School Physics Course Research Articles

EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT PROBLEMS IN A SCHOOL PHYSICS COURSE

This work is devoted to the development of experimental problems when preparing project work in a school physics course. Presenting the importance of project-based learning, the need to create appropriate problems in a physics course is substantiated. The main methodological novelty of the article lies in the presentation of the possibility of using experimental problems in the formation of topics for design problems. It is recommended to replenish the database of physics design problems by processing standard experimental problems. It is shown that the experience and knowledge accumulated by students in solving theoretical problems can also be used in implementing design problems. The article presents two experimental problems of varying complexity as an example. The first problem relates to determining (estimating) the pressure exerted by a standing person on the floor. In contrast to the accepted formal approach to performing such a problem, special attention is paid to the method of determining the contact surface of the foot with the floor, which is also important from an interdisciplinary point of view. It is no coincidence that a significant portion of design work involves the application of knowledge from more than one discipline. The next problem considered in the article is related to determining the coefficient of friction of a body with a plane by using elementary devices. Two solutions to this problem are given. Comparisons of these approaches are also presented, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.

Identifying colours in the absorption spectrum with an app

This study addresses the challenges faced by students with colour blindness during the exploration of light spectra, emphasizing the crucial adaptation of educational materials for effective learning. The proposed solution, characterized by its low-cost and straightforward implementation, involves the use of smartphone apps, notably the ‘ColorADD,’ to assist students who cannot perceive colours in understanding spectral phenomena. This topic is integrated into the curricula of both high school and undergraduate physics courses in Portugal and Brazil. This approach represents a tangible opportunity to promote inclusive scientific education, fostering active participation and ensuring equal opportunities for colour-blind students without compromising their overall visual perception.

The level of associating physics subjects with life: Analysis of the secondary school physics curriculum

This research aims to ascertain the extent of association between the secondary school physics course curriculum and real-life situations. The goal is to determine how well students can be prepared for life within the scope of this course. The research employed the document analysis method, one of the qualitative research methods. The data source for this research is the secondary school physics course curriculum (grades 9th through 12th), published by the Board of Education in 2018. The Secondary School Physics Curriculum was analyzed comprehensively and in detail using the content analysis method, specifically focusing on the 'Themes and Indicators Related to Relating the Science Course to Life.' The research examined the secondary school physics curriculum in two sections. In the first part, the 'Ministry of National Education Curriculum' and the 'Implementation of the Secondary Education Physics Course Curriculum' were scrutinized. In the second part, the achievements and explanations related to the units, subjects, and 'Relation to Life' under the 'Structure of the Secondary School Physics Course Curriculum' were examined. The research revealed a frequent emphasis on 'Relation to Life' in the secondary school physics curriculum. It can be asserted that the education of scientifically literate individuals is reinforced by emphasizing its connection to everyday life in the secondary school physics curriculum. The study has uncovered that the cultivation of critical thinking skills is promoted through tasks that require students to apply their physics knowledge to real-life problems. It can be stated that the physics program also aims to prevent possible learning difficulties in students by enabling them to discover that physics is a part of life.

Home experiment as a means of enhancing pupils’ cognitive activity in studying the comprehensive school physics course

Home experiment as a means of enhancing pupils’ cognitive activity in studying the comprehensive school physics course

Формирование научного стиля русской речи у иностранных учащихся на занятиях по физике

Currently, the number of foreign students at Russian universities is increasing. Some of them have been studying in Russian since the first year. At the preparatory department of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, students study Russian, physics, chemistry, biology. At the physics department, students not only repeat the school physics course, but also form a scientific style of Russian speech. Learning without the use of an intermediary language stimulates the development of communication. While studying at the preparatory department, students gradually move from physical terms to scientific formulations. The article discusses some methodological techniques for teaching physics in Russian to foreign students of the preparatory department.

A critical review of the photovoltaic effect teaching in high-school

As technology continues to evolve, it is becoming of increasing importance for high school students to have a very strong foundation in physics, which would provide them with a fundamental understanding of how the physical world works. An integrated curriculum that blends physics with engineering can provide students with a deeper understanding of complex topics, which is critical to many emerging technologies, including renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaic cells. In this article are reviewed surveys testing interest in higher complexity high school physics courses, that were conducted among high school students and graduates from technological universities, and also, are reviewed approaches of high school physics courses on photovoltaic cells as renewable, sustainable energy sources, essential to combat climate change.

