Mindset is a construct of interest for challenging learning environments, as science courses often are, in that, it has implications for behavioral responses to academic challenges. Previous work examining mindset in science learning contexts has been primarily quantitative in nature, limiting the theoretical basis for mindset perspectives…

For students to be able to compete and overcome challenges in the future, critical thinking is essential. The study's descriptive methodology aims to describe the students' critical thinking abilities. Every high school in a South Sulawesi district made up the research population. Based on school accreditation, with the use of a proportionate…

"Marinyo" is a culture left by the Portuguese around the 15th century in Maluku. The purpose of this study was to find out to what extent students' misconceptions about the concept of sound in the "Marinyo" case in the Kepuluan Tanimbar Regency. The method used was a qualitative study in ethnography in ten villages in two…

The percentage of women receiving bachelor's degrees in physics (25%) in the U.S. lags well behind that of men, and women leave the major at higher rates. Achieving equity in physics will mean that women stay in physics at the same rates as men, but this will require changes in the culture and support structures. A strong sense of belonging can…

Physical education in colleges plays an increasingly important role in cultivating high-quality innovative talent. The main factors that affect college students' approaches to learning physics remain unknown. This study examined the relationships among college engineering students' epistemic views of physics, conceptions of learning physics, and…

This paper presents important findings that were observed as interconnected key elements of high-quality co-teaching of a physics course for pre-service science teachers while the collaborating faculty experienced a "pedagogical convergence." This pedagogical convergence is akin to the "conceptual convergence" that Roschelle…

The motion of a cylindrically or spherically symmetric body on an accelerated treadmill, inclined of an angle [theta] with respect to the horizontal, is described by means of Newtonian mechanics. By assuming that the conveyor belt has an acceleration "a[subscript O][superscript ']", not necessarily constant, and that the body rolls on…

Work and mechanical energy is a fundamental topic in introductory physics. Studies in existing literature have shown that students have difficulties in understanding work and mechanical energy, particularly the topic of work-energy theorem. To study students' knowledge integration in learning work and mechanical energy, a conceptual framework…

We reexamine the approximate formula for the path difference in the double-slit interference experiment, establish its limits of applicability from a geometric perspective and discuss its validity for the two-source interference of acoustic and surface waves.

George M. Hopkins (1842-1902) wrote a series of articles on demonstrating physical phenomena in the "Scientific American" during the last years of the 19th century. These were collected in a book, "Experimental Science," that was first published in 1890, with revisions in 1892 and 1902. It must have been well received, for the…

There is no shortage of great pedagogical tools available, but many require considerable investment of time and effort (and oftentimes money and equipment), which can be a significant barrier for already time-poor teachers. "Wonder Questions" is a pedagogical tool that is simple, flexible, and pedagogically powerful in three ways: (1) it…

Background: Although there is an increasing recognition of the importance of critical thinking in science education across the world, the relevant research literature is extremely thin. There is an urgent need to generate more empirical evidence. Purpose: We examined two essential issues concerning critical thinking (the relationship between…

It can be difficult to find ways to motivate students while teaching a physics course for non-physics students. Students come to class with many different attitudes and preconceptions, some of which are detrimental to their learning. As physics educators, we strive for student engagement and motivation in course material no matter what type of…

The relativistic addition of velocities is usually introduced early in the study of Einstein's special theory of relativity. The equations are simple enough, but randomly chosen velocities lead to unwieldy calculations that can dishearten the student. This paper presents tables of velocity components in two dimensions, composed of five or fewer…

A key concept in current fluid dynamics and its applications to biology and technology is a phenomenon known as wetting. Wetting is familiar from everyday life and is simply the ability of a liquid to stay in contact with a solid surface. The wettability depends on the properties of the liquid and the solid and can be characterized by the static…