Persistent Learning Problems in Electricity: Student's Forms of Reasoning When Tackling the Phenomena of the Electrical Charge of the Body

Abstract

This research studies university students’ reasoning when they explain electrical charge phenomena. Different designs were used for this research (quantitative and qualitative schemes, tests and surveys) in order to try to get an idea of the students’ knowledge. It showed that students do not use potential difference and electrical capacity in a scientific way to explain the phenomena of the electrical charge of the body, although they had taken elementary physics courses.