An analysis of students’ mental models using temperature and heat transfer-diagnostic test (THT-DT)

Abstract

Students’ mental models can be identified through a students’ concept understanding. In one study found that one of the students’ difficulties in learning physics is to understand the concepts of physics, so it can be identified that students have a low mental model. The purpose of this study was to analyse students’ mental models based on the level of understanding by using diagnostic tests. The instrument has been developed in the form of four tier test to analyse mental models in temperature and heat concept. The results obtained from the test, classified according to the category of mental models of students. This research method was used as the 4D model (Defining, Designing, Developing and Disseminating). The subject of the study was 26 eleventh grade students (average age 16 years) and has been studying the material temperature and heat transfer. Research results show that 7.37% students in scientific model level, 68.31% students in synthesis level, and 23.72% students in initial model level. In conclusion, the development of THT-DT four-tier test-items is one of potential diagnostic test instrument that able to analyse the level of student’s mental models.