High School Physics Curriculum Research Articles

Comparison of nature of science representations in five Chinese high school physics textbooks

ABSTRACT Formal understanding of the nature of science (NOS) has been considered to be a major contributor to nurturing students’ scientific literacy. In China, this view has been endorsed in the new standard for high school physics curriculum, which has guided the development of the new generation physics textbooks. Following the analytical framework established in the recent literature, this study evaluates the NOS representations in five textbooks approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education regarding the extent, the manner (explicit vs. implicit), the accuracy and completeness (from naïve to informed), and the overall consistency of different aspects of NOS. The results show that the representations of NOS in all five physics textbooks are far from satisfactory. The aspects of NOS are fully represented by only three textbooks. For all textbooks, the NOS representations are distributed unevenly throughout the contents, most of which are presented in a few pages of the preface and postscript chapters. Meanwhile, more than half of the aspects are represented implicitly, and the scientific method is poorly or inconsistently represented in three of the five textbooks. It is suggested that NOS needs to be represented explicitly and distributed evenly throughout a textbook in future revisions of the textbooks.

Seeking missing pieces in learning about single slit diffraction: results from a teacher survey

Single slit diffraction is part of many high-school physics curricula throughout the world. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether high-school physics teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia are adequately prepared to discuss with their students about various aspects of the single slit diffraction pattern, particularly about vertical length of diffraction fringes. To that end we conducted a written survey which included 57 high-school physics teachers. Besides asking teachers about students’ difficulties in learning about single slit diffraction, we also asked them to specify their own difficulties with this topic and required them to solve a conceptual task. Almost every second teacher believed that vertical length of diffraction fringes can be increased by changing shape or width of the slit and only 1 out of 57 teachers managed to correctly answer why diffraction fringes become shorter when we move away from the central maximum. We concluded that physics teacher education programmes should be changed to develop understanding of both, horizontal and vertical aspects of the diffraction pattern. To that end it is useful to provide learning opportunities which encourage combining ray and wave model of light.

TRANSITION FROM BLACKBOARD TO INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD: EXAMINING TEACHERS' INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD ACCEPTANCE AND USE

Bu araştırmanın amacı, lise fizik dersi öğretim programlarının bilgi ve bilim anlayışına yönelik fizik dersi öğretmenlerinin görüşlerini değerlendirmektir. Araştırma, toplam 290 lise fizik dersi öğretmeni üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Betimsel nitelikte ve tarama modelindeki araştırmada, veriler, ilgili ölçekle elde edilmiştir. Araştırmada veriler, betimsel istatistiki tekniklerden aritmetik ortalama ve standart sapma ile analiz edilmiştir. Analizler sonucunda, katılımcı lise fizik dersi öğretmenlerinin, epistemolojik anlamda newton veya kuantum paradigmalarından birine taraf olmak yerine, her iki anlayışa da yer veren holistik orta bir yolu benimsedikleri belirlenmiştir. Araştırmada, öğretmenlerin bu epistemolojik tercihleri, bilinçli bir tercih olabileceği gibi, epistemoloji konusundaki bilgi yetersizliğine de bağlı olabilir, şeklinde değerlendirilmiştir. Bu tercihe göre katılımcı öğretmenlerin, fizik dersinde bu anlayışa paralel olarak hem nesnel ve hem de öznel bilgiye yer vermeleri beklenebilir. Araştırmada bu durum şu şekilde değerlendirilmiştir: Katılımcı fizik öğretmenlerinin öznel bilgi tecihleri mevcut öğretim programlarının doğasını dikkate almalarından; nesnel bilgi tercihleri ise yine mevcut merkezi yerleştirme sınavlarını dikkate almalarına bağlı olabilir.

Can Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity be Taught to Indonesian High School Students?

The detections of gravitational waves, which culminated in the 2017 physics Noble Prize award have again confirmed the triumph of the theory of general relativity. This theory, together with quantum mechanics, forms the backbones of our modern understanding of the world and significantly contributes to modern technologies we are using today. Despite the importance of these theories, they are still rarely part of high school physics curricula worldwide, including the Indonesian physics curriculum, due to assumptions that these theories are too difficult for students to grasp. However, there has been a growing interest to bring these theories to younger students and general public and there is growing evidence that appropriate teaching can result in measurable learning. The purpose of this research was to explore the impact of activity-based learning using models and analogies on high school students’ conceptual understanding of general relativity related concepts. It was conducted in one class of 31 students who participated in a three-week period program. Testing of their conceptual understanding used identical pre/post-tests. The results indicated a strong and statistically significant improvement in students’ conceptual understanding with a large effect size. Interestingly, the results showed that the change in conceptual understanding to physics of girls was higher than boys.

Scientists suggest insertion of nanoscience and technology into middle school physics

Experts recommend that contemporary physics topics should be added to the middle and high school physics curriculum.

