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This paper reports the findings from the interview data of a research aiming at studying how to trigger students' situational interest in physics and its implications on learning and teaching in the New Senior Secondary (NSS) physics curriculum. 49 students from a boys' school were invited to write one to three learning experiences in physics that they found to be interesting. Five of them with different levels of individual interest were then selected for interview to elaborate on what they had written. The results showed that investigative study (IS) was the most popular means to induce situational interests, in accordance with IS's contextual nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main problems in trying to understand quantum physics is the nature of the referent of quantum theory. This point is addressed in the official French curriculum in upper secondary school. Starting in 2012, after about 20 years of absence, quantum physics has returned to the national program. On the basis of the historical construction of quantum physics, we identify two epistemological positions with respect to this problem: The first one (close to the so-called Copenhagen school) is termed the conservative position and the second one (associated with the work of Bunge and Lévy-Leblond) the innovative position. We then analyze French textbooks used by teachers, in order to reveal the implicit positions adopted. We conclude with the idea that highlighting these epistemological choices can help teachers reflect upon the historical and epistemological roots of quantum physics. Such an analysis can contribute to developing and implementing appropriate teaching sequences for quantum physics. We explore the application of these epistemological positions to Young's paradigmatic experiment using the double slits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students commonly find the field of physics difficult. Therefore, they generally have learning problems. One of the subjects with which they have difficulties is optics within a physics discipline. This study aims to determine students' conceptual understanding levels at different education levels relating to lenses in geometric optics. A cross-sectional design is used in the study. Participants in the study include one hundred and seventy-seven students at three different education levels from primary and secondary schools, and higher education. Seven open-ended questions, examining participants' conceptual understanding levels in relation to lenses, act as the data collection instrument. It is determined that students hold misconceptions such as, "convex lenses diverge light rays", "concave lenses converge light rays", "a right-side-up image replaces the previously observed inverted image, when a convex lens is removed," "myopia is corrected via convex lens," and "hyperopia is corrected via concave lens." The results show that students from all groups (primary and secondary schools, and higher education) have a lack of knowledge and experience conceptual problems about lenses, although they learned this subject in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:There are some theoretical evidences that explain the relationships between core beliefs (i.e., epistemological beliefs) and peripheral beliefs (self-efficacy in learning) in the literature. The close relationships of such type of beliefs with attitudes are also discussed by some researchers. Constructing a model that investigates these relationships by considering theoretical and empirical evidences can empower researchers to discuss these relationships more comprehensively. Purpose:The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among Turkish high school students’ scientific epistemological beliefs, self-efficacy in learning physics and their attitudes toward physics. Sample:A total of 632 high school students participated in this study; however, 269 female and 229 male (a total of 498) high school students’ data were used. Design and methods:Three distinct instruments that measure scientific epistemological beliefs, self-efficacy in learning physics and attitudes toward physics were combined into a unique questionnaire form and it was distributed to high school students. To explore the relationships among these variables, structural equation modeling was used. Results:The results showed that scientific epistemological belief dimensions uncovered by the nature of knowing (source and justification) significantly and positively related to both self-efficacy in learning physics and attitudes toward other important physics dimensions. Additionally, self-efficacy in learning physics significantly and positively predicted attitudes toward multiple physics dimensions (importance, comprehension and requirement). However, epistemological belief dimensions related to the nature of knowledge (certainty and development) did not have significant impact on self-efficacy in learning physics or attitudes toward physics. Conclusions:This study concludes that there are positive and significant relationships among Turkish high school students’ scientific epistemological beliefs, self-efficacy in learning physics and their attitudes toward physics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In physics education, equations are commonly seen as calculation tools to solve problems or as concise descriptions of experimental regularities. In physical science, however, equations often play a much more important role associated with the formulation of theories to provide explanations for physical phenomena. In order to overcome this inconsistency, one crucial step is to improve physics teacher education. In this work, we describe the structure of a course that was given to physics teacher students at the end of their master's degree in two European universities. The course had two main goals: (1) To investigate the complex interplay between physics and mathematics from a historical and philosophical perspective and (2) To expand students' repertoire of explanations regarding possible ways to derive certain school-relevant equations. A qualitative analysis on a case study basis was conducted to investigate the learning outcomes of the course. Here, we focus on the comparative analysis of two students who had considerably different