Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to identify and characterize students‘ misconceptions
about basic electricity (simple electric circuit). The study was carried out in Heto
Secondary School in Hadya Zone with special reference to grade 10 students. Case study
was employed to address the problem. To conduct this study, 60 students were selected
through random sampling technique from total population of 360 students. In order to
achieve the objectives, the study employed conceptual understanding test and semi
structured interview about simple electric circuit. Each question in the conceptual
understanding test and interview was designed to probe students‘ knowledge and
understanding about electric circuit. All data collected using different tools were analyzed
quantitatively and qualitatively.
The study identified some students‘ misconceptions in electric circuit. These were: I)
some students believed that the total resistance of the circuit increased when two or more
resistors were connected in parallel, II) the power supply provided constant current
regardless of how the circuit is changed, III) only one wire connected to a battery was
needed for the circuit to work, IV) each device consumes some of current passing through
it and others. The study also described the causes for these misconceptions. These were
students‘ personal experience, inappropriate use of laboratory, and unevaluated text
books. Thus, to improve the situation, it is recommended that every educator should be
aware students back ground, their daily life experience, and their pre conceptions before
providing the lessons on electric circuit, teachers should also spent more time to produce
more conceptual talk about the topic to bring conceptual understanding, different
instructional methods should be applied to support conceptual understanding of students
about simple electric circuit. Replacing those misconceptions by scientifically accepted
conceptual views were necessary and efforts should be made to create awareness
continuously for students, teachers, school principals and educational experts. Conducting trainings and different workshops with those concerned bodies was more advisable to
increase the understanding and to avoid misconceptions in basic electricity.
