SEEKING THE CAUSAL CONNECTION IN ELECTRICITY - SHIFTING AMONG MECHANISTIC PERSPECTIVES

This study evaluates reasoning about electric circuits in adolescents. We measured high school students' inclinations to shift among three m echanistic perspectives while solving circuit problems. Twenty-two stu dents from the same physics class were assigned to Treatment and Contr ol groups. Semi-structured interviews carried out before and after the teacher's electricity instruction measured changes in the Treatment g roup's reasoning. Four of the ten Treatment group subjects, the 'Impro ved Performers', increased their accuracy scores across tests, while t he remainder did not. In the Treatment group's post-test, the 'Unimpro ved Performers' shifted among perspectives in a more disconnected, les s conherent manner than the Improved Performers. Our results suggest t hat physics educators should recognize the importance of mechanism shi fting for developing a causal understanding of electric circuits.