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This article discusses the importance of studying the history of physics and its relevance to contemporary physics. It emphasizes the need for historical analysis to be independent and not influenced by current research agendas or biases. The article also describes the concept of "History for Physics," which aims to bridge contemporary physics topics with their historical context. The authors organized symposia and published a special issue on this theme, featuring tandem articles written by both physicists and historians of physics. The article concludes by highlighting the positive response from physicists and the potential for further collaboration between physicists and historians in studying the history of physics. Additionally, the article mentions the challenges faced by tandems in completing their papers, resulting in multiple deadline extensions, but expresses excitement and pride in featuring six tandem papers in the special issue. [Extracted from the article]

Despite improvements in female science enrolment, the gender gap remains in some disciplines. This study examines whether elementary school students (N = 1012, third to sixth graders) display gender-stereotypical interest in learning biology and physics content and how this affects their attitudes towards school science. K-means cluster analysis revealed four interest profiles that resemble career enrolment patterns, with slightly more girls in profiles of high interest in biology over physics (biology interest) and low interest in both disciplines (disinterested), and more boys in high interest in physics over biology (physics interest) and high interest in both disciplines (interested). Students in the interested profile had more positive attitudes towards school science than those in the other profiles. These findings suggest gender segregation in science may be shaped before students make career decisions, calling for attitude-based, gender-inclusive educational interventions from elementary grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Mitchell Institute Physics Enhancement Program (MIPEP), which aims to support high school physics teachers who have little to no background in the subject. The program, run by the physics faculty at Texas A&M University, focuses on increasing teachers' physics content knowledge, improving their confidence in teaching physics, and introducing research-based instructional strategies. MIPEP includes intensive two-week sessions with content-focused instruction, inquiry-based labs, and enrichment activities. The program has shown positive impacts on participants' knowledge and confidence, and it is suggested that similar programs could be implemented by other physics departments to improve physics instruction at the high school level. [Extracted from the article]

It is becoming increasingly important that physics educators equip their students with the skills to work with data effectively. However, many educators may lack the necessary training and expertise in data science to teach these skills. To address this gap, we created the Data Science Education Community of Practice (DSECOP), bringing together graduate students and physics educators from different institutions and backgrounds to share best practices and lessons learned from integrating data science into undergraduate physics education. In this article, we present insight and experiences from this community of practice, highlighting key strategies and challenges in incorporating data science into the introductory physics curriculum. Our goal is to provide guidance and inspiration to educators who seek to integrate data science into their teaching, helping to prepare the next generation of physicists for a data-driven world. Editor's Note: Are you interested in adding data science concepts to your physics curriculum, but unsure where to start? If so, you may be interested in the new Data Science Education Community of Practice that offers guidance, inspiration, and resources for physics teachers like you, along with the results of faculty and industry surveys highlighting the skills that will be most useful to your students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase-field models are widely used to describe phase transitions and interface evolution in various scientific disciplines. In this Tutorial, we present two neural network methods for solving them. The first method is based on physics-informed neural networks (PINNs), which enforce the governing equations and boundary/initial conditions in the loss function. The second method is based on deep operator neural networks (DeepONets), which treat the neural network as an operator that maps the current state of the field variable to the next state. Both methods are demonstrated with the Allen–Cahn equation in one dimension, and the results are compared with the ground truth. This Tutorial also discusses the advantages and limitations of each method, as well as the potential extensions and improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concept mapping is widely used as a tool for assessing students' understanding of science. To fully realize the diagnostic potential of concept mapping, a scoring method that not only provides an objective and accurate assessment of students' drawn concept maps but also provides a detailed understanding of students' proficiency