Effects of Error-Based Simulation as a Counterexample for Correcting MIF Misconception

摘要

MIF (Motion Implies a Force) misconception is commonly observed in elementary mechanics learning where students think some force is applied to moving objects. This paper reports a practical use of Error-based Simulation (EBS) for correcting students' MIF misconceptions in a junior high school and a technical college. EBS is a method to generate a phenomenon by using students' erroneous idea (e.g., if a student thinks forward force applied to a skater traveling straight on ice at a constant velocity, EBS shows the skater accelerates). Such a phenomenon is supposed to work as a counterexample to students' misconception. In the practice, students first worked on pre-test of five problems (called 'learning task'), in each of which they drew all the forces applied to objects in a mechanical situation. They then worked on the same problems on system where EBSs were shown based on their answer. They last worked on post-test of the previous plus four new problems (called 'transfer task'). As a result, in both schools, the numbers of MIF-answers (the erroneous answers supposed due to MIF misconception) in learning task decreased significantly between pre-test and post-test. Effect sizes of the decrease of MIF-answers were larger than that of other erroneous answers. Additionally, the percentages of MIF-answers to the whole erroneous answers in transfer task were much lower than those in learning task. These results suggest learning with EBS not only has the effect on the resolution of MIF misconception, but also promoted the correction of errors in conceptual level.