Effects of Modified Historical Reconstructionist Teaching Approach on Students' Conceptual Understanding and Reasoning Pattern in Electromagnetic Induction

The encountered difficulties in the teaching-learning of Physics topics have been the driving force of this study. Several chanced upon difficulties include the mathematical nature of a topic and the complex natures of a physical phenomenon, such as the interweaving concepts of electricity and magnetism in electromagnetic induction. Numerous methods have been carried out to assist both teachers and students in managing these difficulties. One of these methods is the use of historical reconstruction approach. The modified version entails the use of some experiments from the past that can be recreated using available materials to experience and to visualize what seemed to be the suppositional nature of electromagnetic induction. Encouraged by the other studies, this research has determined the effects of the Modified Historical Reconstructionist Teaching Approach (MHRTA) to students' conceptual understanding and reasoning patterns in electromagnetic induction. Specifically, this study aims to determine: (1) if there is a significant difference in the students' pretest and posttest scores on the conceptual survey in electromagnetic induction (CSEI) between the two matched groups; (2) if there is a significant difference between the posttest scores on the conceptual survey in electromagnetic induction between the two matched groups and; (3) if there is a significant difference in the reasoning patterns on the reasoning pattern survey in electromagnetic induction (RPSEI) between the two matched groups. The matched subjects pretest posttest design was used. The students were matched and the control group is comprised of 27 students and the experimental group contained 25 students. The participants were Grade 10 students of Makati Science High School. To identify the effect on the conceptual understanding of each approach, the t-test for matched samples at 0.05 level of significance between the pre and the posttest scores on the CSEI were determined. The achieved p-values for the control and the experimental groups were 3.38E-12 and 1.1E-13, respectively. This implies that both groups gained conceptual understanding. The same test was done to determine the difference between the posttest scores on the CSEI of the two groups and the obtained p-value is 0.20. The p-value attained at 0.05 level of significance using ANCOVA is 0.40. These values indicate no significant difference between the groups' posttest scores on the CSEI. However, further analysis on the posttest scores on the CSEI based on the objectives of the test revealed a p-value of 0.01 for items that aim to measure the students' ability to recognize how changes in magnetic flux affect the magnitude and direction of induced voltage and current through a conductor based on the generation of electricity by a magnet or by a magnetic substance. This indicates the strength of the MHRTA in emphasizing variables supporting the existence of and explaining the nature of electromagnetic induction. The responses in the RPSEI were scrutinized. The type of reasoning used per task was identified and coded as inductive a (ia), inductive b (ib), inductive c (ic), deductive a (da), and deductive b (db). The overall frequency reveals that majority of the students used inductive reasoning. This may be due to the fact that the participants were Science high school students. Based on the results, the MHRTA has been proven effective in promoting conceptual understanding of electromagnetic induction.