views of the math-physics interplay in the beginning of the course. Our general results point to important changes on some of the students' views on the role of mathematics in physics, an increase in the participants' awareness of the difficulties faced by learners to understand physics equations and a broadening in the students' repertoire to answer 'Why?' questions formulated to equations. Based on this analysis, further implications for physics teacher education are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics is a critical part of much scientific research. Physics in particular weaves math extensively into its instruction beginning in high school. Despite much research on the learning of both physics and math, the problem of how to effectively include math in physics in a way that reaches most students remains unsolved. In this paper, we suggest that a fundamental issue has received insufficient exploration: the fact that in science, we don't just use math, we make meaning with it in a different way than mathematicians do. In this reflective essay, we explore math as a language and consider the language of math in physics through the lens of cognitive linguistics. We begin by offering a number of examples that show how the use of math in physics differs from the use of math as typically found in math classes. We then explore basic concepts in cognitive semantics to show how humans make meaning with language in general. The critical elements are the roles of embodied cognition and interpretation in context. Then, we show how a theoretical framework commonly used in physics education research, resources, is coherent with and extends the ideas of cognitive semantics by connecting embodiment to phenomenological primitives and contextual interpretation to the dynamics of meaning-making with conceptual resources, epistemological resources, and affect. We present these ideas with illustrative case studies of students working on physics problems with math and demonstrate the dynamical nature of student reasoning with math in physics. We conclude with some thoughts about the implications for instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the role of mathematics during physics lessons in upper-secondary school. Mathematics is an inherent part of theoretical models in physics and makes powerful predictions of natural phenomena possible. Ability to use both theoretical models and mathematics is central in physics. This paper takes as a starting point that the relations made during physics lessons between the three entities Reality, Theoretical models and Mathematics are of the outmost importance. A framework has been developed to sustain analyses of the communication during physics lessons. The study described in this article has explored the role of mathematics for physics teaching and learning in upper-secondary school during different kinds of physics lessons (lectures, problem solving and labwork). Observations are from three physics classes (in total 7 lessons) led by one teacher. The developed analytical framework is described together with results from the analysis of the 7 lessons. The results show that there are some relations made by students and teacher between theoretical models and reality, but the bulk of the discussion in the classroom is concerning the relation between theoretical models and mathematics. The results reported on here indicate that this also holds true for all the investigated organizational forms lectures, problem solving in groups and labwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of the mathematization of physical situations through differential calculus requires an understanding of the justification for and the meaning of the differential in the context of physics. In this work, four different conceptions about the differential in physics are identified and assessed according to their utility for the mathematization process. We also present an empirical study to probe the conceptions about the differential that are used by students in physics, as well students' perceptions of how they are expected to use differential calculus in physics. The results support the claim that students have a quasi-exclusive conception of the differential as an infinitesimal increment and that they perceive that their teachers only expect them to use differential calculus in an algorithmic way, without a sound understanding of what are they doing and why. These results are related to the lack of attention paid by conventional physics teaching to the mathematization process. Finally, some proposals for action are put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines physics and mathematics textbooks published in France at the end of the 1950s and at the beginning of the 1960s for children aged 11-15 years old. It argues that at this 'middle school' level, textbooks contributed to shape cultural representations of both disciplines and their mutual boundaries through their contents and their material aspect. Further, this paper argues that far from presenting clearly delimited subjects, late 1950s textbooks offered possible connections between mathematics and physics. It highlights that such connections depended upon the type of schools the textbooks aimed at, at a time when educational organization still differentiated pupils of this age. It thus stresses how the audience and its projected aptitudes and needs, as well as the cultural teaching traditions of the teachers in charge, were inseparable from the diverse conceptions of mathematics and physics and their relationships promoted through textbooks of the time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students often have difficulties understanding abstract physics concepts, such as solid friction. This study examines high school students' mental models of solid friction through a case study of 215 high school students in the ninth through twelfth grades. An achievement test with three open-ended questions was created, with questions limited to descriptive and visual responses regarding the concept of solid friction. The gathered data were analyzed in terms of rubrics that were used in related literature. By using the rubrics, the various levels of understanding by students were determined separately by the two researchers. The percentage of case agreement between the researchers