjects, grouping research
subjects are done based on the
pretest result of students that
are existed in score interval that
are categorized as high,
medium, and low. From 25
students, the research subjects
will be chosen 3 students that
each of them represent students

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
with its category (high, medium,
and low). To explore students’
difficulty in solving problem, so
that interview towards three
research subjects is conducted.
Table 1. The Result of the
Problem-Solving Difficulty Test N
o Scoring Aspect Percentage of
Difficulty in Solving Problem 1
Understanding the question 78%
2 Completion plan 67% 3
Implementation of the Plan 67%
4 Review/Evaluation 100%
Based on table 1, it is known
that from three research
subjects (A, B, and C) 78% or the
majority of subjects experience
difficulty in understanding
modern physics questions that
are given. Then, in the second
and third step from the
completion plan of Polya, the
subject has equal difficulty
percentage i.e. 67% with
majority category experience
difficulty in planning and
implementing the problem
solving. In the last step namely

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
review/evaluation, all subjects
experience difficulty with total
percentage of 100%. From
several phases of interview that
has been done, the researcher
can be concluded that: Subject
(A) experience difficulty in
solving problem on the question
number 1 according to Polya
phase. Subject (A) experience
difficulty in solving problem on
the question number 2
especially in the phase of solving
problem, the phase of solving
problem, and evaluation phase.
Subject (A) experience a
difficulty in solving problem of
the question number 3
especially in the last phase from
four total Polya phases. Subject
(B) experiences difficulty in
solving problem in the question
number 1 according to Polya
phases. Subject (B) has difficulty
in solving problem of the
question number 2 particularly
in the phase of solving problem
plan, problem solving phase,

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
and evaluation phase. Subject B
has difficulty in solving problem
of the question number 3 mainly
in the last phase of four Polya
phases. Subject C experiences
difficulty in solving problem of
the question number 1
according to Polya phases.
Subject C doesn’t have any
significant difficulties in solving
problem of the question number
2. Subject C experience difficulty
in solving problem of the
question number 3 particularly
in the third phase and fourth
phase of Polya phases.
4. The Rasch- Habibi Habibi , 2019 126 physics Yogyakarta, The Logistic parameter model Learning difficulties are a
rating scale Jumadi Jumadi , teacher Indonesia displays the output of suitability psychological cause that can
model to identify Mundilarto candidates of items in detecting learning disrupt student self-regulation
learning Mundilarto have been difficulties through self- in learning. The Rasch Model is
observed for
difficulties of regulation strategies. The feasible to measure self-
one
physics students compatibility of items developed regulation skills through a self-
semester.
based on self- both based on INFIT MNSQ or sustaining project strategy. The
regulation skills INFIT T is in accordance with the appropriateness between
requirements (Table 1). This is in learning strategies and learner
accordance with the results of characteristics has contributed
the IRT analysis that the positively for self-regulation
distribution of all items has been

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
fit according to the Rasch Model
which is in the range of scores
from 0.77 to 1.30. This means
that the construct of items is
appropriate and effective for
measuring self-regulation
indicators. The output from the
QUEST program provides
information about the feasibility
of items analyzed according to
the Rasch model. Table 1
illustrates the output that
informs about the distribution of
items based on their
compatibility with the Rasch
model. The QUEST output
provides reference options for
the suitability of models
developed based on INFIT
MNSQ criteria or INFIT T. Table 1
shows the output distribution
profile of items specifically for fit
criteria based on MNSQ INFIT.
All items that have been used
are within the range received (fit
by the Rasch model) according
to the INFIT MNSQ and INFIT
criteria. There are no items that

