Determining the Misconceptions of Primary School Students Related to Sound Transmission Through Drawing

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the misconceptions of second grade primary school students related to sound transmission through drawing. In the study, the misconceptions determined through drawing were supported by multiple choice questions. Sampling consists of 286 (143 girls, 143 boys) primary school students educated in Samsun in 2007/2008 educational year. In the data collection device, there are three open-ended and two multiple choice questions prepared in accordance with science and technology programme by scanning the literature. Students are requested to answer the open-ended questions using their drawings. The data obtained from multiple choice test were analysed through computing. Drawings were analyzed and categorized into model types corresponding to five and three levels of understanding. As a result of analysis of drawings and multiple choice questions, it was found that students had several misconceptions related to sound transmission. These are some of the misconceptions obtained as a result of the study that students did not notice that sound is heard by reflection and the particles in the medium transfer energy by vibrating while the sound is being transmitted and they thought that matter moves into the direction of the sound transmitted. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.