A Study on Concept Acquisition of the Simple Pendulum : Based on the Children's Pre-Learning cognition

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop the teaching method for concept acquisition of the simple pendulum based on the children's pre-learning cognition about the simple pendulum. This teaching method has three features: (1) Teaching the thinking framework between the cycle of the simple pendulum and three conditions through "speed" and "moving distance". (2) Showing that the height of the simple pendulum's start point and end point are the same, and (3) Showing that, in free fall, the pendulum's "speed" does not change with "heaviness of weight." This teaching method was administered to 69 fifth graders (35 experimental, 34 control) to investigate the effectiveness of this method. The research shows that, as a result of this method, the score of the concept acquisition of the experimental group had increased significantly more than the control group two months later.