Physics Education
Project Based Learning (PBL), recognized as an active learning strategy, has been linked to self efficacy of student in prior studies, including those within Physics Education Research. Meanwhile, technological advancements have…
This paper presents the experience of developing and utilizing computer simulations for student laboratory assignments in atomic physics, specifically focusing on emission atomic spectra. The fundamental component of each laboratory…
We investigated the impact of incorporating quantitative reasoning for deeper sense-making in a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) on students' conceptual performance using a framework emphasizing integration of conceptual and…
The spreading of a thin viscous fluid film on a horizontal surface is an interesting problem in fluid mechanics with many practical applications ranging from coating processes to biological systems and environmental flows. It can even be…
Introductory physics instruction emphasizes fluency with routine problem-solving procedures. However, even when applying these procedures, students frequently encounter challenges. This paper investigates how students navigate such moments…
The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) marks a potential inflection point in the way academic information is accessed, raising fundamental questions about the evolving role of search in student learning. This study…
Due to their interactive nature, serious games offer valuable opportunities for supporting learning in educational contexts. Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) have further opened the door to new forms of personalized…
Learning using Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) demands a high level of attention given the tendency to be distracted and mind-wander. How does the online STEM instructor know when learners are having attentional problems and the extent…
Understanding the mechanisms of student sensemaking while navigating the physics problem-solving process can play an important role in developing approaches to helping students become proficient problem solvers. Since most prior studies on…
We describe a series of experiments done using a commercially available optical pumping apparatus that is currently being used in physics teaching labs at over one hundred universities. Our focus here is to provide an extensive and detailed…
The current work aims to better understand student course experiences for those who reported negative perceptions in introductory physics. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 students who reported negative perceptions of their…
The problem-project-oriented STEM education plays a significant role in training students' ability of innovation. Although the conceive-design-implement-operate (CDIO) approach and the computational thinking (CT) are hot topics in recent…
Understanding how an instructional approach shapes student's cognitive resources and engagement is central to improving undergraduate physics education especially for novice learners. This study examines how three instructional modalities…
We present a compact, low-cost version of an NV center diamond magnetometer which replaces the standard green laser with a high-power LED. This modification improves safety, reduces cost, and allows the green excitation and red…
Evidence-based education has become a central concept in science education, with meta-analyses often regarded as the gold standard for informing practice. This emphasis raises critical questions concerning the applicability,…
We report on a profession-oriented course we offered at the University of Vienna, aimed at physics education teacher students. The course on Theoretical Classical Mechanics has been conceived and designed from its outset with the explicit…
We describe our efforts to fully integrate generative artificial intelligence (GAI) into an introductory undergraduate astronomy course. Ordered by student perception of utility, GAI was used in instructional Python notebooks, in a subset…
In this document we summarize the results of a survey of undergraduate degree-granting programs conducted by the 2024-2025 American Astronomical Society Education Committee's Subcommittee on UndeRgraduate and Graduate Education (SURGE).…
As Generative AI becomes a key component in physics education, a significant ethical challenge has emerged: the tendency of students to anthropomorphize Large Language Models (LLMs), treating them as authoritative "oracles" that retrieve…
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are rapidly reshaping how students and instructors engage with course material -- and how they think about academic integrity. This paper presents a classroom activity designed to help physics students…