and deficiencies in knowledge is necessary. However, few of the existing scoring methods focus on the latent constructs (e.g., knowledge, skills, and cognitive processes) that guide the creation of concept maps. Instead, they focus on the completeness of the concept map by assigning a composite score, which makes it difficult to generate targeted diagnostic feedback information for advancing students' learning. To apply the diagnostic classification model to the quantitative analysis of concept maps, this study introduced the novel application of the item expansion‐based diagnostic classification analysis (IE‐DCA) for this purpose. The IE‐DCA can not only assess students' concept mapping abilities along a continuum but also classify students according to their concept mapping attributes when constructing the concept maps. The application and benefits of this approach were illustrated using a physics concept‐mapping item related to particle and rigid body. Results showed that the estimated attribute profiles via the IE‐DCA provided more detailed information about students' latent constructs than the composite score. Overall, this study illustrates the feasibility and potential of applying IE‐DCA to analyze concept maps. Future applications of IE‐DCS in other assessments in science education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine how the use of virtual reality impacts physics students, their knowledge, and the quality of training. The study involved 116 students aged 17–19. The main purpose is to explore the effect that VR technology has on students' knowledge and motivation. As per usual, the students were divided into two research groups: experimental and control. Physics students (experimental group) used virtual reality in learning, while radiophysics students (control group) followed the standard educational program. The results obtained upon completion of the training have confirmed that VR technology can effectively improve learning quality and increase student motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The learning assistant (LA) model supports student success in undergraduate science courses; however, variation in outcomes has led to a call for more work investigating how the LA model is implemented. In this research, we used cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) to characterize how three different instructors set up LA-facilitated classrooms and how LAs' understanding and development of their practices was shaped by the classroom activity. CHAT is a sociocultural framework that provides a structured approach to studying complex activity systems directed toward specific objects. It conceptualizes change within these systems as expansive learning, in which experiencing a contradiction leads to internalization and critical self-reflection, and then externalization and a search for solutions and change. Results: Through analyzing two semi-structured retrospective interviews from three professors and eleven LAs, we found that how the LA model was implemented differed based on STEM instructors' pedagogical practices and goals. Each instructor leveraged LA-facilitated interactions to further learning and tasked LAs with emotionally supporting students to grapple with content and confusions in a safe environment; however, all three had different rules and divisions of labor that were influenced by their perspectives on learning and their objects for the class. For LAs, we found that they had multiple, sometimes conflicting, motives that can be described as either practical, what they described as their day-to-day job, or sense-making, how they made sense of the reason for their work. How these motives were integrated/separated or aligned/misaligned with the collective course object influenced LAs' learning in practice through either a mechanism of consonance or contradiction. We found that each LA developed unique practices that reciprocally shaped and were shaped by the activity system in which they worked. Conclusions: This study helps bridge the bodies of research that focus on outcomes from the LA model and LA learning and development by describing how LA learning mechanisms are shaped by their context. We also show that variation in the LA model can be described both by classroom objects and by LAs' development in dialogue with those objects. This work can be used to start to develop a deeper understanding of how students, instructors, and LAs experience the LA model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a new protocol for quantum secure direct communication (DI-QSDC) using hyper-entanglement, which ensures secure communication despite device imperfections. The protocol increases the capacity of the secure channel by utilizing hyper-encoding. The article also mentions the AAPPS-DACG Workshop, an international symposium on cosmology and particle astrophysics, and highlights the achievements of Chinese physicist Qi-Kun Xue. Xue has made significant contributions to condensed matter physics, particularly in the study of the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE), and his work has led to advancements in understanding and applying quantum Hall states. Xue has received recognition and prestigious prizes for his achievements in the field of physics. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) 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.)