was calculated as 90% for description and 84% for visualization. The results showed that students mostly think about solid friction at the macroscopic level and have difficulties making sense of it at the microscopic level (i.e., students' mental models are not scientific). In the light of these results, it is recommended that instructors endeavor to explain solid friction at macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we investigated the pedagogical context of whole-class teaching with computer simulations. We examined relations between the attitudes and learning goals of teachers and their students regarding the use of simulations in whole-class teaching, and how teachers implement these simulations in their teaching practices. We observed lessons presented by 24 physics teachers in which they used computer simulations. Students completed questionnaires about the lesson, and each teacher was interviewed afterwards. These three data sources capturedimplementationby the teacher, and thelearning goalsandattitudesof students and their teachers regarding teaching with computer simulations. For each teacher,we calculated anInquiry-Cycle-Score(ICS) based on the occurrence and order of the inquiry activities ofpredicting,observingandexplainingduring teaching, and aStudent-Response-Rate(SRR) reflecting the level of active student participation. Statistical analyses revealed positive correlations between the inquiry-based character of the teaching approach and students’ attitudes regarding its contribution to their motivation and insight, a negative correlation between the SRR and the ICS, and a positive correlation between teachers’ attitudes about inquiry-based teaching with computer simulations and learning goal congruence between the teacher and his/her students. This means that active student participation is likely to be lower when the instruction more closely resembles the inquiry cycle, and that teachers with a positive attitude about inquiry-based teaching with computer simulations realize the importance of learning goal congruence. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Seeking a historical-philosophical approach to science teaching, narrative texts have been used as pedagogical tools to improve the learning experience of students. A review of the literature of different types of narrative texts and their different rates of effectiveness in science education is presented. This study was developed using the so-called Historical Narrative as a tool to introduce science content from a historical-philosophical approach, aiming to discuss science as a human construction. This project was carried out in a 9th grade Physics class in K-12 school, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The steps involved in constructing a Historical Narrative based on the controversy over animal electrical fluid between Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta is reported herein. Finally, qualitative research results of the activities inspired by this Historical Narrative are presented with the purpose of answering the research question: to what extent do Historical Narratives support and enhance discussions about the Nature of Science (NOS), through teaching the scientific content in a historical-philosophical approach with 9th grade students? The results indicate that Historical Narrative, based on historical episodes, is a good 'door opener' to teach scientific content in a historical-philosophical approach, introducing discussions about the Nature of Science without neglecting the scientific content or simplifying the discussions about the NOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there have been concerns in the UK regarding the uptake of particular subjects in post-compulsory education. Whilst entries for Advanced level (A-level) subjects such as media studies have experienced considerable growth, entries for A-level physics have, until recently, been declining, prompting fears of a skills crisis in future generations. This study applied an established psychological theory, the theory of planned behaviour, to explore the drivers behind students’ subject choice at A-level, specifically focusing on students’ intentions to study physics and media studies. Multiple regression analyses supported the predictive validity of the theory in this context, with the three predictor variables (attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control) accounting for 66% of the variance in students’ intentions to study physics and 68% of the variance in students’ intentions to study media studies. Furthermore, for both subjects, attitude and subjective norm were found to be significant predictors of intentions. Hence, students with higher intentions to study physics or media studies exhibited a more positive attitude towards choosing this subject and perceived greater social pressure from significant others. Analysis of the beliefs underlying students’ subject choices suggested that the influence of parents was particularly important to students, as were beliefs about the positive outcomes of choosing physics or media studies in terms of student’s future career and education prospects. This suggests that initiatives aimed at increasing the uptake of subjects such as physics in the future might be best targeted in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We assessed the impact of expert students' instructional quality on the academic performance of novice students in 12th-grade physics classes organized in an expert model of cooperative learning (‘jigsaw classroom’). The instructional quality of 129 expert students was measured by a newly developed rating system. As expected, when aggregating across all four subtopics taught, regression analysis revealed that academic performance of novice students increases with the quality of expert students' instruction. The difficulty of subtopics, however, moderates this effect: higher instructional quality of more difficult subtopics did not lead to better academic performance of novice students. We interpret this finding in the light of Cognitive Load Theory. Demanding tasks cause high intrinsic cognitive load and hindered the novice students' learning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the present paper an educational experience is described. It was carried out with students