Design and Validity of a Cognitive Conflict-Based PhysicsEducational Game to Support Students’ ConceptualUnderstanding of Temperature and Heat

Abstract

Conceptual understanding is a crucial aspect of physics education because it enables students to connect theoretical concepts with everyday phenomena, develop scientific reasoning, and minimize the occurrence of misconceptions. However, students’ conceptual understanding of temperature and heat remains a challenge in physics education. One approach is to develop a cognitive conflict-based physics educational game that facilitates a learning process focused on conceptual understanding. This study employed a design research approach using Plomp’s development model. The educational game developed incorporates four stages of cognitive conflict: (1) activation of preconceptions and misconceptions, (2) presentation of cognitive conflict, (3) discovery of concepts and equations, and (4) reflection. Product validation was conducted by three validators, all of whom were experts in physics education, while the practicality test was conducted on a one-on-one basis with three students with high, moderate, and low academic abilities. The results showed that the physics educational game achieved a validity score of 0.94, classified as “highly valid,” and a practicality score of 93.66, classified as “highly practical.” Based on the results of the validation and practicality testing, the cognitive conflict-based physics educational game on the topics of temperature and heat is deemed valid and practical for use as interactive teaching material in physics education.