Centre of mass of standard weights: another experiment with Lego and Tracker

Determine the centre of mass (CM) of standard weights is needed when two weights with different heights are compared. However, reproducing related experiments is difficult for high school or higher education institutions with non-expensive instrumentation or low budgets to construct specialised devices. This work addresses that problem in a two-way approach: dynamic video-based analysis and making a low-cost static device with Lego bricks. Published scientific papers support both methods. The experimental results of the video-based procedure were used to fit a polynomial regression model to find the CM location. On the other hand, the Lego device approach gives the ubication of the CM directly. Both methods were compared against geometric formulae publicly available to locate the CM of standard weights. The whole three stages project could be used in a senior high school or undergraduate physics course to teach about the comparison and compatibility of methods in experimental physics.

The Effect of Augmented Reality (AR) Supported Teaching Activities on Academic Success and Motivation to Learn Nuclear Physics among High School Pupils

The research aimed to investigate the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) supported teaching activities on pupils’ academic success and motivation to learn physics, and their attitudes towards AR applications. The study focused on the “Nuclear Physics” unit in high school physics courses and employed the “Solomon Four Group Model” to control both internal and external validity. The study involved 120 pupils from two different schools, with two experimental and two control groups randomly assigned. First experimental group and first control groups completed pre-test and post-test assessments, while the second experimental group and second control groups only completed the post-test. Over a nine-week period, the experimental groups were taught using mobile AR applications, while the control groups followed the curriculum’s planned activities. The data collection tools included the “Nuclear Physics Success Test” and the “Pupils’ Motivation to Physics Learning” scale. Novelty of the research is about comparing and contrasting virtual laboratory learning environments with augmented reality learning environments. The research findings indicated that teaching with AR applications had a significant impact on pupils’ academic success to learning physics. This suggests that teaching with AR applications is an effective educational approach to enhancing physics education among 11th-grade pupils. Despite the fact that virtual laboratories and augmented reality are both innovative technologies with the potential to enhance learning experiences, experimental research suggests augmented reality is more effective in developing pupils’ critical thinking skills in high school physics lessons than virtual laboratories.

Практикум по физике как один изэтапов подготовки учащихся к обучению в Передовой инженерной школе

The article analyzes an approach to the creation and use of experimental setups in the educational process that expand the content of the secondary school physics course. The possibilities of modern educational equipment for pre-university training before admission to an Advanced engineering school are clearly demonstrated. The method of experiments and comparison with the conclusions of the physical theory is described. In the proposed workshop, the methods of mathematical processing of experimental results are being mastered. The implementation of the proposed workshop contributes to the effective development of cognitive interest and experimental skills of students.

Some Applications of the Principle of Virtual Displacements in Physics and Mathematics Courses

Key words: problem, force, statics, work, analogy, inequality, proof The work is devoted to the school application of the principle of virtual displacements. The latter is significant since it is related to the importance of energy approaches in physics with which this principle is associated. Only in university mechanics courses can the idea and its many applications be rigorously and completely proven. However, if the essence of the principle is simply interpreted, then even in the confines of a school physics course it can be effectively used in the process of solving statics problems. It should be noted that it can be challenging to answer some statics problems by taking standard equilibrium conditions of forces and torques into account. In such cases, the only viable method for the solution of these problems is to apply the virtual displacements idea. Although this principle may have interesting applications, it has not been widely used in physics teaching yet. The work's scientific and methodological novelty lies in its clear presentation of the principle of virtual displacements within the context of school physics. These concepts are then applied to the solution of mathematical inequalities as well as statics problems. Using a straightforward example, the article first explains the fundamentals of the idea of the virtual displacement, then examins a sequence of progressively intricate statics. In the article's last section, with the help of some analogies, the concepts of the principle are applied to solve mathematical inequalities.

