Homework problems: Effects on students' understanding of kinematics and force dynamics

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed to determine the effects of homework problems as an intervention on students' understanding of kinematics and force dynamics. This study tried to ascertain whether the use of exploration homework problems compared to the use of practice homework problems had a significant influence on students' understanding of kinematics and force dynamics. There were seventy-eight (78) students used in the study and they were matched-paired according to their average grade in Mathematics and Science and Technology. A teacher-made test was used as pre and posttests to measure the level of understanding of the students in kinematics and force dynamics and a set homework problems for the exploration and practice group was used for the intervention. The study showed that the fourth year students had low level of understanding in kinematics and force dynamics before the experiment for both practice and exploration group. The students in practice group had an average level of understanding in kinematics and force dynamics and the students in exploration group had a high level of understanding of kinematics and force dynamics after the experiment. There was no significant difference in the pretest scores of students in practice and exploration groups in their understanding of kinematics and force dynamics. Significant differences existed in the posttest scores of students with practice homework problems and with exploration homework problems. There was a significant difference in the pretest and posttest scores of students with practice homework problems. There was also a significant difference in the pretest and post test scores of students with exploration homework problems. There was no significant difference in the total quiz scores of students with the use of practice and exploration homework problems. There was a significant difference in the mean gain scores of students between the practice group and the exploration group, indicating that the exploration group gained better understanding in kinematics and force dynamics. Significant relationship existed in the total quiz scores and posttest scores of students in practice and exploration group. It means that students with high total quiz scores have high posttest scores and students with low total quiz scores have low posttest scores.