The pupils’ view of electricity

Abstract

The sight and use of electrical appliances, the folklore and attitudes towards them, and the vague pre‐concepts about the nature of electricity, all precede and influence school learning about it. This research into the young pupils’ views was undertaken by a group of practising school teachers who used free writing, similes, and pictures, as well as group interviews. The results show strong signs of parental influence, of common adages and attitudes, of fear, and of tacit knowledge acquired through the handling of appliances. The samples of school children were drawn from different British schools and were in either the first or third year of secondary school. The older group showed only occasional signs of advancement over the younger year‐group and these could be more due to social than to school learning.