Physics Education
As part of large-scale assessment project at Texas Tech University, we studied the effect of problem format on students responses to quiz questions. The same problem was written in multiple formats and administered as a quiz in the large…
We present a simple experiment that allows advanced undergraduates to learn the principles and applications of spectroscopy. The technique, known as acoustic resonance spectroscopy, is applied to study a vibrating rod. The setup includes…
Presented is a successful two week lab involving real sky observations of the Moon in which students make telescopic observations and analyze their own images. Originally developed around the 35 mm film camera as a common household object…
Current conceptions of expert problem solving depict physical/conceptual reasoning and formal mathematical reasoning as separate steps: a good problem solver first translates a physical Current conceptions of quantitative problem-solving…
We present an approach for teaching quantum physics at high school level based on the simplest quantum system - the single quantum bit (qubit). We show that many central concepts of quantum mechanics, including the superposition principle,…
The importance of valuing student ideas in science education stands on firm empirical, theoretical, and moral grounds. However, the reasons for which one might value student ideas are often not explicitly distinguished, even if implicit…
We design a low-cost, electromagnetically coupled, simple harmonic oscillator and demonstrate free, damped and forced oscillations in an under-graduate (UG) Physics laboratory. It consists of a spring-magnet system that can oscillate inside…
The objectives of physics laboratory courses include fostering conceptual understanding and development of several important cognitive, psycho-motor, attitudinal and affective abilities. In most of the Indian colleges and universities (and…
The objective of physics laboratory training is to develop, in students, a variety of important cognitive and psycho-motor abilities related to experimental physics. These include conceptual understanding, procedural understanding,…
The Engage to Excel (PCAST) report, the National Research Council's Framework for K-12 Science Education, and the Next Generation Science Standards all call for transforming the physics classroom into an environment that teaches students…
Learning assessments are subject of discussions that envolve theoretical and practical approaches. To measure learning in physics by high school students, either qualitatively or quantitatively, is a process in which it should be possible…
The circuit presented in this paper aims at providing three 40 Vpp 50Hz AC voltages sources with 120-degree phase separation between them. This is a fully analogue circuit that uses standard, low-cost electronic components without resorting…
We describe a way to introduce physics high school students with no background in programming to computational problem-solving experiences. Our approach builds on the great strides made by the Modeling Instruction reform curriculum. This…
The Brazilian National Assessment of Secondary Education (ENEM, Exame Nacional do Ensino M\'edio) has changed in 2009: from a self-assessment of competences at the end of high school to an assessment that allows access to college and…
We report on a project to introduce interactive learning strategies (ILS) to physics classes at the Universit\'e Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), one of the leading science universities in France. In Spring 2012, instructors in two large…
The result and outcome of the \textit{cloud chamber project}, which aims to develop a cloud chamber useful for science education is reported in detail. A project includes both three high school students and a teacher as a part of Super…
Our study's concern is about how to enlarge the scope of the virtual museum concept from the mediation activities as they are carried out in today's digital planetariums to training activities dedicated to the public. We assume that these…
Making and distributing audio recordings of lectures is cheap and technically straightforward, and these recordings represent an underexploited teaching resource. We explore the reasons why such recordings are not more used; we believe the…
We are teachers who have benefited from the Open Source Physics (Brown, 2012; Christian, 2010; Esquembre, 2012) community's work and we would like to share some of the computer models and lesson packages that we have designed and…
A procedure to characterize the electrical and mechanical properties of micro-fibers is presented here. As the required equipment can be found in many teaching laboratories, it can be carried out by physics and mechanical/electrical…