Open-source video analysis and modeling program "Tracker" is a powerful tool in physics education and classroom teaching. The application of Tracker is demonstrated in this article with a simple and well-studied problem, the simple pendulum. The motion of the pendulum is videographed using a smartphone and analysed with Tracker for different amplitudes of oscillation. The period of oscillation and phase-space trajectory of the pendulum are determined using this application and compared with results from the standard textbook theory. A first-order anharmonic coupling factor is determined from the measured frequency shift, which is found reasonable with the analytical result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge of creating reliable technology-based resources for science learning is a perennial challenge in Philippine education, with limited learning materials accessible to all learners. This study is about the development of a videocast embedded with physics education technology (PhET) simulation that served as supplementary learning material for grade 9 science in response to the scarcity of dependable visualization materials. The study employed the developmental research design with analysisdesign-development-implementation-evaluation (ADDIE) model as the developmental framework. The vodcast evaluation tool, achievement test questionnaire, and vodcast perception survey questionnaire for students and teachers were used in the data collection, while the Kendall's W statistic, mean, percentage, and gain score were used in the data interpretation. The teacher respondents (N=64) have moderate agreement on the ranking of topic difficulty, with Kendall's W of 0.45. The researcher-made vodcast attained an overall rating of 4.78 from experts, which implies that the vodcast can be very good material for classroom implementation. The developed achievement test has acceptable difficulty and discrimination indices. The implementation stage yielded a low normalized gain, which can be accounted for by unfocused attention during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the voicecasts were found very useful in learning projectile motion, as perceived by both students and teacher-observers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to describe the development of solar electric cars as a prop in energy conversion learning using the analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate (ADDIE) model and to ascertain the effectiveness of an electric car as a prop in energy conversion learning. Utilization of prop in the learning process is one way to support the development of knowledge, skills, and basic needs for delivering material, concepts, and physics information. This research is a descriptive study involving media and pedagogical experts and 40 students of the university in Tasikmalaya. Data collection techniques were carried out through the study of literature, expert validation, and student perception questionnaires. Expert validation and student perception were obtained by using a Likert scale. The expert judgment results were processed using the V value equation developed by Aiken. The results showed a value of 1, meeting the minimum validation requirements. The students also had positive responses to a prop. They have new experience learning in energy conversion and have good media to help their comprehension. It has a significant impact on helping students to achieve their learning goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines peer instruction, an educational technique that enhances student-student interaction and student-teacher interaction, influencing students' performance on counterintuitive physics questions. The study employed a quantitative approach with 40 participants, 22.5% of whom were male and 77.5% were female. The counterintuitive dynamics test was used to measure students' counter intuitions in dynamics. The study results on counterintuitive questions showed no noticeable effect from peer instruction. Surprisingly, more students shifted from correct to incorrect responses after group discussions, leading to a decrease in the overall accuracy rate. Although peer instruction did not show a clear impact on counterintuitive physics questions, it is important for educators to recognize the complexity of peer instructions. Exploring different teaching methods that use peer interaction might help improve learning outcomes for counterintuitive physics questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the effects of the three-phase constructivist instructional strategy on the academic achievement and interest of students in Mechanics in Physics. A total of two hundred and fifteen senior secondary II Physics students were used for the study. The experimental group was made up of one hundred and fifteen (115) students while the control group was one hundred (100) students. The study adopted the quasi-experimental design of pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group design. The study was carried out in Southern Cross River State, Nigeria. Two instruments were used for data collection viz: the Physics Achievement Test (PAT) and the Physics Interest Scale (PIS). The face validation was undertaken by three experts, two in Physics education and one in Measurement and Evaluation. The instrument was trial tested using forty students in schools not used in the study. The data from this trial test were analyzed and the PAT had a reliability of 0.83 while the PIS had a reliability of 0.79. The pretest was then administered to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group was taught with the three-phase constructivist strategy while the control groups were taught using the normal conventional teaching method. After the period of treatment, the post test was administered to both groups. The results show significant difference in the mean interest score of both the experimental and control groups in favour of the control group. Also, there was significant difference in the academic achievement in favour of the experimental group. The paper thus concluded that the three-phase constructivist strategy is a good teaching method that could evoke interest and enhance achievement among students. The paper then recommended the use of innovative teaching methods by Physics teachers in order to arouse students' interest and enhance achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a compilation of various scientific papers and preprints covering a wide range of topics, including protein folding, cell migration, machine learning, deep neural networks, neural scaling laws, representations and generalization in artificial and brain neural networks, and the neuron as a direct data-driven controller. The papers discuss different aspects of these subjects, providing a comprehensive overview of the current research in these fields. This document can be a valuable resource for library patrons conducting research on these topics, particularly in the fields of neuroscience and artificial intelligence. [Extracted from the article]