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
suggest to be improved because
they meet the validity criteria.
This means that the output
produced can be fully used to
interpret the probability of
responding self-regulation
behavior. In addition, it can be
stated that the items developed
have been feasible to detect
learning difficulties through
indicators of self-regulation
ability. This finding is very
important as a prerequisite for
detecting learning difficulties for
prospective physics teachers
based on self-regulation skills.
Analysis of the Rasch model is
able to inform about the
characteristics of the test items
formed into the same metrics.
5. Towards a T. Bouchee, L. de 2021 Students in Eindhoven, Research into students’ In conclusion, the four reasons
better Putter-Smits, M. University Netherlands conceptual difficulties is an for conceptual difficulties are
understanding of Thurlings, and B. of important research area in QP the primary pedagogic challenge
conceptual Pepin Technology education (Dini & Hammer, that introductory QP education
difficulties in in 2017). The abstract nature of QP has to deal with to make QP
introductory Eindhoven, is often foregrounded as the accessible for students. These
quantum physics Netherlands origin of students’ conceptual four reasons not only impede
courses difficulties (e.g., Krijtenburg- students’ meaning-making

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
Lewerissa et al., 2017). This processes, they also hinder
literature review has combined students to adapt and
findings from different research reconstruct their current
perspectives to describe the conceptual framework. The use
notion of ‘abstract nature’ in a of digital materials and
more nuanced way. The origin of discussing the history and
students’ conceptual difficulties philosophy of QP are two
was described, as well as why teaching strategies that were
these conceptual difficulties indicated to overcome students’
persist over time. Four reasons conceptual difficulties. To
were identified to account for successfully achieve this,
students’ conceptual difficulties teacher professional
when learning QP. These development is likely to be
reasons are that students needed, as it has been
struggle a) to relate the suggested that physics teachers
mathematical formalism to might lack the skills to teach the
experiences in the physical topic effectively (Baily &
world; b) to interpret counter- Finkelstein, 2014; Bungum et al.,
intuitive QP phenomena and 2015). Such teacher professional
concepts; c) to transit from development would raise
deterministic to a probabilistic teachers’ awareness about the
worldview; and d) to understand four reasons for students’
the limitations of language to conceptual difficulties and
express quantum phenomena, support promising teaching
concepts, and objects. The four strategies, such as the use of
reasons impede students’ digital materials and the history
meaning-making of QP and the and philosophy of QP to
gradual accommodation of the promote students’ meaning-

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
new meaning-making into their making of QP. Teachers would
existing conceptual framework. learn to foster the cognitive
Conceptual difficulties surface as resources that students display
students struggle to make in their classroom and value
meaning, and their reasoning is them as the productive
based on the inappropriate epistemological tools that
activation of context-dependent enable their students to
cognitive or meta-cognitive gradually master this
resources, such as classical or cornerstone of modern physics.
common-sense reasoning. This
study has shown which
challenges teachers and
students face when teaching
and learning QP, as well as how
to address these challenges.
Providing science educators,
curriculum developers, and
teacher educators with a better
understanding of these
challenges can enhance the
teaching and learning of QP.
First, this study has combined
insights from several studies on
students’ conceptual difficulties
to come to an overview of the
four underlying reasons for
students’ conceptual difficulties.
Second, separate learning

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
theories and perspectives were
combined to present one broad
view on students’ conceptual
difficulties in QP. Third, our
findings suggest that the
resources that students use
while reasoning about QP
should be valued and enhanced,
rather than problematised.
Fourth, insights from this study
can provide a framework to
develop and evaluate future
curriculum efforts, learning
progressions, curriculum
materials, and new teaching
strategies. These four
implications are discussed in
more detail. This literature
review identified four reasons
specific to QP and described
how and why these reasons lead
to conceptual difficulties for
students over an extended
period. Other reviews have
attributed students’ difficulties
to the abstract nature of QP,
highlighted the paradigm shift
from classical physics to QP as a

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
possible reason for students’
conceptual difficulties, and
pointed towards the influence of
the ongoing philosophical
debate about the interpretation
of the mathematical formalism
of QP on students’ conceptual
development, as reasons for
student difficulties in terms of
meaning-making (Greca &
Freire, 2014; Krijtenburg-
Lewerissa et al., 2017;
Marshman & Singh, 2015).
Although these earlier reviews
are valuable in their own right,
this paper fills a gap by
synthesising the various studies
in QP education into one broad
view on students’ conceptual
difficulties in QP. Taking this
broad view of students’
conceptual difficulties has
allowed to combine several
frequently adopted learning
theories used to explore
students’ conceptual difficulties
and their associated
mechanisms. The ‘conceptual