from third year of Educación Secundaria Obligatoria focused on the content of "The inorganic chemical formulation". From a question or the approach of a riddle we aim to bring the students, in an innovative way, to the field of physics and chemistry and, ultimately, to science, thus involving them in their own teaching-learning process. Having the methodology of learning by inquiry, as a referent, we have worked with different didactic tools that can help improve student learning, such as: collaborative learning techniques using the technique of Aronson's Puzzle or the information Technology and Communication. Also a WebQuest has been designed using the Google sites tool to present the activities so that it can guide the student in finding information on the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far relatively little research in education has explored the pedagogical and learning potentials of applications (Apps) on tablet PCs (TPCs). Drawing upon research on learning technologies and taking an embodied perspective, this study first identified educational functionalities of TPCs and generated guidelines to design educational Apps for science learning. Following the guidelines, two Apps were developed and their effects on students' science learning were examined. A total of 61 11th graders from 3 classes in a public senior high school participated in instructional activities using the Apps. The test results showed a significant improvement in the students' conceptual understanding of the projectile motion and collision of moving objects. The results also suggest that the implementation of the Apps was particularly useful for the students' understanding of advanced concepts. This study could extend current understandings of how mobile technologies support reformbased science teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Technology & Information Education is the property of Palacky University in Olomouc and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With new technologies developing so rapidly, there was an inevitable impact upon all aspects of teaching and learning. Information and communication technology (ICT) can make an enormous difference in the way lessons are presented, while online resources are available with the potential to enhance the learning experiences. Indeed, the availability of information at the press of a button may well change the whole way knowledge is viewed, with increasingly less emphasis on what a student knows and more on what they can do with what is available. In all of this, the attitudes of teachers and learners are important. These may well determine the extent to which the new technologies are employed and how they are employed. So, the main aim of this study is to explore the perceptions and attitudes of teachers and their students towards the use of ICT in teaching of physics at secondary level in Pakistan. The government in Pakistan has set out policies to encourage the use of ICT at school level. In order to collect data, a questionnaire and interview schedule was developed. This questionnaire was used with 138 Physics teachers of secondary schools registered with the Board of Intermediate and secondary Education (BISE) Multan, Pakistan. The data from the questionnaire was analysed to offer an overview of the perceptions of teachers with the responses of sub-groups in the population being compared using chi-square as a contingency test. The Interview schedule was used collect general attitude of science teachers towards the use of ICT during their teaching and what kind of difficulties they faced. The findings of the study make it clear that there was an enthusiastic and positive view about the use of ICT in all aspects of teaching and learning. The students wanted more but the teachers tended to see ICT in terms of a computer and a data projector, replacing the traditional lecture-style teaching approach in Pakistan. The results of the study also revealed that, if the new technologies are to play a major part in the teaching of physics, the facilities to do this must be available in every teaching area (not computer rooms) and this is linked to the very real problem of lack of a consistent supply of electricity in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of the pedagogical research conducted to examine the effects of multimedia application on teaching physics compared to the traditional method of teaching. The research was carried out on the sample of 140 students of the first grade of technical school. The influence of multimedia application in teaching physics on the quantum, quality and retention of students' knowledge was examined by the experimental method. Knowledge tests were used as research instrument. Tests questions were divided based on Bloom's taxonomy into three basic categories: remembering, understanding and applying. It was determined that multimedia application in teaching physics had resulted in a significant increase of the quantum and quality of students' knowledge in all categories, as well as the retention of knowledge quality in the category of applying compared to the traditional method of teaching. Research results have shown the validity of multimedia application in teaching practice with the aim of enhancing understanding of fundamental physical concepts and laws, and therefore increasing the efficiency of teaching physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we discuss how quantum physics and relativity can be taught in upper secondary school, in ways that promote conceptual understanding and philosophical reflections. We present the ReleQuant project, in which web-based teaching modules have been developed. The modules address competence aims in the Norwegian national curriculum for physics (final year of upper secondary education), which is unique in that it includes general relativity, entangled photons and the epistemological consequences of modern physics. These topics, with their high demands on students’ understanding of abstract and counter-intuitive concepts and principles, are challenging for teachers to teach and for students to learn. However, they also provide opportunities to present modern physics in innovative ways that students may find motivating and relevant both in terms of modern technological applications and in terms of contributions to