Abstract
M.Ed.
The grade 12 Physical Sciences students of 2008 were the first group of South African
students to write a National Senior Certificate (NSC) on the new outcomes-based
education (OBE) curriculum – the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). Society
scrutinised the performance of students in this high stake examination. The outcome
was disappointing: 71,3% of the students achieved a mark of less than 40%, and 45%
of the group achieved a mark of less than 30%. Concern amongst the educational
community, specifically the Department of Education (DOE), initiated a request for
research into the possible causes of the poor performance by students in this
examination.
There are many factors that affect the performance of students, including the
misconceptions held by students regarding subject content. This study aims to
contribute knowledge about the common misconceptions held by science students
regarding Physics. It also investigates the performance of students in explanation-type
questions and what explanation-types reveal about student misconceptions. The
research design for this study is a content analysis which was carried out qualitatively in
two phases. In the primary phase, a sample of student examination scripts was
analysed. During the secondary phase, interviews were conducted with grade 12
Physical Sciences students and teachers from one school.
The findings of this study are that the following misconceptions are commonly held by
students:
• Heavier objects exert more force on lighter objects during a collision;
• Total external resistance decreases when an external resistor, connected in
parallel, is removed;
• Energy is lost in certain situations;
• A split-ring is found in an AC generator;
• The voltage increases when appliances are added to a multi-plug.