Physics education research has a tradition of studying problem solving, exploring themes such as physical intuition and differences between expert and novice problem solvers. However, most of this work has focused on traditional, or well-structured, problems, similar to what might appear in a textbook. Less work has been done with open-ended, or…

A few simple experiments in the magnetic field of a permanent U-shaped magnet are described. Among them, pin oscillations inside the magnet are particularly interesting. These easy to perform and amusing measurements can help pupils understand magnetic phenomena and mutually connect knowledge of various physics branches.

If a small object is placed under the front leg of a chair, the chair tilts backwards. If the object is placed under a rear leg, the chair tilts sideways. The effect is surprising but can be analysed in terms of elementary physics.

The significant facet of Science Education is to make Science relevant in Students' learning. This involves the ability to draw in examples from daily contexts, to begin with, the learning or to apply concepts learned into familiar everyday phenomena. The main purpose of this study was to find out the relationship between the scientific…

It is common for high school physics teachers to comment on the challenges they face in supporting students' graph drawing skills, knowing their importance for the study of physics. This paper suggests a novel and alternative way to support students to develop their graph drawing skills as well as teach them about sound, frequency, and amplitude.…

The purpose of this research is to describe the effectiveness of STEM on the physics concepts understanding seen from gender differences. The research method used is a type of quasi-experimental design with 2 x 2 factorial design and saturated sampling technique. The data collecting technique used a tested method to see the results of students'…

In small branch libraries, patrons seeking assistance from library staff outside of the dedicated single-service desk often results in large staffing inefficiencies. This paper presents a case study in which the authors applied behavioral psychology models to a branch library's space arrangement to identify possible factors influencing patron…

Physics education researchers (PER) often analyze student data with single-level regression models (e.g., linear and logistic regression). However, education datasets can have hierarchical structures, such as students nested within courses, that single-level models fail to account for. The improper use of single-level models to analyze…

Mathematical reasoning with algebraic and geometric representations is essential for success in upperdivision and graduate-level physics courses. Complex algebra requires student to fluently move between algebraic and geometric representations. By designing a task for middle-division physics students to translate a geometric representation to…

This article concerns a lacuna in chemistry students' reasoning about chemical bonding. Although chemistry students are familiar with the charges that make up the atom--both positive and negative--they refer only to the attraction between unlike charges. Specifically, they ignore the repulsion between the positive nuclei. We named this disregard…

Cognitive psychology has undergone a paradigm shift in the ways we understand how knowledge is acquired and represented within the brain, yet the implications for how this impacts students' learning of material across disciplines has yet to be fully applied. In this article, we present an integrative review of embodied cognition, and demonstrate…

In quantum mechanics, probability amplitudes are complex numbers and the relative phases between the terms in superposition states have measurable effects. This article describes an investigation into sophomore- and junior-level students' reasoning patterns in relating relative phases and real-world quantum phenomena. The investigation involved…

Teacher professional development, in particular, has been at the center of efforts designed to increase teaching practice and the learning of students. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the 'teacher-led PD for teachers' program, developed by the researchers, on students' achievements. The study was conducted with six high…

Many studies provide insights into students' conceptions of various linear algebra topics and difficulties they face with multiple modes of thinking needed for conceptualization. While it is important to understand students' initial conceptions, students' transfer of learning of these conceptions to subsequent courses can provide additional…

Background: Qualitative interviewing is a common tool that has been utilized by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education researchers to explore and describe the experiences of students, educators, or other educational stakeholders. Some interviewing techniques use co-creation of an artifact, such as a personal timeline,…