Students’ conceptual understanding and problem-solving of the Work-Energy and Impulse-Momentum Theorems in a flipped classroom

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of using a flipped classroom approach on students’ understanding of the work-energy and impulse-momentum theorems. An intact class of Grade 12 STEM students took part in the study. The instructional materials needed for the lessons were compiled in a website that can be accessed by the students via desktop or a mobile device. The lesson calendar, study guide, modules, worksheets, and problem sets were organized in tabs and instructions were clearly stated for ease of use. Using Greeno’s model of scientific problem-solving and reasoning, the students’ solutions were analysed using maps of the problem-solving approaches they utilized. The students had difficulty comprehending problems and identifying which concepts are related to them. In terms of Greeno’s model, this implies that the students were not able to successfully translate concepts between domains. There were no traces of use of other domains apart from the abstract and symbolic domains, when an improved understanding must include translations between all four domains – namely, the concrete domain, which involves physical objects or events; the model domain, which refers to representations of objects or events; the abstract domain, which involves concepts or principles; and the symbolic domain, which is the mathematical representation of concepts.