Influence of the Reform of College Entrance Examination on High School Physics Curriculum in Shanghai

A new round of the reform of college entrance examination is in progress in China, which would inevitably influence high school curriculum, especially physics. According to our statistics, the proportion of students choosing physics as a selective subject decreased significantly after the reform of college entrance examination was carried out. We conducted a study in Shanghai, one of the pilot areas of the reform, to investigate the impact of the new reform policy of college entrance examination on high school physics curriculum with interviews and FCI tests, thus to provide references for the future reform. We found that compared with the conditions before the reform, the high school students from Shanghai learned less about physics and physics teachers has less time to teach and communicate with students. What is more, college freshmen from Shanghai fell behind those who came from other areas in FCI performance before and even after a term of formal instruction.

Influence of the Reform of College Entrance Examination on High School Physics Curriculum in Shanghai

A new round of the reform of college entrance examination is in progress in China, which would inevitably influence high school curriculum, especially physics. According to our statistics, the proportion of students choosing physics as a selective subject decreased significantly after the reform of college entrance examination was carried out. We conducted a study in Shanghai, one of the pilot areas of the reform, to investigate the impact of the new reform policy of college entrance examination on high school physics curriculum with interviews and FCI tests, thus to provide references for the future reform. We found that compared with the conditions before the reform, the high school students from Shanghai learned less about physics and physics teachers has less time to teach and communicate with students. What is more, college freshmen from Shanghai fell behind those who came from other areas in FCI performance before and even after a term of formal instruction.

Particle Physics: An Essential and Engaging Part of the High School Physics Program

Particle physicists are literally rewriting what we know about the physical world; yet, the typical high school physics curriculum spends little to no time on particle physics. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of the particle physics topic in the curriculum increased the engagement and knowledge of high school physics students.

Work-Based Curriculum to Broaden Learners\u2019 Participation in Science: Insights for Designers

Around the globe, science education during compulsory schooling is envisioned for all learners regardless of their educational and career aspirations, including learners bound to the workforce upon secondary school completion. Yet, a major barrier in attaining this vision is low learner participation in secondary school science. Because curricula play a major role in shaping enacted learning, this study investigated how designers developed a high school physics curriculum with positive learning outcomes in learners with varied inclinations. Qualitative analysis of documents and semistructured interviews with the designers focused on the curriculum in different stages—from designers’ ideas about learning goals to their vision for enactment to the printed materials—and on the design processes that brought them to fruition. This revealed designers’ emphases on fostering workplace connections via learning goals and activities, and printed supports. The curriculum supported workplace-inspired, hands-on design-and-build projects, developed to address deeply a limited set of standards aligned learning goals. The curriculum also supported learners’ interactions with relevant workplace professionals. To create these features, the designers reviewed other curricula to develop vision and printed supports, tested activities internally to assess content coverage, surveyed states in the USA receiving federal school-to-work grants and reviewed occupational information to choose unit topics and career contexts, and visited actual workplaces to learn about authentic praxis. Based on the worked example, this paper offers guidelines for designing work-based science curriculum products and processes that can serve the work of other designers, as well as recommendations for research serving designers and policymakers.

Physics Teachers' Behavioral, Control and Normative Beliefs about Teaching Physics According to the National High School Physics Curriculum in Turkey

In Turkey, a new Turkish High School Physics Curriculum (THSPC) was put into practice, starting initially with the Grade 9 in the 2008-2009 education-year. When compared with the previous ones, this curriculum emphasized the importance of students’ active involvement in learning, use of real-life contexts and development of new skills. Even though what is intended with the new curriculum reflects the global trends in science/physics education, its success (or failure thereof) depends a great deal on teachers since they are the main actors to put the curriculum into practice. Whether teachers can implement the curriculum as intended by the curriculum developers remains an important question. A teacher’s belief is an important factor, among others, that affects his/her implementation of the THSPC. In this regard, the aim of this study was to investigate physics teachers’ beliefs related to the teaching of physics according to the THSPC. Four physics teachers from different schools participated in this study. Data were collected through interviews, classroom observations and an open-ended questionnaire. According to our findings, physics teachers believed that teaching physics based on the THSPC helped students use their skills, become more interested in physics lessons, relate physics to their daily life and understand physics better. However, teachers believed that factors such as students’ interest in physics, the university entrance exam, inadequate laboratory facilities, limited lesson hours per week, and lack of information and communication technologies affected the implementation of the THSPC. For more effective implementation of the THSPC, making some changes in the curriculum should be necessary.

A Multiple Case Study: Turkish Physics Teachers’ Teaching Beliefs Related to the National High School Physics Curriculum

A Multiple Case Study: Turkish Physics Teachers’ Teaching Beliefs Related to the National High School Physics Curriculum

A Survey of Physics Teachers' Opinions about the 2009 Revised High-school Physics Curriculum and Test

A Survey of Physics Teachers' Opinions about the 2009 Revised High-school Physics Curriculum and Test

An Evaluation of Changes to the Turkish High School Physics Curriculum

A New Turkish Physics Curriculum has been constructed between the years 2006-2009. It is to the gaining of new perspectives. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to reflect on the nature of the New Turkish Physics Curriculum (NTPC). To this end, the authors focus on the five themes of the NTPC using a document analysis method: basic reasons and needs of the NTPC, fundamental approaches of the NTPC, learning areas of the NTPC, characteristics of teaching activities in terms of the NTPC, needs of the NTPC. This paper highlights thus focusses on the fundamentals of the NTPC and considerations of its easy adaptation into practice.

