Analysis of Misconceptions about Pressure and Boiling Point Changes among Elementary School Students

Objectives This study aims to investigate misconceptions regarding the changes in pressure and the boiling point of water with altitude among 5th-grade students at W Elementary School in Ansan City, Gyeonggi Province. It also seeks to explore educational approaches to correct these misconceptions by applying Stepans' (2008) Concept Change Model. Methods A pre-test was conducted to identify students' misconceptions, and reliable data was collected using a questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed to develop an educational program that included teaching materials and activities for correcting misconceptions. After implementing the program, a post-test was performed to evaluate changes in students' misconceptions. Results A wide range of misconceptions related to pressure was identified among the students, particularly a lack of understanding that pressure decreases and the boiling point of water increases as altitude rises. This deficiency can be attributed to a lack of experiential learning opportunities and insufficient coherent scientific education. Hence, the developed educational program focused on helping students recognize their misconceptions and providing opportunities for systematic inquiry to form new scientific concepts. Following the instruction, it was confirmed that students' misconceptions were significantly corrected, and their understanding of the relationship between changes in the boiling point of water and pressure improved markedly. Conclusions This study emphasizes the need for varied teaching methods to enhance students' scientific thinking and highlights the importance of a structural approach in correcting misconceptions.