Guiding inquiry learning has been shown to increase knowledge gains. Yet, little is known about the effect of guidance on attitudes and behaviours, its interaction with student attributes, and transfer of impact once guidance is removed. We address these gaps in the context of an interactive Physics simulation on electric circuits…

In this piece, the authors offer two illustrations of central features of disciplinary literacy teaching. One illustration describes an episode of history literacy teaching, and the other describes an episode of physics literacy teaching. Both examples show how teachers may support students' development of disciplinary inquiry, disciplinary…

The past three decades have witnessed a sharp reduction in the rate of growth of public research funding, and sometimes an actual decline in its level. In many countries, this decline has been accompanied by substantial changes in the ways that such funding has been allocated and monitored. In addition, the institutions governing how research is…

In this study, a pendulum experimental tool with a light-based timer has been developed to measure the period of a simple pendulum. The obtained data was automatically recorded in an Excel spreadsheet. The intensity of monochromatic light, sensed by a 3DU5C phototransistor, dynamically changes as the pendulum swings. The changed intensity varies…

This research was intended to analyze the use of Physics Education Technology (PhET) as a virtual laboratory in learning waves and sounds. The analysis was in terms of the implementation of waves on a string student activity as a lesson plan, the profile of students' cognitive, and the profile of science laboratory environment. The method which is…

This paper explores the views of pre-service physics teachers and science teacher educators about the initial teacher education (ITE) programs in two Melbourne universities, focusing on their preparation for teaching high school physics. Using a qualitative interview approach, five pre-service physics teachers and three physics teacher educators…

In this paper, we report on an experimental activity for discussing the concepts of speed, instantaneous speed and acceleration, generally introduced in first year university courses of calculus or physics. Rather than developing the ideas of calculus and using them to explain these basic concepts for the study of motion, we led 82 first year…

Engaging students in designing, testing, and revising engineering models using mathematical representation of data from scientific investigations helps them embody the science and engineering practices highlighted in the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States, 2013). The practices of modeling, conducting failure analysis,…

Modeling is considered an important scientific practice, and modeling instruction has the potential to support conceptual change in students in physics. However, when students are not taught how to think about modeling, and how to develop and use models, the learning potential of modeling may be limited. This paper argues that the use and explicit…

We describe a set of conceptual and hands-on activities based around understanding the dynamics of a Slinky that is hung vertically and released from rest. This Slinky drop experiment typically lasts a fraction of a second, but when observed in slow motion, one sees the Slinky compress from the top down while the bottom portion remains at…

Pencasts are videos of problem solving with narration by the problem solver. Pedagogically, students can create pencasts to illustrate their own problem solving to the instructor or to their peers. Pencasts have implications for teaching at multiple levels from elementary grades through university courses. In this article, we describe the use of…

Metacognitive knowledge is a necessity in starting learning process. Solving physics problems requires metacognitive knowledge which comprises factual, conceptual and procedural knowledge. The purpose of metacognitive knowledge is to train students in developing their abilities in higher order of thinking. The problem is what kind of strategies…

Several prior studies in introductory physics have found a gender gap, i.e., a difference between male and female students' performance on conceptual assessments such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) with male students performing better than female students. Moreover, prior studies…

According to general relativity (GR), we live in a four-dimensional curved universe. Since the human mind cannot visualize those four dimensions, a popular analogy compares the universe to a two-dimensional rubber sheet distorted by massive objects. This analogy is often used when teaching GR to upper secondary and undergraduate physics students.…

Background: Drawing on social identity theory and positive psychology, this study investigated women's responses to the social environment of physics classrooms. It also investigated STEM identity and gender disparities on academic achievement and flourishing in an undergraduate introductory physics course for STEM majors. One hundred sixty…