Resumen de Going with the flow: Using analogies to explain electric circuits

Mark D. Walker, David Garlovsky

• Electric circuitry is a key component of the National Curriculum in England, particularly from key stage 4 (ages 14-16) onwards but can be a difficult concept to teach because of its abstract nature. However, abstract concepts can be explained using analogies in which familiar words and ideas are used to represent the ideas that need to be conveyed. We present a range of analogies for electric circuits based on scenarios that students should be familiar with. No single analogy can represent all features of an electric circuit and there are important differences between these analogies and electric circuits. Appropriate analogies should be chosen to teach selected concepts, and students prompted to compare analogies and circuits and identify the differences.