Document Type : Original Research Paper
Authors
Department of Physics Education, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 14665-889, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Teaching physics concepts, particularly Newton’s laws, in lower secondary education faces challenges such as incomplete understanding and student misconceptions. These issues often arise from traditional teaching’s emphasis on memorizing formulas and neglecting the cognitive construction of concepts. The Action-Process-Object-Schema (APOS) model focuses on active knowledge construction, identifies cognitive weaknesses, and facilitates effective instruction. The inquiry-based approach further enhances conceptual understanding by encouraging active participation and reflective thinking. This study aimed to investigate the impact of classifying learning levels using the APOS constructivist model, combined with inquiry-based teaching, on the performance of ninth-grade students in learning Newton’s laws. The objectives were to evaluate the approach’s effect on improving learning levels, identify the Newton’s law most influenced by it, and determine the learning level with the greatest progress. The study sought to provide strategies to enhance physics education and address misconceptions in dynamics.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test/post-test design. The population consisted of all ninth-grade students in Mashhad during the 2022-2023 academic year. A sample of 29 female students was selected using convenience sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made test assessing learning levels for Newton’s laws. The test’s content validity was confirmed by physics education experts and teachers, and its reliability was established with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.7. The educational intervention was conducted over six 100-minute sessions, including direct instruction with real-world examples, group problem-solving, and group discussions to foster reflective thinking. Activities such as inertia experiments, acceleration analysis, and object collision analysis were designed. Quantitative data were analyzed using statistical software and the McNemar test at a 0.05 significance level. Qualitative data from observations of student behavior were analyzed through inductive content analysis.
Findings: The results showed that the APOS constructivist model with an inquiry-based approach significantly improved students’ performance in learning Newton’s laws. In the pre-test, mean correct response percentages were 59.2% for Action, 28.7% for Process, 27% for Object, and 16.6% for Schema, indicating weaknesses in higher learning levels and incomplete mental constructs. Students struggled with deep conceptual understanding and analytical problem-solving. In post-intervention, these values increased to 89.1% (Action), 88% (Process), 84.5% (Object), and 71.3% (Schema), with changes of 29.9%, 59.3%, 57.5%, and 54.7%, respectively. The McNemar test confirmed significant differences (p<0.05) for the first law at Process and Object levels, the second law at Object and Schema levels, and the third law at Process, Object, and Schema levels. The second law (dynamics) showed the greatest improvement with a 53.5% average increase. Qualitative analysis confirmed students’ progression from the Action level to higher levels.
Conclusion: The APOS constructivist model with inquiry-based teaching reduced misconceptions, such as the need for continuous force for motion or non-zero resultant action-reaction forces, by fostering reflective thinking and active participation. Using this constructivist model in physics education enables meaningful learning, leading to students’ awareness of applying laws, principles, and formulas. Teachers are recommended to adopt this model to enhance learning levels.
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© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
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