UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS AGAINST LIGHT REFINING CONCEPTS

IN PARALEL PRISM AND GLASS

Febriani Putri Keren Goni, Frida M. Situmorang, Helen Safaringga, Mangasi Holong Rajagukguk, Siska
Dewi T. Situmorang, Yuniar Lestari Rangkuti

Abstract−The purpose of this article is to find out how the students are understanding material as
well as the concept of light refraction on prism and parallel glass plan. Where the refraction of the
light on the prism is deflected, while on parallel glass plan light is just shifting. In physics,
understanding concepts with a direct learning experience can be done through practicality.
Without understanding the concept of light and its properties, students may not understand many
scientific domains. Students need to get scientific concepts right in order to understand relevant
physical concepts. However, students today tend to be lazy about looking for information about
these light breweries, they only accept what a teacher tells them, and lack in critical thinking.

Keywords−Keyword : Refraction, Prism, Parallel Glass Plan

I. Introduction

Until now, the subject of physics is still a material that is considered difficult and not fun to
learn, both for students at the elementary, secondary to university level. The background factor for
students having difficulty understanding physics material is the lack of understanding of the concept
due to the poor quality of teaching and learning. Lack of understanding of concepts supported by
poor quality of teaching and learning causes misconceptions of the material being studied. This is
because every learning has a previous conception related to a particular material. One of the
materials that is difficult to understand in learning physics is the concept of light. This is found from
several studies conducted in science education. As stated by Kroothkeaw & Siriporn (2014), students
need to get scientific concepts correctly to understand related and more advanced physics concepts
in the future, for example: interference of light waves and light spectrum. Without understanding
the concept of light and its properties, students may not understand many scientific domains. In
addition, teachers who teach optical material are found to still use traditional models. The
traditional learning process is also considered ineffective in learning physics concepts.
Understanding includes the ability to use knowledge, and understanding requires the ability to
distinguish between those that belong to scientific ideas and those that are not scientific ideas.
Developing understanding means that students can connect their scientific ideas and experiences
with the surrounding natural environment. It can be said that learning should move and focus on
understanding concepts. However, in reality Physics is one of the subjects that is considered difficult
by students. This is because in certain concepts in Physics it involves complex mathematics (Heller,
1999; Campbell, 2007); too much material, depending on textbooks, abstract and complex
(Sheppard and Robin, in Campbell, 2007); requires laboratory activities (Heller and Heller, 1999); and
frequent misconceptions (Anderson and Nashon, 2006; Stein, Larrabee, and Barman, 2008; Halim,
Yong, and Meerah, 2014; Daud, etal, 2015)

Physics is a science based on experiments. A knowledge that grows from experiences, while
the experience is obtained by doing experiments. In physics learning concept understanding with
direct learning experience can be done through practical activities. Practicum is an activity carried
out to solve or prove a theory, which includes, observes, measures, so that data is obtained which is
then used to draw conclusions. Theoretical knowledge of physics accompanied by practical work can
ensure the effectiveness of teaching and learning physics, besides the stages of practicum can
develop students' scientific work which in turn supports student mastery of the concepts being
taught and students are able to apply their understanding in different situations [3]. practicum
material is one component that must be prepared before doing practicum activities [4]. A good
practicum tool is a practicum tool that can show principles, phenomena or natural laws, and contain
or convey the concepts learned [5]. One of the laws of physics taught in high schools is refraction of
light. direct phenomenon of refraction of light or bending of light when passing through two
different refractive index media, using a laser beam and adjusting the angle of the incident beam will
make tool users more interested in using it [6]. Based on the results of needs analysis that has been
done shows that 85.71 % of students have difficulty learning physics because there are too many
symbols, formulas, and terms used, 91.07% of students have never seen the light refracting practice
set, then it is also obtained data that 93.75% of students support, and are interested in developing
supporters of physics learning in the form of light refracting practicum. Light refracting practicum is
generally used parallel plan glass. This tool is used to show refraction and calculate the refractive
index of air and parallel plan glass, but critical angles and perfect reflection are difficult to show. So
that physics practicum tools especially for the concept of refraction of light, refractive index, critical
angle and reflection are not involved in the physics learning process. Based on the description
above, we need a set of practicums that can show the events of refraction of light, critical angles and
perfect reflection in several different media. Then the research was developed under the title
"Student Understanding of the Concept of Refraction of Light in Prisms and Parallel Plan Glass".

II. RESEARCH METHODS

This type of research is qualitative and descriptive research. In this study the data collection
method used was a questionnaire method, where this method uses a questionnaire. Questionnaire
is a data collection technique that is done by giving a set of written statements to the respondent to
answer. The questionnaire used by researchers as a research instrument, the method used is the
closed questionnaire. The sample in this study were 5 students. The tool used is a laptop for the
preparation of questionnaire questions, as well as books and journals as a source of material used as
research material.

III. DISCUSSION

The results were obtained based on the results of the questionnaire that was given to five
physics education students with the results, namely:
 N COLLEGE
NO. STUDENT DEPARTMENT VALUE NO WRONG
TRUE FALSE
THINGS

1 I. PEND. PHYSICS 2 3 40 2,3,5

1

2 II. PEND. PHYSICS 4 1 80 5

2

3 III. PEND. PHYSICS 4 1 80 5

3

4 IV. PEND. PHYSICS 4 1 80 5

4

5 V. PEND. PHYSICS 0 5 0 1,2,3,4,5

5

VALUE:

A = 90-100 B = 80-90 C = 70-80 D = 70-60 E = 0-60

From the table above it is explained that the first student, was only right 2 because the
students were not careful enough and were not enthusiastic in answering questions so the questions
were not answered correctly. This proves that the first student did not understand the refraction of
the light material. In the second, third and fourth students got the same score of 80 correctly four
questions because they answered the questions correctly only there was an error when drawing the
refraction of light on the prism which caused a measurement error from a great angle that should.
But even so, the three students were still said to be able to master the light habituation material. In
the fifth student, none of the questions was correct. This ignorance might be caused by his lack of
reading of books, lack of understanding, and not being interested either in this light refraction
material. Students currently tend to be lazy to look for information about this light habituation
material, they only accept what is conveyed by a lecturer in class. But there are also students who
have tried to find information by reading various books, but because the light refraction material
tends to be difficult, it cannot be understood and understood as well. There needs to be someone
who teaches and gives careful understanding. The solution of this problem is the KeKaKau method,
which is recognizing the material being taught, understanding the material being taught ，
mastering the material being taught and training yourself to understand the material. Thus, the
results of this study can be concluded that students majoring in physics education master optical
materials, especially refraction of light.
 IV. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

A. Conclusion
Refraction of light on the prism is deflected, and on the parallel plan glass the refractive light
simply shifts. Most students are quite familiar with the concept of prism refracting and parallel
plan glass. Some of the questions in the questionnaire were not answered due to the lack of
students' understanding of related material, either because of lack of literature or because they
were lazy.
B. Suggestions
Refraction of light is very real in everyday life, therefore students should be able to develop
their knowledge of refraction with a variety of literature, especially students of physics
education courses who will later become teachers, should be able to explain refraction through
theory and practice.
 REFERENCES

Amien, M. 1998. Laboratory Guidebook and General Science Education Practicum Instructions for
Educational Workforce Institutions. Jakarta: Ministry of Education and Culture.

Rahayu, Sri.2016. Development of a Light Habit Practicum Set For Physics Learning in High School.
Journal of Physical Education. 5 (2): 1-6.

Nafaida, Rizky.2015. Development of Phet-based Modules To improve students' understanding of

concepts and learning motivation on light refraction material.3 (1): 183-185.