Computer simulations have been used very effectively for many years in the teaching of science but the focus has been on cognitive development. This study, however, is an investigation into the possibility that a student's experimental skills in the real-world environment can be judged via the undertaking of a suitably chosen computer simulation…

Science education research has shown that students use causal reasoning, particularly the model "agent--instrument--object," to explain or predict the outcome of many natural situations. Students' reasoning seems to be based on a small set of few intuitive rules. One of these rules quantitatively correlates the outcome of an experiment…

Too often teachers describe physics solely as a technical discipline, which contributes concretely to changing our material world. In a society where prejudices and superstitions still play an important, sometimes tragic, role, there is much more to emphasise about physics. A physics teacher should introduce high school students to physics by…

Outlines a safer alternative to the traditional physics demonstration known as the "kicking wire" experiment. The new method eliminates the use of an open dish of mercury but is less dramatic in the visible effects it produces. (DDR)

Outlines an ideal physics curriculum where key ideas are learned using an apprenticeship model. Discusses the implications of a shift towards Internet-based learning. (DDR)