Recent years witnessed the development of powerful generative models based on flows, diffusion, or autoregressive neural networks, achieving remarkable success in generating data from examples with applications in a broad range of areas. A theoretical analysis of the performance and understanding of the limitations of these methods remain, however, challenging. In this paper, we undertake a step in this direction by analyzing the efficiency of sampling by these methods on a class of problems with a known probability distribution and comparing it with the sampling performance of more traditional methods such as the Monte Carlo Markov chain and Langevin dynamics. We focus on a class of probability distribution widely studied in the statistical physics of disordered systems that relate to spin glasses, statistical inference, and constraint satisfaction problems. We leverage the fact that sampling via flow-based, diffusionbased, or autoregressive networks methods can be equivalently mapped to the analysis of a Bayes optimal denoising of a modified probability measure. Our findings demonstrate that these methods encounter difficulties in sampling stemming from the presence of a first-order phase transition along the algorithm's denoising path. Our conclusions go both ways: We identify regions of parameters where these methods are unable to sample efficiently, while that is possible using standard Monte Carlo or Langevin approaches. We also identify regions where the opposite happens: standard approaches are inefficient while the discussed generative methods work well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling complex physical dynamics is a fundamental task in science and engineering. Traditional physics-based models are first-principled, explainable, and sampleefficient. However, they often rely on strong modeling assumptions and expensive numerical integration, requiring significant computational resources and domain expertise. While deep learning (DL) provides efficient alternatives for modeling complex dynamics, they require a large amount of labeled training data. Furthermore, its predictions may disobey the governing physical laws and are difficult to interpret. Physics-guided DL aims to integrate first-principled physical knowledge into datadriven methods. It has the best of both worlds and is well equipped to better solve scientific problems. Recently, this field has gained great progress and has drawn considerable interest across discipline Here, we introduce the framework of physics-guided DL with a special emphasis on learning dynamical systems. We describe the learning pipeline and categorize state-of-the-art methods under this framework. We also offer our perspectives on the open challenges and emerging opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative research study investigates the experiences of Grade 12 STEM students in inquiry-based learning in physics at a private high school in Central Mindanao. The study aims to understand the challenges and benefits of this teaching approach, considering factors such as gender, academic performance, and prior exposure to inquirybased learning (IBL). The study involved ten students who were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected through one-on-one interviews. The findings reveal that the most challenging experience students faced in inquiry-based learning are problemsolving, lecture and laboratory activities, and theoretical concepts. Meanwhile, the benefits of IBL include collaborative learning, interactive discussions, and enhanced interest in learning. Most students preferred hands-on learning, while few preferred auditory and visual learning. The study suggests that development in IBL can be made based on students' challenges and learning styles, and the benefits that they can get from the approach in a supportive learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents important findings that were observed as interconnected key elements of high-quality co-teaching of a physics course for pre-service science teachers while the collaborating faculty experienced a pedagogical convergence. This pedagogical convergence is akin to the conceptual convergence that Roschelle (1992) has described as being a central mechanism in conceptual change learning. Four elements of that pedagogical convergence are identified and discussed: two found within Roschelle's framework and two recognized by the faculty members through their reflection on the course. This pedagogical convergence had a significant positive influence on the design and, more importantly, the implementation of the co-taught physics course, resulting in a productive and impactful collaboration between the two faculty members. The paper includes perspectives from both faculty members on each element of the pedagogical convergence and students as well as on the teaching context and critical aspects of practice. The ideas in the paper should provide college faculty members meaningful directions as to how co-teaching could be implemented across a range of science disciplines and the framework can serve as a foundation for creating a co-taught college science course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of technology has brought significant impacts to the world of education, opening opportunities for the development of more engaging and innovative learning methods. The utilization of technology, especially in science education such as physics, enables the presentation of material in a visual, interactive, and concrete manner. One of the recent breakthroughs is the concept of Motion Dynamic Metaverse (MD-Verse), which adds a new dimension to physics learning through virtual environments. With its interactive features, MD-Verse provides a dynamic and enjoyable learning experience. This research aims to develop Metaverse Teaching Materials on the topic of dynamics of motion for college students. Validation results indicate that MD-Verse is suitable for use in physics teaching, contributing to enhancing students' understanding