What is electric current? An investigation of student difficulties with the ontology of electric current

In this dissertation, I describe a research project conducted at Montana State University aimed at enriching understanding of student difficulties with the subject of electric current. Toward this end, I adopted a model of conceptual change described by Michelene Chi in her work entitled, “Conceptual Change Within and Across Ontological Categories: Examples from Learning and Discovery in Science”. The centerpiece to this model is the notion that student difficulties with the ontology of a new concept can impede their progress in the classroom. The goals of my research were (1) determining the degree to which errors in ontology are a problem for students studying electric current, (2) discerning specific difficulties that arise from those errors, (3) determining the degree to which existing instructional techniques and curricular materials at Montana State University are effective in addressing those difficulties, and (4) developing new curricular materials to specifically target difficulties stemming from ontological errors.; In pursuit of these research goals, data were gathered from students through individual interviews and through a questionnaire style instrument. The questionnaire was developed using the insight gained in the interview conversations. Analysis of student responses to the questionnaire items reveals that introductory physics students at Montana State University are extremely disposed toward ontological errors in their treatment of electric current. The data gathered from administering the questionnaire to students both prior to and after instruction provided much insight into the specific difficulties that stem from these errors in ontology. Employing the questionnaire in several different instructional environments revealed which strategies and curricular styles were more successful in addressing these difficulties. These data informed the development of new curricular materials. The assessment of the new materials revealed improved efficacy in addressing the specific student difficulties targeted in this study.