Diagnosis and remediation of an alternative conception of velocity using a microcomputer program

This article describes a microcomputer program which was designed to diagnose students who use a position criterion for judging when two objects are moving with the same velocity, i.e., who say that when two objects are at the same position, their velocities are equal. Students who use this criterion are directed to the remedial part of the program which was designed in accord with a model of learning as conceptual change. The program has been used with more than 120 students at different educational levels. Results reported in this article show that the program has been effective in changing students’ alternative conceptions of velocity, i.e., as a result of using the program they were able to judge relative velocity correctly.