(59d) The Repairing of Misconceptions in Thermodynamics through the Use of Inquiry Activities

Misconceptions exist in all fields of learning and develop through a person's preconception of how the world works. The focus of this research is to repair misconceptions in thermodynamics by using inquiry-based activities. Inquiry-based learning is a method of teaching that involves hands-on learning and self-discovery. Previous work has shown inquiry-based methods result in better conceptual learning by students relative to traditional lectures. The thermodynamics activities were designed to guide students towards the correct conceptual understanding through observing a preconception fail to hold up through an experiment or simulation. The developed activities focus on the following topics in thermodynamics: Internal Energy versus Enthalpy, Equilibrium versus Steady State, and Entropy. For each topic, two activities were designed to clarify the concept and assure it is properly grasped. Each activity is described in a packet containing experimental instructions along with pre- and post- analysis questions. All activities and packets are performed in small groups as hands-on experiments or simulations, require a written prediction and comparison to the observations, and draw the students' interest. Preliminary data were collected this summer and showed an improvement in conceptual understanding for students with misconceptions. Currently, the activities are being tested at a number of universities.