Simulation of electrical circuit in instruction by fifth graders

Electricity is one of the key topics in school science, but it is on the other hand a very demanding phenomenon to understand. Research has revealed the conceptions held and the difficulties experienced by school children in understanding the concept of electric current. The simulation-laboratory combination environment has been found to lead to greater learning gains than the use of either simulation or laboratory activities alone. A simulation can help students to first understand the theoretical principles of electricity and by demonstrating through testing or hands-on activities the conceptual change will be possible. In this study the primary school students in the grade five (N=19) studied electrical circuits through simulation and hands-on activities. Students ’ ideas about the phenomenon electrical circuit were studied by asking them to choose before and after the intervention in the given figure those connections were the bulb will be lighted as well as to explain what happens in a simulation video. Students ’ explanations were analyzed and found that there was a slight change towards better understanding about the electrical circuit