Understanding Learners’ Experiences of Using ePortfolio in a High School Physics Course

Understanding Learners’ Experiences of Using ePortfolio in a High School Physics Course

Opportunities to Improve the Ecological Competence of Students in the Secondary School Physics Course

This article shows ways to improve environmental competence with an elective physics course. Climate and other impacts of human activity on a planetary scale have now led us to understand the need to manage resource use on a global scale. Including ecosystem-linked greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone depletion, near-surface temperatures, ocean acidification, mortality of marine fish, oxygen depletion from the discharge of reactive nitrogen into coastal waters, deforestation, conversion of natural ecosystems to agriculture and loss of terrestrial biodiversity. And the study of the physical, chemical, biological factors of these phenomena is within the competence of the natural sciences. On the basis of research, various directions for improving environmental education of students are still proposed, as well as few calls for environmental protection through the teaching of natural science subjects, including physics. Basically, the study of the main problems of technology in accordance with modern scientific and technological progress is carried out through this subject of physics, and students need to know what impact these technological processes have on human health from the point of view of the subject of physics, that is, how harmful they are. The purpose of this study is to provide the content and methodology of the elective course for the scientific and theoretical justification of environmental education of students through the teaching of physics in secondary school, as well as to increase environmental competence in the educational process organized on the subject “Physics”. Due to the limited number of hours devoted to teaching the subject, it is necessary to consider ways to develop environmental knowledge and ideas of students in extracurricular activities. One of them is an elective course. The proposed elective course helps students to increase their activity in environmental work, independent research, the desire to protect the environment and the worldview of the natural environment. The elective course offers thematic planning, teaching methods and various forms of conducting lessons on electrodynamics. In addition, this elective course provides great opportunities for the development of students' creative abilities, the formation of a personality that is well versed in physical and technical principles and environmental issues of the electric power industry. The article will be of interest to scientists, methodologists and everyone involved in the modernization of society.

One Solution to the Climate Crisis: Better High School Education

Integrating Earth and space science into high school biology, chemistry, and physics courses may be the best way to educate the public about climate science.

ON SOME APPLICATIONS OF DIVERGENT PROBLEMS

The paper is devoted to identifying possible effective applications of divergent problems in school courses in mathematics and physics. The article first outlines the essence of the divergent task, its contributing role in the formation and development of the logical and creative thinking of students, after which the varieties of divergent tasks are interpreted, and then, for each variety, examples of divergent tasks found in school courses in mathematics and physics are discussed in detail. The first kind of divergent problems are problems that allow different solutions. As an example, this paper discusses one mathematical problem of determining the largest value of an expression. In addition to the standard method, as a means of stimulating the creative abilities of students, three more options for solving the problem are proposed, which, differing significantly from each other, contribute to a comprehensive consideration of the problem. The next problem discussed in the article is from the "Mechanics" section of the school physics course. Three different approaches to solving this problem are presented. At the same time, these approaches differ not so much in mathematical solutions as in the accepted physical ideas. The next type of divergent problems are problems that have ambiguity, freedom or uncertainty in their conditions. The article analyzes in detail the mathematical problem of motion and the non-standard problem of dynamics, as divergent problems of the second type. The study provides guidelines, the use of which will contribute to the search for ways to solve divergent problems, and will allow you to protect as much as possible from mistakes made in the preparation or solution of such problems, which is the scientific and pedagogical novelty of the article

МЕТОДИКА РОЗВ’ЯЗУВАННЯ ГРАФІЧНИХ ЗАДАЧ НА ІЗОПРОЦЕСИ В ШКІЛЬНОМУ КУРСІ ФІЗИКИ

The article deals with the theoretical and methodological aspects of the implementation of the author's methodical approach of solving graphic problems on gas laws as one of the key issues of the school physics course and an integral component of the students' subject competence. It is noted that despite the availability of various literary sources related to physics teaching methods, an important issue of the modern educational process in physics in general and problem solving in particular is the implementation of active methods, techniques and forms of learning to in school practice. They encourage students to active thinking, develop their cognitive interest, and form a culture of intellectual work and independent practical actions. It is noted that the effective assimilation of the main questions of the corresponding topic of the school course in physics, taking into account the principles of scientificity, clarity and generalization, will be facilitated by meaningful compactness, unity and a clear sequence of educational and cognitive actions of students during the solving of graphic problems at the first lessons. The author proposes the algorithm of problem solving that includes the following stages: 1) systematization of information about the main gas laws and their graphic representation; 2) students find out the nature of the change in one of the three parameters of the gas state; 3) construction of a closed process with an ideal gas on the other two diagrams for cases when individual sections of graphic represents loop process (that is, assume a change in all three gas parameters); 4) solving graphic problems for gas laws which are not loop processes; 5) solving graphical problems for loop processes in the form of circles on the initial diagrams. The authors' own pedagogical experience shows that the organization of the educational process based on the proposed methodical approach is effective and efficient, which is confirmed by the level of cognitive activity and educational success of both school students and students of higher education in recent years. Key words: graphic problems, gas laws, loop process, methods of solving physical problems, subject competence of students in physics, school physics course.

