In the Next Generation Science Standards, energy is considered a "crosscutting concept" that bridges disciplinary boundaries and unites scientific disciplines. I examine how energy is represented in physics, biology, and chemistry contexts, using the reaction of molecular oxygen with sugar as an exemplar, and argue that disciplines…

It has long been suspected by general relativists that physicists who do not specialize in general relativity (GR) believe that special relativity (SR) is incapable of modeling dynamics within accelerated reference frames. Consequently, many physicists may conclude that certain phenomena, such as time dilation due to acceleration, can only be…

Difficulties in understanding physics concepts are often experienced by students such as in the material of regular uniform motion. This study aims to describe the mental models of first-year secondary school students on regular straight-line motion. This research utilized a case study method of 167 students at the secondary level with an average…

The objective of this work was the theoretical modeling of a construct based on teaching practice about the perception that pupils have of difficulties in problem solving (PS) in experimental sciences, specifically physics, to predict pupil performance in PS. The research was carried out with an incidental sample of second year of secondary…

The study of coordination complexes in general and inorganic chemistry courses is facilitated by theoretical frameworks such as crystal field theory (CFT) and ligand field theory (LFT). The angular overlap model (AOM) is alternative approach that quantifies metal-ligand interactions based on the geometric configuration of a given complex. In this…

This article provides a process to carefully evaluate the suitability of a content domain for which diagnostic classification models (DCMs) could be applicable and then optimized steps for constructing a test blueprint for applying DCMs and a real-life example illustrating this process. The content domains were carefully evaluated using a set of…

The standard model of particle physics is the most successful theory describing the behavior of matter and energy in the subatomic realm. However, success doesn't mean it is perfect, and a recent measurement of the mass of a particle called the W boson is puzzling, as it disagrees with theoretical predictions and earlier precise measurements. If…

Teaching upper division statistical physics can often be clouded by the theory and complex examples used. To better help students appreciate the fundamental statistical concepts and how they are connected to thermodynamic principles this paper suggests using a simple abstract model. Using Atkins' Model students can see these ideas clearly…

Examining teaching practices in university physics is crucial for addressing the lack of student achievement in and engagement with the subject. Research-based instructional strategies (RBIS) offer evidence-based methods to enhance student erengagement and learning outcomes, but face adoption challenges due to institutional, contextual, and…

The creation and use of models in science is of great importance for knowledge production and communication. For example, toy models are often used as idealized explanatory models in physics education. Models can be a powerful tool for exploring phenomena in ways that facilitate learning. However, careful consideration of instruction and…

The article describes a methodology for studying Fresnel diffraction with the active involvement of students in discussing the results of a demonstration experiment. To create a clearly visible model of Fresnel zones, a centimeter radio wave range was chosen, in which the first zone is about 10 cm in size. This makes visible the created…

The intricacy of real-world challenges in project-based geoscience learning is complex to assess with a STEM approach; hence, research into an effective model is necessary to address current issues in education. Understanding the role of STEM in resolving challenging real-world issues requires integrating STEM literacy that is appropriate for…

Physics education researchers are interested in using the tools of machine learning and natural language processing to make quantitative claims from natural language and text data, such as open-ended responses to survey questions. The aspiration is that this form of machine coding may be more efficient and consistent than human coding, allowing…

Clustering methods are often used in physics education research (PER) to identify subgroups of individuals within a population who share similar response patterns or characteristics. Among these, k-means (or k-modes, for categorical data) is one of the most commonly used clustering methods in PER. This algorithm, however, is distance-based rather…

While research on the understanding of physics concepts in individuals with autism remains scarce, the ever-increasing number of these students in inclusive education nowadays makes their systematic education in all fields of learning necessary. For this purpose, an experimental investigation was conducted to compare 19 autistic adolescents with a…