A student-centered research project on correcting misconceptions in introductory physics: A metacognitive intervention supporting conceptual change

Student misconceptions in introductory physics topics are widespread.This study investigates a project in which students are required to research how other students deal with misconceptions that arise when engaging with these topics.Six topic areas, well-known by physics education researchers for the difficulties students encounter when they engage in these areas, are presented as research topics.Students select for their research one of the topics that they personally identify with, either through their own struggles, or from observing others, or both.Students conduct research and present their findings to the class citing two additional and relevant peer-reviewed sources.They complete pre-and post-project surveys, a written reflection on their own experience, and answer interview questions similar to those presented in the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS).Preliminary results suggest that this project encourages deeper engagement and helps students correct misconceptions, improving their conceptual understanding of key physics concepts.