Determining the centres of mass of a circular arc and a circular sector using the principle of virtual work

In studying physics, it is important to solve problems with different methods and compare current and final results, which allows more comprehensive and deep analysis of the observed processes. In this paper, at a level of school physics course, the application of the principle of virtual work is presented as an alternative to the standard method for solving problems of statics. Two approaches are used to analyse two problems, as a result of which, without the use of integral calculus, formulas for the centres of mass of a circular arc and a circular sector are obtained.

Assessment of the Justification Degree of Scientific Facts in the School Physics Course

The problem of the justification (validity) degree of scientific facts in the school physics course is analysed, the relevance of which is due to the need for the formation of evidence-based thinking among schoolchildren. More than 150 facts of the existence of objects, phenomena and functional dependencies expressed using formulas are written out. It is shown that the more convincing the substantiation of the factual statement is, the simpler and more accessible it is for the student. A methodology for assessing the credibility of experimental and logical-mathematical justification is proposed, and appropriate scales are developed. The method of assessing the semantic complexity of scientific facts by summing up the complexities of terms that make up the corresponding factual statement is considered. The semantic complexity, persuasiveness (or simplicity) of experimental and logical-mathematical substantiation of the selected facts are evaluated. It is established that: 1) an increase in the persuasiveness of the experimental substantiation of facts is accompanied by a decrease in their semantic complexity; 2) an increase in the persuasiveness of the experimental substantiation of formulas is associated with an increase in the persuasiveness of their logical and mathematical justification; 3) for the average values calculated for each section of physics, an increase in the persuasiveness of the experimental justification of facts leads to an increase in the persuasiveness of the logical and mathematical substantiation and a decrease in semantic complexity.

Precise Measurements Using a Smartphone’s Magnetometer—Measuring Magnetic Fields and Permeability

Measuring permeability in a high school physics course has long been a hard task. However, with the advent of using smartphones in the classroom, it is not only possible but even easily done. This paper offers detailed instructions on how to measure permeability using a smartphone’s magnetometer, starting with experimentally discovering the equation for measuring the magnetic field of a coil with a negligible length. All discussed activities and experiments can be implemented with a focus on inquiry.

Infographics and their applications in the hybrid learning process

With the effective use of technological tools and equipment in all areas of life, the effective use of technological applications that will support the solution of daily life problems has become inevitable in order for science literacy to occur. The main purpose of this research is to determine the effect of infographic applications on the development of students' technological competencies and science literacy in the hybrid education process in high school physics courses. The study was carried out with 173 students in Turkey in the fall semester of the 2020-2021 academic years, for three weeks at school where the researcher taught. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used together within the scope of action research. Quantitative findings were evaluated with t-test and qualitative findings were evaluated with content analysis. In the hybrid education process, as a result of the infographic applications in the physics lesson, the technological competencies for educational purposes have developed in the students. As a result of students' effective use of infographic content in online and face-to-face educational applications, they have achieved advanced development in the dimensions of researching and questioning information, revealing the relationship between technological changes and science, and cognitive assimilation of information.

Implementation of the principle of continuity of pre-professional and professional training of future doctors

In the article based on the analysis of educational processes in institutions of general secondary education (IGSE) and medical institutions of higher education (MIHE) theoretically substantiated implemented the basics of using physical and technical discoveries in teaching Medical and Biological Physics for future doctors. The relevance of research is exacerbated by the fact that education in the XXI century faces the task of making a radical transition in the learning process from an informational approach to activity, aimed at developing the ability to learn, to conduct research, to form a future highly educated specialist, scientist. One of the ways to solve these problems is to improve the method of use of physical and technical discoveries at the stage of pre-vocational education (physics classes, elective classes and courses in secondary schools and academic lyceums) and its development at the stage of vocational education (course of medical and biological physics in medical (pharmaceutical) institutions of the higher education).