The Physics One Mechanics in a community college syllabus usually allocates more time to cover the topics in kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, and rotation; with relatively less time for the topics of fluid mechanics and heat diffusion in the creation of a knowledge gap for those students deciding on mechanical and chemical engineering…

Computation is intertwined with essentially all aspects of physics research and is invaluable for physicists' careers. Despite its disciplinary importance, integration of computation into physics education remains a challenge and, moreover, has tended to be constructed narrowly as a route to solving physics problems. Here, we broaden Physics…

The past 20 years has seen a growing focus on the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (iSTEM) disciplines in schools to provide students with authentic experiences in solving real-world problems. A frequently stated aim for iSTEM projects has been increasing engagement and interest in pursuing STEM subjects in senior…

The damped harmonic oscillator physics problem is a standard oscillation problem in calculus physics for pre-engineering students in a community college. The use of alternative linear algebra eigenvalue stability method is consistent with the upper engineering courses using control theory. The external force and friction damping would become the…

A detailed characteristic of teaching and learning approaches used within the new concept of Learning by Being (LBB) is given. The evolution of educational paradigms from Learning by Doing (LBD) and Learning by Understanding (LBU) toward LBB is analyzed. The basic idea of LBB is students' ownership on cognitive goals, or the assumption of learning…

A considerable body of research shows that individuals who demonstrate a wide variety of metacognitive skills perform better on scientific problem solving. We developed a way of implementing homework in an undergraduate physics course to promote metacognitive skills. This novel homework design includes both an individual and a team phase and was…

This article is aimed at justifying sensible use of inventive tasks in physics teaching. The justification will encourage teachers to form learners' creative thinking; in particular, the course of physics has the great potential for forming learners' creative thinking. Being adapted to the course of physics, the basic stages to solve inventive…

One way that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) initiatives are being utilized is to encourage schools and teachers to integrate key science-based concepts into daily instruction. The reason is simple: it is more than just an instructional improvement or curricular enhancement; it is a research-based strategy that addresses the…

Creative thinking is high-order thinking that is not easy to stimulate with conventional learning, especially to solve complex physics problems. However, the learning strategy chosen must be in accordance with the teaching materials and students characteristics. Creative thinking is very important especially for low-ability characteristic in…

Mathematics is an important nature exploration tool used by all natural sciences. So it is usual that mathematical calculations are part of school science education. But how are these calculations perceived by the learners themselves? What are their attitudes to this part of the teaching process? The answer to this question is important for any…

Algodoo (http://www.algodoo.com) is a digital sandbox for physics 2D simulations. It allows students and teachers to easily create simulated "scenes" and explore physics through a user-friendly and visually attractive interface. In this paper, we present different ways in which students and teachers can use Algodoo to visualize and solve…

English learners (ELs) constitute one of the largest subgroups enrolled in the US public education system. The state of California has an estimated 1.5 million ELs in kindergarten through Grade 12. This mixed methods study employed improvement science principles to understand how three high school physics teachers implemented project-based…

Quantitative reasoning and interdisciplinary skills are central to real-world environmental problem solving. Enhancing those skills for students in environmental programs will help them succeed as future environmental professionals. This paper describes an approach that uses an applied geophysical imaging course to enhance quantitative reasoning…

What if you could challenge your 11th graders to figure out the best response to a partial meltdown at a nuclear reactor in fictional Gammatown, USA? With this volume in the "STEM Road Map Curriculum Series," you can! "Radioactivity" outlines a journey that will steer your students toward authentic problem solving while…

With the introduction of "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS"), teachers have been called to find meaningful and engaging ways to teach science content while incorporating engineering practices and, to a lesser extent, computing and computational thinking. The task becomes even more complex when they also have to…