Supporting conceptual understanding in electricity and magnetism: A systematic review and the DIS heuristic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/ijer-2026.vol8.2.04Keywords:
Electricity, magnetism, misconceptions, conceptual change, inquiry-based learning, simulations, equity in STEMAbstract
This systematic review synthesises 37 empirical studies published between 2019 and 2024 regarding secondary school teaching and learning in electricity and magnetism. Following PRISMA 2020 procedures, screening reliability was assessed (κ = 0.76–0.83), although the protocol was not formally registered. The review examines research across five analytically linked dimensions: topical scope, diagnostic practices, instructional mediation, conceptual change, and contextual factors. Findings indicate that research continues to concentrate on electric circuits (n = 28, 76%), while magnetism and electromagnetic induction are underrepresented (n = 5, 14%), thus limiting generalisability across the field. Diagnostic and assessment practices are predominantly outcome-focused, relying on pre-test/post-test instruments (n = 25, 68%), with few process-oriented or formative approaches that capture students' reasoning trajectories. Instructional strategies, including simulations, inquiry, and modelling, demonstrate contingent effectiveness: meaningful conceptual gains predominantly emerge when teachers provide structured guidance and pedagogical mediation. Evidence of sustained conceptual change is scarce, and contextual factors, including equity considerations, are seldom integrated into study designs. In response, this review proposes the Diagnose–Intervene–Sustain (DIS) heuristic, which foregrounds diagnostic assessment, evidence-informed instructional mediation, and reinforcement to support conceptual learning. Equity is positioned as a cross-cutting dimension of the heuristic, reflecting its role as a mediating condition in instructional effectiveness. Implications highlight the necessity for broader content coverage, systematic teacher mediation, process-oriented diagnostics, and attention to equity to enhance electricity and magnetism instruction.
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