ANALYZING OF STUDENTS’ MISCONCEPTIONS ON ATOMIC STRUCTURE AT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN LABUHANBATU
By
Nurlina munthe 408331036 Chemistry Department
THESIS
Submitted to Fulfill the Requirement for Getting the Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan
Chemistry Department
Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences State University of Medan
ACKNOWLEDMENT
First and fore most, praise and gratitude to Allah S.W.T. who had given
grace and guidance, strenght, health and His favor which have been given so that the writer could finally finish this thesis entitled : Analyzing of Students’ misconception about Atomic Structure at some Senior High School in
Labuhanbatu.
In this opportunity, the writer would like to his gratitude to Drs. Eddyanto,
Ph.D as a supervisor of this thesis, and also Dr. MarudutSinaga, M.Si, JunifaLaila
Sihombing, S.Si, M.sc and Ir. Nurfajriani, M.Si as examiner lecturers for their
criticism, suggestion corrected, comments, guidance and constructive critics in the
process of completing this thesis.
The writer also likes to say thanks Drs. RahmatNauli, M.Si as the valuators
of instrument test in this research, Prof. Drs. Motlan, M.Sc. Ph.D as the Dean of
Faculty Mathematics and Natural sciences, Drs. JamalumPurba, M.Si as the Head
of Chemistry Department, Dra. AniSutiani, M.Si, as the head of Program Study
Chemistry Education and to all lecturers in Chemistry Department. Thanks also to
Head of SMA.N 1 Rantau Utara, SMA.N 2 Rantau Utara, SMA.N 3 Rantau Utara,
SMA.N 1 Rantau Selatan, and SMA SwastaKemalaBayangkara and to all teachers
who also helped the writer in doing research.
Infinite gratitude to the loving both parents of writer, my lovely father
SalamatMunthe and my lovely mother IloRitongaS.Pd above all love, pray, and
support of moral and material provided without knowing timing and amount so
the dream of writer can be reality. Also to lovely grand mother and young sister
And also the writer wants to say thanks to all member’s Khansa 1 Ceria that is small heaven home in Medan, best friend in UKMI and all Friends in class of
Education 2008 for kindness, togetherness, attention and pray.
The writer has given maximal effort as she can be in doing the thesis, but
the writer still expecting criticism and suggestion that support from readers for
perfection this thesis. The writer hopes this thesis can be useful and gives many
functions to readers knowledge especially about subject matter which researched
in this thesis.
Medan, February 2013
The writer,
NALYZING OF STUDENTS’ MISCONCEPTIONS ON ATOMIC STRUCTURE AT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN LABUHANBATU
Nurlina Munthe ( Reg. No. 408331036 ) ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the student’smisconceptions on atomic structure Senior High School in Labuhanbatu.
The population of study was taken from the senior high school in
Labuhanbatu, and the sample of study amounted 177 from five different schools
which represented by SMAN 1 NorthRantau (34students), SMAN 2
NorthRantau(35 students), SMAN 3 NorthRantau (32 students), SMAN 1 South
Rantau (42 students), SMA SwastaKemalaBayangkara SMA (34 students), The
instrument of this study was diagnostic misconception test that had examined the
validity by expert in chemistry.
Description analysis was used in analyzing of the data, student’s responses in atomic structure were categorized and it was revealed that students had some misconception about this subject. The majority of student’s misconception in the development ofatomictheory 48.13 %, theelementary particles atomic 14.68 %,
therelativeatomic mass 7.79 %, classifyelements intoisotopes, isobars,
andisoton19.77 %, theelectronconfigurationandvalenceelectron 48.92 %. The
average of senior high school students in Labuhanbatu has misconception 34.38
LIST OF CONTENTS
Page
LEGALIZATION PAPER i
BOIGRAPHY ii
ABSTRACT iii
ACKNOWLEDMENT iv
LIST OF CONTENTS vi
LIST OF TABLES viii
LIST OF PICTURE ix
LIST OF APPENDIXES xi
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1. The Background of Study 1
1.2.The Identification of Problem 4
1.3. The Scope of Study 4
1.4.The Problem of Statement 4
1.5. The Objectives of Study 4
1.6. The Significances of Study 5
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 6
2.1. Theoretical Framework 6
2.1.1. Concept 6
2.1.2. Analysis of Concepts 7
2.1.3. Misconception 7
2.1.4. MisconceptionofConstructivismPhilosophy 8
2.1.5. The Causes of Misconception 9
2.1.6. The Detecting ofMisconceptions12
2.1.7. Analyzing Students’Misconceptionsin Atomic 12
2.2.1. Development of Atomic Theory 13
2.2.3. Atomic Number, Mass Number, and Isotop 19
2.2.4. Electron Configuration 19