students’ intellectual development. Beginning with these challenges and opportunities, we briefly present previous research and theoretical perspectives with relevance to student learning and motivation in modern physics. Based on this, we outline the ReleQuant teaching approach, where students use written and oral language and a collaborative exploration of animations and simulations as part of their learning process. Finally, we present some of the first experiences from classroom tests of the quantum physics modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a synthesis of research evidence around teaching light to primary and secondary school pupils as part of the Institute of Physics Promoting and Interpreting Physics Education Research (PIPER) project. Conceptual change literature describes many of the difficulties young people can have understanding the phenomenon of light, and this knowledge can be useful in the classroom. Pupil–teacher dialogue is used to illustrate some of the pedagogical challenges teachers face in this topic. This paper also highlights the range of influences on pupils from everyday life and from the classroom, with a view to promoting teacher awareness of conceptual change research evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

David Smith talks to Physics Education board member and contributor Rick Marshall about philosophy, energy studies, and his move into teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A team of French high-school students sent a weather balloon into the upper atmosphere to recreate Viktor Hess’s historical experiment that demonstrated the existence of ionizing radiation from the sky—later called cosmic radiation. This discovery earned him the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1936. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many educational researchers have investigated how best to support conceptual learning in science education. In this study, the aim was to design learning materials using Physlets, small computer simulations, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these materials in supporting conceptual learning in secondary school physics. Students were taught in two different physics courses (conditions): one group of students ( n = 40) was taught using Physlet-based learning materials, and the other ( n = 40) was taught using expository instruction. To evaluate the designed materials, we assessed students' thinking skills in relation to physics after the course and analyzed the results using an independent t test, multiple regression analyses, and one-way analysis of covariance. The results showed better thinking skills among students in the experimental group and supported a clear relationship between the physics course using Physlet-based materials and this improvement ( p < 0.05). These results indicate that properly designed Physlet-based materials can effectively support conceptual learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interdisciplinary electro-optics programme was recently established at a leading high school in Israel. This unique programme combines physics with electronics and spans over a three-year period. The programme was meant to increase students' interest in physics and engineering, and develop their systems thinking skills. A central part of the programme is the final project done over the last school year (12th grade), in which the students design and implement an electro-optical system. The study described in this paper characterized by qualitative tools the change that had occurred during the academic year in the attitudes of fourteen 12th grade students toward the programme, and the change in their systems thinking skills. The results of this study indicate that beyond the students' increasing interest in the programme, they thought of it as leading to a deeper study of the disciplinary components. Further it was discovered that over the year there was an improvement in the students' systems thinking skills [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasing costs associated with commercial textbooks and decreasing financial support of public schools, it is important to better understand the impacts of open educational resources on student outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative study is to analyze whether the adoption of open science textbooks significantly affects science learning outcomes for secondary students in earth systems, chemistry, and physics.This study uses a quantitative quasi-experimental design with propensity score matched groups and multiple regression to examine whether student learning was influenced by the adoption of open textbooks instead of traditional publisher-produced textbooks. Students who used open textbooks scored .65 points higher on end-of-year state standardized science tests than students using traditional textbooks when controlling for the effects of 10 student and teacher covariates. Further analysis revealed statistically significant positive gains for students using the open chemistry textbooks, with no significant difference in student scores for earth systems of physics courses. Although the effect size of the gains were relatively small, and not consistent across all textbooks, the finding that open textbooks can be as effective or even slightly more effective than their traditional counterparts has important considerations in terms of school district policy in a climate of finite educational funding. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, a progressive-learning approach to physics, based on knowledge-building pedagogy, was compared to a content-centered approach in which explanations, experiments, and discussions are centered on the transmission of knowledge. Forty-six students attending the first year of high school participated in this study over a whole school year. Students’ knowledge and mastery of physics concepts were assessed through questionnaires containing both open-ended and multiple-choice questions. Overall, the ‘progressive-learning' group outperformed the content-centered group. Results are discussed in relation to the theoretical background and the experimental teacher's diary of classroom activities. The main conclusion achieved by this study is that the teaching of physics should be slow, cyclic, and developmentally appropriate for the context. