Hoewel daar heelwat internasionale navorsing gepubliseer is oor leerlinge se wanopvattings
oor elektrisiteit, is daar weinig studies gedoen oor onderwysers se bewustheid van hierdie
wanopvattings. Hierdie artikel doen verslag oor ’n gevallestudie om te ondersoek tot watter
mate Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysers leerlinge se wanopvattings oor serie- en parallelstroombane
verstaan, en tot welke mate dié insig geïntegreer word in onderwysers se pedagogiese
inhoudskennis. Nege onderwysers uit staatskole is doelbewus geselekteer om aan die studie
deel te neem. Kwalitatiewe data is uit vraelyste en onderhoude ingesamel. Daar is bevind dat
onderwysers dikwels eenvoudige wanopvattings uitwys as oorsake van leerlinge se foute,
maar dat wanopvattings wat verband hou met foutiewe analise, selde deur onderwysers
genoem word. Verder is bevind dat onderwysers se kennis van wanopvattings gefragmenteerd
is en nie met hulle begrip van basiese konsepte geïntegreer word nie. Die resultate toon dus
dat hierdie onderwysers onvoldoende pedagogiese inhoudskennis betreffende wanopvattings
oor serie- en parallelstroombane openbaar. Aanbevelings uit die studie is dat pedagogiese
inhoudskennis rakende wanopvattings tydens onderwysersopleiding ontwikkel moet word.
Many studies on learners’
misconceptions about electricity have been published internationally, but studies on teachers’
awareness of these misconceptions are few. This article reports on a case study to investigate
to what extent South African teachers understand learners’ misconceptions about series and
parallel circuits, and to what extent such understandings are integrated into their pedagogical
content knowledge. Nine teachers from public schools were purposefully selected to participate
in the study. Qualitative data were collected from questionnaires and interviews. It was found
that teachers often indicate simple misconceptions as sources of learners’ mistakes, but that
misconceptions related to incorrect analysis are seldom mentioned. Furthermore, it was found
that these teachers’ knowledge about misconceptions was fragmented and not integrated with
their understanding of basic concepts. The results indicate that these teachers display
inadequate pedagogical content knowledge regarding misconceptions about series and
parallel circuits. It is recommended that pedagogical content knowledge regarding
misconceptions should be developed during teacher training.