2.3. Conceptual Framework 19
CHAPTER II. THE METHOD OF RESEARCH 20
3.1. Time and Location of Research 20
3.2. Population and Sample of Research 20
3.3. Design of Study 21
3.4. Instrument of Research 22
3.4.1.Validity of Test 23
3.4.2.Reliability of Tests 23
3.5. Technique of Data Analysis 24
CHAPTER IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION 26
4.1. Description of Result 26
4.2. Student’s Ability 26
4.3. Analysis of The Data 26
4.3.1. Analysis of Student’s Misconception Based on
Student’s Ability 26
4.3.2. The Grouping Based on Student’s Understanding 28 4.4. Analyzing of Student’s Misconception Every concept 31
4.5. Disscussion 42
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 41
5.1. Conclusions 44
5.2. Suggestions 44
LIST OF TABLES
Page
2.1. Analyzing Students’Misconceptionsin AtomicStructure 12
2.2. The Methods Overcome Misconceptions 13
3.1. The Member of Sample from each School 20
3.2. The Lattice for Twenty Five Diagnostic Test Based on Indicator 22
3.2. Indicate of Understanding Degree 24
4.1. The Avarage of Student’s Achievements on SMA Class X 26 4.2. The Grouping Based on Student’s Ability of SMA Class X 27 4.3. Student’s Understanding Level In Labuhanbatu 28 4.4. Group’s Misconception and Total of Student’s Misconception 30 4.5. Misconceptions on the Development of the Atomic Theory 32
4.6. Misconceptions on the Elementary Particles Atomic 33
4.7. Misconceptions on the Relative Atomic Mass 34
4.8. Misconceptions on Classify Elements into Isotopes and Isobars 35
LIST OF PICTURE
Page
2.1. Thomson’s Atomic Theory 16
2.2. Rutherford’s atomic theory 16
2.3. Bohr’s atomic theory 17
3.2. The Scheme of Research Steps 21
Picture 3.1. Student’s Photo in SMA.N 3 North Rantau 67 Picture 3.2. Student’s Photo in SMA.N 2 North Rantau 68 Picture 3.3. Student’s Photo in SMA.N 1 Nourt Rantau 69 Picture 3.4. Student’s Photo in SMA Swasta Kemala Bayangkara 70 Picture 3.5. Student’s Photo in SMA.N 1 South Rantau 71 Chart 4.1. Percentage of Student’s Responses for Question 1, 2, 5, 9, 10 32 Chart 4.2. Percentage of Student’s Responses for Question 4 34 Chart 4.3. Percentage of Student’s Responses for Question 3 35 Chart 4.4. Percentage of Student’s Responses for Question 7, 17,
19, 15, and 20 36
Chart 4.5. Percentage of Student’s Responses for Question 6, 8, 11, 12,
LIST OF APPENDIXES
Page Appendix 1. The Lattice of Research Instrument 47
Appendix 2. The Instruments of test 50
Appendix 3. Answer Key 55
Appendix 4. Table of Data of Diagnotic Test for Grouping
Students of SMAN 1 South Rantau 58
Appendix 5. Table of Data of Diagnostic Test for Grouping
Student’s of SMAN 1 North Rantau 60
Appendix 6. Table of Data of Diagnostic Test for Grouping
Student’s of SMA Swasta Kemala Bayangkara 61 Appendix 7. Table of Data of Diagnostic Test for Grouping
Student’s of SMAN 3 North Rantau 62
Appendix 8. Table of Data of Diagnostic Test for Grouping
Student’s of SMA 2 North Rantau 63 Appendix 9. Form of Validation of the Instrument from School 65
Appendix 10. From of Validation of the Instrument from Lecturer 66
Appendix 11. Documentations 67
Appendix 12. Letter of Approved to Lecturer 72
Appendix 13. Licence From for Research from Faculty 73
Appendix 14. Licence From for Research from Dinas Pendidikan 74
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1. The Background of Study
One of goal of students forlearningchemistryis the abilityto understand
theconcepts, principles, laws, andtheoriesof chemistryandtheir
interrelationshipsand their applicationtosolveproblems ineveryday life. In fact,
studentsoftenhave difficultyin understanding thevariousconceptsof chemistryandin
theteaching-learning processthatcreatedthe concept may differ fromthe
actualconcept ofgiving rise toa distortedconcept. Skelly and Hall (1993) defined a
misconception as a mental representation of a concept, which does not correspond
to currently held scientific theory. Students come to class with their existing
knowledge that they construct with theirexperiences or formal learning
(Fetherstonhaugh & Treagust, 1992). Students’ this prior knowledge iscalled as
preconceptions. Some of these preconceptions are in conflict with the scientific
view.Preconceptions which are in conflict with the scientific view are called as
misconceptions.According to Mulford and Robinson (2002), misconceptions play
a larger role in learningchemistry than simply producing inadequate explanations
to questions. Students either consciously or subconsciously construct their
concepts as explanations for the behavior, properties they experience. They
believe most of these explanations are correct because these explanations make
sense in terms of their understanding of the behavior of the world around them.
