Students’ Ability In Solving Physics Problems on Newtons’ Law of Motion

Supeno Supeno, Subiki Subiki, Laili Widya Rohma

Abstract


The ability to solve physics problems is one of the goals in learning physics and a part of the current curriculum demands. One of the physics problems that are often the focus of attention in learning is Newton's law of motion. When solving physics problems on Newton's law of motion, students need to utilize various aspects of certain abilities and rules. The purpose of this study was to reveal how the students utilized aspects of the abilities and rules in problem-solving. The study was conducted by providing physics problems on Newton's law of motion to 105 high school students. The result showed that most students were able to write equations, solutions, and system of units correctly for each problem. However, students’ ability to determine the coordinate axes, depicts free-body diagrams, forces representation, and determine the resultant forces and direction of motion was unsatisfactory. Students tended to refer to the mathematical formulations in solving the problems. Therefore, physics learning that requires students to actively learn collaboratively, peer instruction, and procedural thinking can be used as an alternative learning strategy to overcome said problems.

Keywords


Problem-solving; free-body diagrams; representation of forces

Full Text:

PDF

References


Arends, R. I. (2012). Learning to Teach 9th Edition (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Arikunto, S. (2003). Prosedur Penelitian, Suatu Praktek. Jakarta: Bina Aksara.

Bogard, T., Liu, M., & Chiang, Y. V. (2013). Thresholds of Knowledge Development in Complex Problem Solving: A Multiple-Case Study of Advanced Learners’ Cognitive Processes. Educational Technology Research and Development, 61(3), 465–503.

Carson, R., & Rowlands, S. (2005). Mechanics As the Logical Point of Entry for the Enculturation Into Scientific Thinking. Science & Education, 14(3), 473–493.

Chang, Y. C. (2010). Does Problem-Solving = Prior Knowledge + Reasoning Skills In Earth Science? An Exploratory Study. Research in Science Education, 40(2), 103–116.

Coelho, R. L. (2010). On the Concept of Force: How Understanding Its History Can Improve Physics Teaching. Science & Education, 19(1), 91–113.

Cutnell, J. D., & W, J. K. (2012). Physics, 9th Edition. (9, Ed.). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Duschl, R., Schweingruber, H., & Shouse, A. (2007). Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Fisher, K. (1999). Exercises in Drawing and Utilizing Free-Body Diagrams. The Physics Teacher, 37(7), 434–435.

Flores-García, S., Alfaro-Avena, L. L., Chávez-Pierce, J. E., Luna-González, J., & González-Quezada, M. D. (2010). Students’ Difficulties with Tension in Massless Strings. American Journal of Physics, 78(12), 1412.

Flores, S., Kanim, S. E., & Kautz, C. H. (2004). Student Use of Vectors in Introductory Mechanics. American Journal of Physics, 72(4), 460–468.

Gaigher, E., Rogan, J. M., & Braun, M. W. H. (2007). Exploring the Development of Conceptual Understanding Through Structured Problem-Solving in Physics. International Journal of Science Education, 29(9), 1098–1110.

Gok, T. (2015). An Investigation of Students’ Performance After Peer Instruction with Stepwise Problem-Solving Strategies. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 13(3), 561–582.

Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2014). Fundamentals of Physics, 10th Edition (9th ed.). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Heckler, A. F. (2010). Some Consequences of Prompting Novice Physics Students to Construct Force Diagrams. International Journal of Science Education, 32(14), 1829–1851.

Heller, P., Keith, R., & Anderson, S. (1992). Teaching Problem Solving Through Cooperative Grouping. Part 1: Group Versus Individual Problem-Solving. American Journal of Physics, 60, 627–636.

Herdiansyah, H. (2010). Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif untuk Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial. Jakarta: Salemba Humanika.

Hong, J. C., Chen, M. Y., Wong, A., Hsu, T. F., & Peng, C. C. (2012). Developing Physics Concepts Through Hands-on Problem Solving: A Perspective on A Technological Project Design. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 22(4), 473–487.

Huffman, D. (1997). Effect of Explicit Problem-Solving Instruction on High School Students’ Problem-Solving Performance and Conceptual Understanding of Physics. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 34(6), 551–570.

Irwandani. (2014). Multirepresentasi sebagai Alternatif Pembelajaran dalam Fisika. Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Fisika Al-BiRuNi, 3(1), 39–48.

Jonassen, D. H. (2000). Toward a Design Theory of Problem-Solving. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(4), 63–85.