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article looks at the potential of bioenergy as a replacement for fossil fuels, the cutting-edge research being undertaken by scientists, and classroom resources available for teaching this topic. There is currently a large programme of scientific research aiming to develop advanced biofuels (replenishable liquid biofuels from non-food plants, algae and organic waste), along with an initiative to support teachers and engage the public. Advances in biofuel usage and technologies provide teachers with ample opportunity to discuss controversial issues and carry out practical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in the use of low enthalpy geothermal (LEG) energy schemes, whereby heated water is extracted from sandstone aquifers for civic heating projects. While prevalent in countries with volcanic activity, a recently proposed scheme for Manchester offered the perfect opportunity to engage students in the viability of this form of energy capture. This article details how second-year advanced-level physics students (A2, age 17-18) were given the freedom to design their own experiments and analyses of the proposed LEG scheme. The project provided opportunities for the students to improve their understanding of thermal physics and the 'How science works' sections of the A2 syllabus, while building their teamworking skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key challenge in designing a teaching programme on energy is in deciding how best to deal with the differences in how the word 'energy' is used and understood in everyday discourse and in science. Many of the most important decisions and choices about energy matters, both for individuals and society, can be adequately understood from an everyday perspective. This raises the question of the appropriate balance in the curriculum between the everyday and scientific views of energy, and of why, when and how we should try to move students on from an everyday understanding of energy towards the scientific understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with physics teaching/learning in high school. An investigation in three upper secondary school classes in Italy explored the reactions of students to a structuring lecture on optics within the discipline-culture (DC) framework that organises physics knowledge around four interrelated fundamental theories of light. The lecture presented optics as an unfolding conceptual discourse of physicists regarding the nature of light. Along with the knowledge constructed in a school course of a scientific lyceum, the students provided epistemological comments, displaying their perception of physics knowledge presented in the classroom. Students' views and knowledge were investigated by questionnaires prior to and after the lecture and in special discussions held in each class. They revealed a variety of attitudes and views which allowed inferences about the potential of the DC framework in an educational context. The findings and interpretation indicate the positive and stimulating impact of the lecture and the way in which DC-based approach to knowledge organization makes physics at school cultural and attractive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the use of the double-slit thought experiment as a diagnostic tool for probing physics teachers' understanding. A total of 9 pre-service teachers and 18 in-service teachers with a variety of different experience in modern physics teaching at the upper secondary level responded in a paper-and-pencil test and three of these teachers were interviewed. The results showed that the physics teachers' thought experiments with classical particles, light, and electrons were often partial. Many teachers also suffered a lack of the basic ideas and principles of physics, which probably hindered thought experimenting. In particular, understanding the ontological nature of classical particles, light and electrons seemed to be essential in performing the double-slit experiment in an appropriate way. However, the in-service physics teachers who had teaching experience in modern physics were more prepared for the double-slit thought experiment than the pre-service teachers. The results suggest that both thought experiments and the double-slit experiment should be given more weight in physics teacher education, even if experience in modern physics teaching at upper secondary school seems to some extent to develop teachers' abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the relationship between pupils’ level of understanding of the analogies proposed in class while working with a model of chemical change and their competence at constructing a coherent verbal discourse of that model in both its macroscopic and submicroscopic representations. The study participants were 35 pupils in their 3rd year of compulsory secondary education (14–15 years of age) who had been studying chemical change for several weeks in their subject of Physics and Chemistry. The results suggested that the pupils generally understood the proposed analogies quite well, and that a good proportion of them assimilated adequately the verbal discourse inherent in the proposed model of chemical change. There was also a statistically significant association between modeling and analogical thinking. In particular, the pupils with greater understanding of the analogies being considered were also those who tended to show a greater ability to verbalize the model of chemical change and reason with it when solving the tasks they had been set. These results concur with the literature by suggesting that a link exists between analogical thinking and modeling, and that learning with analogies has a positive influence on the construction of the chemical change model. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article proposes explanations for the need to improve and transform the education of physics teachers. Topics covered include the impact of limited preparation in physics on high school students, the background and qualifications needed for high school physics teaching, and the special courses of study in physics education. Recommendations mosti relevant to physics faculty members are also presented.