Consequently, if students encounter new information that contradicts their
alternative conceptions it may be difficult for them to accept the new information
because it seems wrong. such preconceptions are often incorrect from a scientific viewpoint and can interfere with student’s learning of science ( Driver and Easley, 1987: Fredette and Clemet, 1981). What a student learns, therefore, result from
the interaction between what is brought to the learning situation and what is
This misconception that happened to students often occurs in learning
atomic structure. It can be happen caused atomic structure is a concept thatis
abstractanddifficult tovisualizesuchconceptsbornof atomic structure of SMA class
Xin whichstudents buildonatomic nucleus, electrontrajectories, the
trajectoryenergylevels, the presence ofelectronpositionin thetrajectory, the
maximumnumber ofelectronsthat canoccupythe trajectoryand
theelectrontransferfromasingletrajectoryto another. It can be looked at from the student’s result of studingone of the school in Labuhanbatu at structure atom year 2008/2009 and 2009/2010.
Table 1.1. Analyzing of Student’s Result of Studing Structure Atom at SMA N 2 Nort Rantau Year 2008/2009 and 2009-2011.
Year of Studing Avarage of Student Student’s Scoring
KKM Average
of
Student’s score
Number of Students
Get passing and Not
passing ›KKM (Passing) ( % ) ‹KKM (Not passing) ( % )
2008/2009 40 40 65 58,44 14
(41% )
20
(59%)
2009/2010 40 40 65 52,70
11
(52%)
29
(48 %)
Source : 2012List of Student’s Scoring Structure Atom at SMA N 2 Nort Rantau
Many students still get bad scoring because they get misconception and
then Atomic structure isfundamentalconceptthat must be masteredstudents
tounderstandthe concepts ofother chemicalbecause of that
thetopicofatomicstructurewas firstbeforethe otherconcepts. So it is verypossiblethe
emergence ofalternativeconceptionswhenstudents buildconcept.
The review of literature shows that the students’ misconceptionsintensify on the abstract concepts such as mole concept, atom, molecule, chemical
[image:11.595.69.522.108.678.2]The percentage of grade X of SMA Nurul Islam Indonesia student’s misconceptions about Atomic Structure is 34.00% (Hartati, 2010). The
percentage of grade X of SMA in Bali student’s misconceptions about Atomic
Structure 68,1% (Redhana dan Kirna, 2004), The percentage of grade XI of MAN 1 Medan student’s misconception about thermochemistry is 33.70% (Azlian, 2007). The percentage of grade X of SMA YAPIM Sei Glugut student’s
misconception about chemical bonding 33.61% (Suparjo 2006). There are student’s misconceptions on chemical equilibrium at SMA in Medan (AliHusaini, 2011)the majority of students’ misconception in understanding the direction of
reaction 35.32%, The percentage of students’ misconception at Chemistry
department of state University of medan about radiochemistry is 42.00%(Sudrajat,
2003).
Therefore, in this case the researcher chose the title Analyzing of Students’
Misconceptions on Atomic Structure at Senior High School in Labuhanbatu, this
research aims to investigate the student’s misconceptions about Atomic Structure
1.2. The Identification of Problem
Based on the background above, the identification of problem formulated as
followed :
1. The students’ original conceptwas different fromthe actualconcept.
2. Studentsinterpreted thenew knowledgebased ontheirownknowledge.
3. There were incompatibities between student’s concept and the true
concepts.
4. Studentshad misconceptionson atomicstructure.
1.3.The Scope of Study The scope of study are :
1. This study limited to investigate the misconception of senior high school
students.
2.The sample is limited to students grade X.
3.The matter is limited to atomic structure.
1.4. The Problem of Statement
The problem of statements of study are :
1. Are there student’s misconception on atomicstructure?
2. What are the types of students’ misconception about atomic structure?
3. What is the percentage of students’ misconception about atomic structure?
1.5. The Objectives of Study The objectives of study are :
1. To identify the types of student’s misconceptions about atomic structure.
2. To identify the percentage of student’s misconception about
1.6. The Significances of Study
This study is expected as follows :
1. To be an imformation about student’s misconception about atomic
structure.
2. To be an input to improve the quality of teaching and learning chemistry
especially about atomic structure in senior high school.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION
1.1.Conclusion
Based on the analysis of data by using of descriptive analysis, the
conclusion that could be taken as follow :
1.The student’s misconception in determine of atomic theory 48.13 %,
elementary particles atomic 14.68 %, the relative atomic mass 7.79 %,
clasify element into isotopes, isobars, and isoton 19.77 % and the electron
configuration and valence electron 48.92 %.
2. The percentage of student’s misconception SMAN 1 North Rantau
22.48 %, SMAN 2 North Rantau 35.7 %, SMAN 3 North Rantau 19.42 %,
SMAN 1 South Rantau 34.45 %, and SMA Swasta Kemala Bayangkara
27.22 % and the average of senior high school students in Labuhanbatu
has misconception about atomic structure about 34.38 %.
5.2. Suggestions
Based on research that has been concluded, the writer suggest the
following :
1. A teacher is very important to do diagnostic misconception olthought
simple to the level of student’s understanding.
2. A teacher should to give more emphasis the concept to minimize student’s
misconceptions.
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