STUDENTS USE OF THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL REPRESENTATIONS ON PROBLEM SOLVING AND EXPERIMENTATION IN PHYSICS: THE CASE OF DARME PREPARATORY SCHOOL IN GUJI ZONE

Abstract

Abstract This study was carried out in Darme preparatory school on grade 11th students in physics subject. Its objectives were to examine how students use multiple representations on problem solving and experimentations in physics. The research design was one group pre-test and post-test to asses and improves students’ use of multiple representations on problem solving and experimentation in physics. The selection of students’ was made through purposive sampling techniques. The data was collected through test, questionnaire and interviews. The quantitative data was analyzed by using SPSS through statistical descriptions, frequency percentage, mean, standard deviation, degree of freedom, percentile, standard deviation, and t-test. And the qualitative data were analyzed by using description and narrations. The mean score of students at posttest (M=10.85) was greater than the mean score of pretest (M=6.68) with the reliability of coefficient of alpha value of (α= 0.735). And finally after interventional strategies taken, the students effectively used multiple representations during problem solving in physics. Thus, suggests that the multiple representations used were effective in increasing academic achievements, conceptual understanding, and performance of students. The result of this study shows that if the students’ used multiple representation and experimentations during problem solving their result was improved effectively