and interest in physics concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underrepresentation of Black Americans in physics has been persistent for so long that it seems to have constrained physics educators' collective imagination when it comes to conceptualizing and pursuing equity in physics teaching and learning. Drawing on a teacher research study that foregrounds justice‐centered physics teaching, this article pushes past the "equity as access" narrative toward more expansive visions of equity and justice by reimagining physics education as a liberatory praxis. Accordingly, this study explores the complexities that emerged while expanding the boundaries of physics learning to embrace a justice‐centered curriculum through a Youth Participatory Science (YPS) project. Taught in the context of a freshman physics course at an urban public high school, this YPS project engaged students in designing solar energy systems for an African‐American community historically harmed by environmental racism. Critically evaluating curricular documents, I juxtaposed the traditional goals of physics learning with respect to definitions of community needs and assets. Simultaneously, I investigated the ways in which canonical physics knowledge dialectically interacts with interdisciplinary knowledge throughout the defining, investigating, and intervening phases of the YPS cycle. Throughout this process, I considered how physics learning provides opportunities to either reproduce or transform existing power relations within the sociopolitical and environmental schema of the community. The critical understandings constructed from this study frame what it takes to repurpose physics teaching and learning for environmental justice, specifically emphasizing the agentic pedagogical and curricular decisions teachers must negotiate to transform physics education for liberatory purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the future of education, especially the future changes in education and the people that will occupy the field. What kind of people are we educating for the future? To answer this question, I will analyze the Deleuzo-Guattarian concept of people-yet-to-come by taking into account the new perception and explanation of time and space as well as the context of the Anthropocene. In the empirical part, interviews with experts from non-educational fields are used to discuss time and space in education. Statements about the new features of people in the future reveal the picture of the future of education in the eyes of the experts and its correspondence to theoretical considerations and prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop the notions of resistance and points of entry in the context of alternative written textual formats used in physics teacher education. Studies point out that textbooks have played an important role in undergraduate physics courses, which can be part of the initial training of physics teachers. On the foundation of theories in the philosophy of science, it is possible to verify that there are philosophical reasons for the privileged use of this textual format in physics undergraduate courses. However, alongside the transformation of the educational field in terms of its theoretical-methodological approaches, there is a growing body of research and educational practices that highlights the importance and possibilities of incorporating others written textual formats in all levels of physics education. The notions of resistance and points of entry can enhance the awareness of these dynamics of physics education. To produce such an understanding, we put the philosophy of science in dialogue with the philosophy of action, which provides an overview of the interactions of life, including physics pedagogy - in which actions promote transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As stipulated in the "K to 12 Program" of the Department of Education, Philippines, the traditional way of teaching and learning should be transformed into electronic learning where ICT skills and technologies are introduced to the 21st-century learners, as well as 21st-century teachers. This paper tried to determine if teaching by utilizing Physics Education Technology (PhET) Simulations can impinge on the mastery of the least learned competencies in General Physics 1. It specifically analyzed the Proficiency level and Performance level in demonstrative applications in Physics. The current study also proposed an enhanced lesson plan exemplar that can be adopted by STEM teachers in teaching Physics. The descriptive method of research was employed in the study. During the investigation, there were 49 Grade 12 STEM students participated. The study concludes that PhET Simulation-Integrated instruction can improve the students' proficiency level on the least mastered competencies in General Physics 1. It also strengthened the claim that PhET Simulations can be a virtual laboratory for assessing students' performance on demonstrative applications. Further, utilizing and integrating PhET Simulations in delivering physics lessons can promote positive and engrossing learning experiences among learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physics is commonly perceived as a challenging academic discipline, with a contributing factor being the limited availability of educational resources to support students. Consequently, there arises a need to develop a module focused on the incorporation of technology in physics education. The integration of technology within pedagogical modules refers to the practice of including various technological Implementations in educational content. This study aimed to investigate and rank the most efficient technological implementations for designing a pedagogical hybrid physics module for students in grades 9-12 in the Sultanate of Oman. A literature review was conducted concerning the integration of technology in hybrid learning and physics education. Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were employed for data collection, the data were analyzed utilizing Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM). To establish the FD instrument, a panel of six experts was consulted through semi-structured interviews. This panel identified 13 significant technology Implementations for the development of the module. Subsequently, a group of 12 experts was surveyed to identify the essential technology Implementations. Consequently, four technology Implementations were excluded, while the accepted Implementations were then prioritized using FDM. The findings revealed that Mobile instant messaging claimed the top position, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) ranking at the lowest position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prof. P. Venkataramaiah (P.V.), born on July 08, 1937, has been active in research for the past five decades in several areas of Nuclear Physics and Environmental Sciences. He has visited several Universities and research institutes in various countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, the UK, Canada and the USA. Apart from research work he has also held many administrative positions and made revolutionary improvements in the education sector of India. Even after retirement, Prof. P.V. has actively involved himself inspiring and encouraging the younger generation at secondary level. As an honour for his untiring dedication even in his eighties, his colleagues and students have written articles about his contributions to research and education. This include contributions from Prof. P.V. himself along with Prof. K.S. Mallesh, Prof. N. Nagaiah, Prof. S.A. Bari, Prof. M. Venkateshwaralu, Shri. M. Vasudev, Dr K. Nagaraja, Mrs. Sreemathi Hariprasad and Dr N. Bhagyalakshmi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To teach a subject successfully it is necessary to have knowledge of that subject and of pedagogy as it relates to that subject. Based on the observation of teachers teaching mathematics, Rowland and colleagues developed the Knowledge Quartet. Whilst some aspects of the Knowledge Quartet are set in the context of teaching mathematics, much is more generic and applicable to other subjects. In many jurisdictions, the professional standards for teachers do not have any subject-specific content. This paper describes the development of a knowledge framework, primarily based on the Knowledge Quartet, for teachers of physics, which is designed to sit alongside any teacher professional standards and school curriculum documents. The framework provides subject-specific guidance on the knowledge-base necessary for the teaching of physics as well as providing a common language to help facilitate collaboration between colleagues in relation to their professional learning. The framework was also extended to include the knowledge required by physics teacher educators supporting the professional learning of teachers of physics. The development process included gathering data from a range of physics teachers and physics teacher educators on the value and content of the framework and it being piloted with several physics teacher educators, resulting in an amendment and refinement of the framework. The resulting framework is offered as a useful tool for those involved in the education of physics teachers and as an exemplar of a knowledge framework that could be extended to other subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The learning assistant (LA) model supports student success in undergraduate science courses; however, variation in outcomes has led to a call for more work investigating how the LA model is implemented. In this research, we used cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) to characterize how three different instructors set up LA-facilitated classrooms and how LAs’ understanding and development of their practices was shaped by the classroom activity. CHAT is a sociocultural framework that provides a structured approach to studying complex activity systems directed toward specific objects. It conceptualizes change within these systems as expansive learning, in which experiencing a contradiction leads to internalization and critical self-reflection, and then externalization and a search for solutions and change. Results Through analyzing two semi-structured retrospective interviews from three professors and eleven LAs, we found that how the LA model was implemented differed based on STEM instructors’ pedagogical practices and goals. Each instructor leveraged LA-facilitated interactions to further learning and tasked LAs with emotionally supporting students to grapple with content and confusions in a safe environment; however, all three had different rules and divisions of labor that were influenced by their perspectives on learning and their objects for the class. For LAs, we found that they had multiple, sometimes conflicting, motives that can be described as either practical, what they described as their day-to-day job, or sense-making, how they made sense of the reason for their work. How these motives were integrated/separated or aligned/misaligned with the collective course object influenced LAs’ learning in practice through either a mechanism of consonance or contradiction. We found that each LA developed unique practices that reciprocally shaped and were shaped by the activity system in which they worked. Conclusions This study helps bridge the bodies of research that focus on outcomes from the LA model and LA learning and development by describing how LA learning mechanisms are shaped by their context. We also show that variation in the LA model can be described both by classroom objects and by LAs’ development in dialogue with those objects. This work can be used to start to develop a deeper understanding of how students, instructors, and LAs experience the LA model.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Video-Based Laboratories (VBL) in enhancing critical thinking skills among state Islamic senior high school (Madrasah Aliyah Negeri) students in Hulu Sungai Tengah, Kalimantan Selatan, specifically in the context of rotational dynamics. Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared the performance of an experimental group that utilized VBL with a control group that followed traditional teaching methods. Data were collected through pretest and posttest assessments on critical thinking skills, and various statistical analyses were performed, including the paired samples t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test. The findings indicated significant improvements in critical thinking skills for both groups; however, the experimental group demonstrated substantially greater gains. This suggested that VBL, through interactive and hands-on learning methods, effectively enhanced critical thinking skills in physics education. The results underscored the potential of integrating VBL into physics curricula to foster deeper understanding and reflective reasoning. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of VBL and its application in diverse educational settings.