Using polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) paints, we prepare circularly polarized freestanding films that enable students to acquire a basic understanding of circular polarization and molecular chirality. The polymerized helical structures of CLC films can exhibit brilliant structural colors by selective reflection of visible light…

Driving at an inappropriate speed is a major accident cause in the EU. Understanding the underlying sensory mechanisms can help to reduce speed and increase traffic safety. The present study investigated the effect of visuospatial stimuli on speed perception using an adaptive countermeasure to speeding based on a manipulation of optic flow. We…

For nearly two decades, augmented reality (AR) has found diverse applications in education, particularly in science education, where its efficacy has been supported by relevant theories and many empirical studies. However, previous studies have revealed the following research deficit: While AR technology appears to influence learning-related…

Fitness centers and retail stores have often been accused of using "thinning" mirrors to enhance the images of their clientele. In this paper, the authors build a flatness gauge and use it to measure the curvature of the mirrors at a local fitness center. From these measurements, the image enhancement properties of the mirrors can be…

The study examines the impact of lens exploration and navigation stations (LENS) activity on students' academic performance in bio-inspired optics, focusing on the gain score, to provide empirical evidence on its effectiveness in fostering deeper comprehension and engagement. The design of the study is quantitative research and uses a…

Background/purpose: The students have difficulty understanding abstract concepts that are sometimes difficult to visualize in optics and physics, so learning innovations are needed to overcome these problems. Case-Based Learning (CBL) optical physics learning integrated with mobile microlearning offers an innovative approach to improving the…

In this article, simple models of optical computing circuits (1 x 4 demultiplexer (DEMUX), 4 x 1 multiplexer (MUX), Boolean logic, and half-adder (HA)) are shown with mechanically controlled plane mirrors. Photographs of the proposed computational circuits are also shown. It is very useful for the school student to understand optical logic and…

Visual representation in school textbooks plays an important role for physics teaching and learning. The integration of graphics with text has drawn attention of physics educators in recent years due to the close relationship between graphics and relevant text. The purpose of this study is to examine visual representation of optical content in…

Students are often introduced to optics in their middle school years. The initial topics that are introduced through their lessons are laws of reflection and refraction of light. In the law of reflection, students do not often question why the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection and why a light ray should follow this specific…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Instructional labs: Improving traditions and new directions.] This manuscript presents a case study of an introductory physics student who, during the remote learning conditions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, found inspiration within a new, open-inquiry, project-based, laboratory curriculum…

Secondary school students (N = 269) participated in a daylong visual programming course held in a stimulating environment for start-up enterprises. The tasks were application-oriented and partly creative. For example, a wearable device with light-emitting diodes, (ie, LEDs) could be applied to a T-shirt and used for optical messages. Our research…

Nowadays more than two billion people own smartphones, without necessarily realizing they have a mobile physics lab that can be used to study acoustics, mechanics, astronomy, optics, fluids mechanics, or even serves as an oscilloscope. All smartphones have at least one camera, which is probably the most well-known and used sensor of this device.…

Undergraduate physics laboratory exercises are very important in shaping students' attitude to science, especially for future teachers. Recently, it is necessary to look for ways to easily create large quantities of experimental sets, not only for institutional use, but also for sets that can be produced in large quantities and distributed for use…

One of the most consequential inventions of modern times is the telescope. Almost immediately upon turning it to the skies, Galileo made discoveries that altered our perceptions of our place in the cosmos forever: features on the Moon, the rotation of the Sun, the composition of the Milky Way, the phases of Venus, and the four large moons of…

Problem-solving is an essential part of teaching, learning, and assessment of physics and mathematics. The continuing educational reforms have a deep impact on everyday teaching as well as working with talented students. In the Macedonian educational system, the curricula do not explicitly point out the connection between mathematics and physics,…