Quantitative Analysis of the Descriptiveness of Content-explanation Sentences in High School Physics Curricula

Quantitative Analysis of the Descriptiveness of Content-explanation Sentences in High School Physics Curricula

Turkish New High School Physics Curriculum: Teachers' Views and Needs

The aim of this study is to determine the physics teacher’s views about changes made to physics curriculum and in-service training needs about new topics added. To achieve this purpose, a survey is conducted via Internet. A questionnaire of 11 Likert-type items was used as a data collection tool. Data supplied by the participants were cleaned and finally views of 100 teachers were taken into account. The analysis of the results demonstrated that physics teacher’s attitudes toward the changes are positive. And their in-service training needs are not too much. Further, the differences between the attitudes and needs of male-female teachers and state-private school teachers are also determined.

Teaching High School Physics With a Story-Line

High school physics curricula are designed to meet a number of goals, all of which compete for classroom and homework time. The process-oriented goals include the development of skills in problem solving, measurement, analyzing data, and research, particularly in this world of internet based, unfiltered information. Content goals, on the other hand, insist on mastery or, at least, exposure to kinematics, dynamics, geometrical and physical optics, fluid dynamics, electric and magnetic fields, circuits, electromagnetism, nuclear physics, relativity, and quantum mechanics. Infusing history and nature of science topics into this already packed agenda is a challenge for even the most gifted of teachers.

Robots and girls

This paper is about a project, which aims to encourage girls to pursue math, science and especially engineering careers. We chose Lego Mindstorm/spl reg/ robots to introduce engineering concepts to a high-school physics curriculum at an all-girls' school. The project lasted about four weeks. The equipment and framework for the program was provided by the Wireless Micro Systems (WIMS) Research Center at the University of Michigan. The cochlear implant was picked as the device around which the projects were loosely based because most of the girls seemed particularly interested in biological applications. The result of the said project is discussed in this paper.

George Marx

George Marx

Effect of Integration of Injury Control Information Into a High School Physics Course

Study objective: To investigate the effects on knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behaviors of a 1-week course of injury control and crash safety information integrated within a high school physics curriculum. Methods: Students in an intervention high school (n=129) were compared with students in a control high school (n=74) enrolled in a comparable physics curriculum. A standardized survey was administered before instruction (time T1), and at 2 weeks (T2) and 6 months (T3) after instruction was completed. The behaviors measured were self-reported use of seat belts, speeding, drinking and driving, and intention to use seat belts in the future. Results: At T2, students in the intervention group reported attitudes that were less favorable toward risk-taking in regard to speeding and seat belt use than those of the control group. At T3, there was still a difference in attitudes toward speeding but not toward seat belt use. The intervention significantly altered the knowledge level of the course participants, and these changes persisted to T3. The strongest and most persistent change was that students in the intervention group reported increasing their use of seat belts when riding as a passenger. (Seat belt use as a driver was high for both groups.) The intervention group showed a significant increase in their 1-year intentions to use seat belts both as a driver and as a passenger. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that driver safety education can be successfully integrated into a mainstream high school science curriculum. Future studies measuring the effects of this curriculum on observed behaviors are needed. [Martinez R, Levine DW, Martin R, Altman DG: Effect of integration of injury control information into a high school physics course. Ann Emerg Med February 1996;27:216-224.]

Serving Students, Science, or Society? The Secondary School Physics Curriculum in the United States, 1930-65

On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first satellite, into orbit. In the weeks that followed, Americans questioned why the Soviet Union, a country with only a fraction of the material prosperity of the United States, was able to surpass the world's wealthiest and most powerful nation in the race to outer space. In the minds of many university scholars and members of the public alike, the fault seemed to lie with a flabby American high school curriculum that was no match for the Soviet Union's merciless regimen of math and science for its brightest students. Quickly, the race to beat the Soviets in space became a race to outdo them in the classroom as well, with many educators and university scientists seeing physics as needing the most sweeping overhaul among all subjects within the high school curriculum, in order for America to produce the scientists and engineers needed to compete with the Soviets. After Sputnik's launch, the American high school physics curriculum underwent major reforms, yet it already had undergone what seemed an equally extensive change just after World War II. Starting in the 1940s and continuing into the early 1950s, progessive educators created a physics curriculum that related science to the everyday concerns, problems, and interests of teenagers as a way to meet the needs of non-collegebound students whose numbers in high schools had swelled during the previous two decades. After Sputnik, reformers advocated replacing the progressive curriculum with a discipline-based curriculum, as, for example, the one that the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) created in the late 1950s to promote basic research in physics and to develop the manpower required to compete with the Soviet Union in space and military technology. Both of these reform efforts influenced the high school physics curriculum over the long term, though at times in ways that the