Visual Representation Homework Activity: Effects on Visual Representation, Conceptual Understanding, and Epistemological Beliefs Towards Physics

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Physics is one of the subjects perceived by the students as difficult. This has been evident in the studies conducted in the field of Education. This has resulted in the development of different approaches like arts integration. The study focused on the effects of Visual Representation Homework Activity (VRHA) on the students' visual representation, conceptual understanding and epistemological beliefs toward physics.

METHODS

The study determined the categories of visual representation, levels of conceptual understanding and the change in epistemological beliefs of the students towards physics. 41 Grade 8 students of Calamba Bayside National High School-Special Program in the Arts participated in the study on the first quarter of the school year 2017-2018. Mixed methods were employed in this study where a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest one intact group design for the quantitative method and case study procedure was followed for the qualitative method. Also, research instruments such as the visual representation homework activities, rubrics, and lesson logs were developed and validated by content specialists. EBAPS was used to determine the students' epistemological beliefs.

RESULTS

The participants have shown a positive response to the effects of visual representation homework activities. It was noted that 0.51% of the students' visual representation were categorized as depiction, 23.16% were symbolic, 57.76% were syntactic, 17.05% were semantic, and 1.53% were reflective and rhetorical. Moreover, 1.27% of the students' conceptual understanding showed no understanding, 25.19% were under a specific misconception, 51.15% showed partial understanding, and 22.39% showed sound understanding. On the other hand, the students showed a change in their epistemological beliefs before and after implementation in terms of the Nature of knowing and learning from poor sophistication to moderate sophistication.

DISCUSSIONS

Results showed that the students significantly change in their epistemological beliefs. The students claimed that the activities had helped them in retaining information and enjoying physics based on their responses to the interview conducted. It has been proven to be effective in determining visual representation and conceptual understanding. With this, teachers can use VRHA as an alternative assessment tool in physics and other subjects in determining visual representation and conceptual understanding.