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
change’ perspective allowed us
to highlight that students’
conceptual difficulties in QP
originate in a deeply rooted
conceptual framework that is
stable over time and resistant to
change and QP education should
aim to restructure students’
conceptual frameworks (e.g.,
Ayene et al., 2019; Kalkanis et
al., 2003; Oh, 2011). The ‘mental
models’ perspective can
illustrate that students’ prior
ideas are not elaborated or
stable, and students’ reasoning
can depend on the physical
context as well as on the
framing of the problem (Didiş et
al., 2014; Hubber, 2006; Wan et
al., 2019). Conceptual difficulties
surface as students struggle to
make meaning, and their
reasoning is based on the
inappropriate activation of
context-dependent cognitive or
meta-cognitive resources. Lastly,
acknowledging a social
constructivist perspective on

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
learning can foreground the use
of language as a way to develop
and assess students’ meaning-
making by seeing language as a
mediator of this meaning-
making process (e.g., Brookes &
Etkina, 2007; Henriksen et al.,
2018). This study has tried to
illustrate that the cognitive and
meta-cognitive resources
students use in QP, such as
everyday reasoning or classical
thinking, should be regarded as
sites for learning and as valuable
means for students (and
teachers) to overcome the real
challenge of QP education. The
real challenge is to overcome
the four reasons for students’
conceptual difficulties and
progress towards a more
suitable conceptual framework.
From this perspective, the
nuances displayed in students’
reasoning are valued and seen
as possible resources for
conceptual development rather
than incorrect ideas that need to

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
be repaired or replaced
(Hammer, 2000; Hammer et al.,
2005). Moreover, the ideas put
forward by a student provide an
opportunity to uncover which
reason(s) underlie students’
inappropriate reasoning.
Providing feedback on these
underlying reasons can not only
benefit students’ provisional
meaning-making but may well
elucidate the necessary
developmental steps the
student needs to make towards
a new, more appropriate,
conceptual framework. The
effectiveness of introductory QP
curricula, learning progressions,
teaching strategies, and learning
activities could be uncovered by
studying students’ ability to
overcome the four reasons for
conceptual difficulties. These
four reasons for conceptual
difficulties could be used as a
framework to evaluate students’
conceptual understanding as, for
instance, previous research has

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
established that several tiers can
be identified in students’
conceptual development as they
become more aware of the
transition from classical physics
to QP (e.g., Krijtenburg-
Lewerissa et al., 2017; Testa et
al., 2019). Future research can
explore whether the four
reasons proposed by this
literature review can be used as
a framework to better
understand students’
conceptual difficulties, identify
possibilities to address these
difficulties, and evaluate the
effectiveness of QP teaching
using the teaching strategies
identified in this literature
review.

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
APA CITATION
Reddy, M., & Panacharoensawad, B. (2017). Students Problem-Solving Difficulties and Implications in Physics: An Empirical Study on
Influencing Factors. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(14), 59-62.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1143924
Alghadari, F., Herman, T., & Prabawanto, S. (2020). Factors affecting senior high school students to solve three-dimensional geometry
problems. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 15(3), em0590.
https://www.iejme.com/article/factors-affecting-senior-high-school-students-to-solve-three-dimensional-geometry-problems-8234

Sartika, D., & Humairah, N. A. (2018, June). Analyzing students’ problem-solving difficulties on modern physics. In Journal of Physics:
Conference Series (Vol. 1028, No. 1, p. 012205). IOP Publishing.
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1028/1/012205/meta
Habibi, H., Jumadi, J., & Mundilarto, M. (2019). The Rasch-Rating Scale Model to Identify Learning Difficulties of Physics Students Based on Self-Regulation
Skills. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 8(4), 659-665.

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1238369

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com
Bouchée, T., de Putter-Smits, L., Thurlings, M., & Pepin, B. (2021). Towards a better understanding of conceptual difficulties in introductory
quantum physics courses. Studies in Science Education, 1-20.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03057267.2021.1963579

Address: San Pablo 2nd, Lubao, Pampanga


Contact No: 09330336818
Email Address: sp2nh@gmail.com

You might also like