Jonassen, D. H., & Tessmer, M. (1996). An Outcomes-Based Taxonomy for the Design, Evaluation, and Research of Instructional Systems. Training Research Journal, 2, 96–97.

Kay, K. (2010). 21st-Century Skills: Why They Matter, What They are, and How We Get There. Foreword in: 21st Century Skills: Rethinking How Students Learn. Bloomington: IN Learning Tree.

Kelly, P. (2005). Using Thinking Skills in the Primary Classroom. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.

Kemendikbud. (2016). Permendikbud No. 21 Tahun 2016 tentang Standar Isi Kurikulum 2013. Jakarta.

Kim, M. K. (2012). Theoretically Grounded Guidelines for Assessing Learning Progress: Cognitive Changes in Ill-Structured Complex Problem-Solving Contexts. Educational Technology Research and Development, 60(4), 601–622.

Kocakulah, M. S. (2010). Development and Application of a Rubric for Evaluating Students’ Performance on Newton’s Laws of Motion. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 19(2), 146–164.

Lee, A. (2017). Helping Students Draw Correct Free-Body Diagrams. The Physics Teacher, 55, 485–487.

Lovett, M. C. (2002). Stevens’ Handbook of Experimental Psychology: Vol. 2. Memory and Cognitive Processes. New York: Wiley.

Malone, K. L. (2008). Correlations Among Knowledge Structures, Force Concept inventory, and Problem-Solving Behaviors. Physical Review Special Topics-Physics Education Research, 4, 1–15.

Mason, A., & Singh, C. (2010). Helping Students Learn Effective Problem-Solving Strategies by Reflecting with Peers. American Journal of Physics, 78(7), 748–754.

Matthews, M. R. (2009). Teaching the Philosophical and Worldviews Components of Science. Science & Education, 18(6), 697–728.

Mazur, E. (2015). Principles & Practice of Physics. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Moreno, R. (2010). Educational Psychology. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Narjaikaew, P. (2013). Alternative Conceptions of Primary School Teacher of Science About Force and Motion. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 88, 250–157.

Robertson, S. I. (2016). Problem Solving: Perspectives from Cognition and Neuroscience. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.

Rosengrant, D., Van Heuvelen, A., & Etkina, E. (2009). Do Students Use and Understand Free-Body Diagrams? Physical Review Special Topics-Physics Education Research, 5.

Rowlands, S., Graham, T., Berry, J., & McWilliam, P. (2007). Conceptual Changes Through the Lens of Newtonian Mechanics. Science & Education, 16(1), 21–42.

Sabella, M. S., & Redish, E. S. (2007). Knowledge Organization and Activation in Physics Problem-Solving. American Journal of Physics, 75(11), 1017–1029.

Santrock, J. W. (2011). Educational Psychology, 5th Edition (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Sari, W. P., Suyanto, E., & Suana, W. (2017). Analisis Pemahaman Konsep Vektor Pada Siswa Sekolah Menengah Atas. Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Fisika Al-BiRuNi, 6(2), 159–168. https://doi.org/10.24042/jipfalbiruni.v6i2.1743

Science, G. (2005). Physics: Principles and Problems. Columbus, OH: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.

Semiawan, R. C. (2010). Metode Penelitian Kualitatif. Jakarta: PT. GramediaWidiasarana Indonesia.

Serway, R. A., & Beichner, R. J. (2000). Physics for Scientists and Engineers. Orlando: Saunders College Publishing.

Serway, R. A., & Jewett, J. W. (2014). Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, 9th Edition. Boston: Brooks/Cole.

Slavin, R. E. (2018). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice. New York: Pearson.

Tasar, M. (2010). What Part of the Concept of Acceleration is Difficult to understand: the mathematics, the physics, or both? ZDM, 36(4), 222–223.

Van den Berg, E., & Huis, V. (1998). Drawing forces, The Physics Teacher. The Physics Teacher, 36(4), 222–223.

Wendel, P. (2011). Adding Value to Force Diagrams: Representing Relative Force Magnitudes. The Physics Teacher, 49(5), 308–311.

Yilmaz, I., & Yalcin, N. (2012). The Relationship of Procedural and Declarative Knowledge of Science Teacher Candidates in Newton’s Laws of Motion on understanding. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 2(3), 50–56.

Young, H. D., Freedman, R. A., & Ford, A. L. (2016). Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics: with Modern Physics (14th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24042/jipfalbiruni.v7i1.2247

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License

Jurnal ilmiah pendidikan fisika Al-Biruni is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.