Copyright of Journal of Turkish Science Education (TUSED) is the property of Firtina Academy Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Energy is a central topic in physics and a key concept for understanding the physical, biological and technological worlds. It is a complex topic with multiple connections with different areas of science and with social, environmental and philosophical issues. In this paper we discuss some aspects of the teaching and learning of the energy concept, and report results of research on this issue. To immerse science teaching into the context of scientific culture and of the students' cultural world, we propose to select specific driving issues that promote motivation for the construction of science concepts and models. We describe the design and evaluation of a teaching learning path developed around the issue of greenhouse effect and global warming. The experimentation with high school students has shown that the approach based on driving issues promotes students' engagement toward a deeper understanding of the topic and favours further insight. The evolution of students' answers indicates a progressively more correct and appropriate use of the concepts of heat, radiation, temperature, internal energy, a distinction between thermal equilibrium and stationary non equilibrium conditions, and a better understanding of greenhouse effect. Based on the results of the experimentation and in collaboration with the teachers involved, new materials for the students have been prepared and a new cycle of implementation, evaluation and refinement has been activated with a larger group of teachers and students. This type of systematic and long term collaboration with teachers can help to fill the gap between the science education research and the actual school practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Latin-American Journal of Physics Education is the property of Latin-American Physics Education Network and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Entertaining and educational experiments that can be conducted in a water park, illustrating physics concepts, principles and fundamental laws, are described. These experiments are suitable for students ranging from senior secondary school to junior university level. Newton’s laws of motion, Bernoulli’s equation, based on the conservation of energy, buoyancy, linear and non-linear wave propagation, turbulence, thermodynamics, optics and cosmology are among the topics that can be discussed. Commonly available devices like smartphones, digital cameras, laptop computers and tablets, can be used conveniently to enable accurate calculation and a greater degree of engagement on the part of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physics curriculum is usually defined by content but this does not provide students with an authentic experience of the subject. An alternative is that physics is defined more as a way of thinking and this idea is explored in terms of the purposes of physics education, assessment and the relationship of the subject with other disciplines. A number of recommendations are made on how current systems, including examinations and practical work, could be altered to accommodate such an approach and on the best way to offer more challenge to the scientists of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tablet computers were used as experimental tools to record and analyse the motion of a ball thrown vertically from a moving skateboard. Special applications plotted the measurement data component by component, allowing a simple determination of initial conditions and g in order to explore the underlying laws of motion. This experiment can easily be performed by students themselves, providing more autonomy in their problem-solving processes than traditional learning approaches. We believe that this autonomy and the authenticity of the experimental tool both foster their motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an interactive tool for analysis of data from the ATLAS experiment taking place at the world’s highest energy particle collider at CERN. The tool, called HYPATIA/applet, enables students of various levels to become acquainted with particle physics and look for discoveries in a similar way to that of real research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple inductive gravimeter constructed from a rigid plastic pipe and insulated copper wire is described. When a magnet is dropped through the vertically mounted pipe it induces small alternating voltages. These small signals are fed to the microphone input of a typical computer and sampled at a typical rate of 44.1 kHz using a custom computer program. Knowing the geometrical dimensions of the gravimeter and calculating the time intervals between peaks of the recorded signal it is possible to calculate the local gravitational acceleration (g). Limitations and improvements are discussed. Instructions are included throughout so that teachers and pupils can replicate the experiment in their own schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers regularly use stories to amplify the concepts taught and to encourage student engagement. The literary form of a parable is particularly suitable for classroom use, and examples are given, including a longer one intended to stimulate discussion on the nature of quantum physics (and the wave–particle duality in particular). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas gives the concept of field energy a prominent role in the physical sciences sections of its recommendations for K-12 science education. I examine what A Framework suggests for the role of field energy and point out that, given the ambiguities and complexities associated with field energy, a traditional approach focusing on potential energy is more appropriate for introductory physics in secondary schools, colleges, and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses aspects related to modeling instruction curriculum used to introduce high school physics students to computational problem-solving and numerical computation. Topics include the U.S. National Research Council's (NRC) framework for K-12 science standards, benefits of using simulation model programs by students and importance of numerical computation in physics modeling. The VPython modeling software and a modeling activity used in ninth-grade physics course are discussed.