Girep

Paper abstract

This paper is based on a number of design studies at Utrecht Universityin which modeling played an important role. The central question to bediscussed is how modeling can be taught in a physics curriculum. Canit be taught in some explicit way, which goes further than the usualimplicit way of just letting students take part in some modelingactivities? Some examples of a so-called problem posing approach tovarious ways of modeling are described. It is argued that in the case oftheory generating modeling no explicit modeling strategy seems to beavailable for teaching. However, in the case of theory applyingmodeling, a system of heuristic rules could be abstracted fromreflection on students own modeling experiences, that could serve as ateachable global strategy for further modeling.

Paper abstract

Modeling Theory provides common ground for interdisciplinary research inscience education and the many branches of cognitive science, withimplications for scientific practice, instructional design, and connectionsbetween science, mathematics and common sense.

Paper abstract

Computers are increasingly shaping new science learningenvironments where learning science is closer to doing science. Thelanguage of mathematical modelling (variables, quantities, functions,vectors, change, rates of change, accumulation, etc.) can beimplemented in different types of computer software but some tools,like the so-called “system dynamics tools”, can confuse physicseducators about the nature and language of modelling. This paperargues that computer tools, with the explicit use of algebraic, iterativeand differential equations, combined with the explicit teaching ofsimple numerical methods, give a better context for embeddingmathematical modelling in the physics curriculum, particularlyworkshop and activity-based curricula.

Paper abstract

The primary focus of this paper is on necessary pre- or co-requisitestudent knowledge needed to understand modeling and use it to solveproblems. We discuss how student understanding of two such areas ofknowledge, recognizing equations as functional relationships andvectors, can be evaluated using the Mathematical ModelingConceptual Evaluation (MMCE). Methods to improve studentlearning in these areas are described (analytic modeling andVisualizer®) and preliminary student-learning research results fortraditional and reform courses are presented.

Paper abstract

It has been found that science teachers in secondary schools haveembraced the use of simulation software more enthusiastically thanmodeling software. Some simulations are visual aids, chosen for theirability to help pupils visualize complex or abstract phenomena. Othersfeature virtual experiments which allow pupils to perform pseudolaboratoryactivities and obtain quasi-experimental data. In both casesit is common for the software to facilitate activities which support thedevelopment of valuable skills for scientific investigation. It is arguedthat modeling software has even greater potential for developing theseskills towards a deeper level of scientific understanding. However,many modeling software systems possess a conceptual andpresentational format which appears to be less accessible thangraphically-rich simulations. The paper describes a new type ofsoftware of hybrid design which attempts to build bridges betweenapparently successful simulations and potentially more demandingmodeling activities. The development involved careful considerationof the language used for expressing scientific concepts andrelationships, contextual factors which influence motivation and thedesign of tasks to promote effective use of the software tools.

Paper abstract

New technologies provide us with powerful instruments for themodeling of natural phenomena, thus increasing the variety ofsituations which can be examined in an introductory physics course. Ata general methodological level, the combined use of modeling and dataacquisition systems allows teachers to highlight one of the mostfundamental aspects of scientific activity, viz. the relationship betweentheory and experiment.By focusing on the structure which underlies the functionalrelationships involved in a given situation, modeling also fosters theacquisition of transversal and interdisciplinary skills. The cognitiveacts carried out by the students are particularly interesting because –and this is true above all for work-environments which offer a graphicinterface – the students are required to consider not just singular,isolated notions, but rather a whole network of connections, a veritableconceptual map informed by quantitative aspects.

Paper abstract

In this paper I explore issues in the construction of computationalmodels to support the learning of physics, using a number of differenttools. When teachers and children express and explore theirunderstanding of a topic in this new medium, some new issues ariseand some older issues are thrown into sharper focus. Successfulperiods of use will need: to define tasks that guide subtly withoutconstraining possible outcomes too tightly; to allow teachers and theirstudents to recognize partial and complete success; to illuminate theprocess of modeling. Within this framework I illustrate how the use ofthese tools opens up new opportunities and presents new challenges:Both for those who learn physics and for all those who support thatendeavor. I will draw on experiences in working with children from 10to 19 years old, teachers and pre-service teachers. Children’scompetences vary across this ability range, and the kinds of thinking tobe represented also vary. I show how a variety of computational toolscan be used to enable pupils and teachers to work with these variations.In conclusion I indicate where I think there is still further work to bedone: in elucidating what children gain from these activities; in thedesign of computational modeling environments; and in the impact onthe teaching of physics.

Paper abstract

System dynamics provides for a general and user friendly approach tothe modeling of dynamical systems, irrespective of the field ofapplication. Although SD modeling – as it is practiced in areas fromeconomics to ecology – is hardly known in physics and physicseducation, physics is particularly suited to the methodologies and toolsof system dynamics and systems thinking.In this talk, examples of modeling and the direct comparison toexperimental data will be discussed. Examples range from simple(draining of a tank, heating of a body, charging capacitors, muffin cupsfalling in air) to larger case studies (the circulatory system ofmammals, thermoelectric cooling). The examples have been developedfor and used in introductory university physics for engineeringstudents.As described here, SD modeling is an element of an integrated learningenvironment where experiments, modeling, and simulation blend withthe learning of the formal aspects of our science. The talk describespractical experience gained with this type of learning environment inrecent years.Finally, it will be demonstrated that SD modeling suggests how the useof analogical reasoning can be made into a major tool for learning anabstract field such as physics. It will be shown that the analogies usedin fluids, electricity, heat, and motion are based upon fundamentalhuman reasoning. Evidence of this reasoning is found in conceptualmetaphors used by humans in everyday life.

Paper abstract

An innovative calculus-based university physics course was evaluatedusing a mixed methods action research(MMAR) model. A briefdiscussion of the characteristics of the experimental physics course andcontrol course are given. The main focus of the symposium will be on theattributes of the MMAR model. The model includes qualitative andquantitative aspects. An overview of the MMAR model is presented andthe interview protocols used in the pre, mid-term, and post interviews ofstudents and instructors of the experimental course are discussed. Thewritten questionnaires used to assess students’ and instructors’ pre-postattitudes toward science (physics) and technology, their preferredapproach/model for teaching/learning physics, and their particularorientation to the nature of science are presented. An explanation of howthe personal interviews and quantitative questionnaires enhance theresearch design will be given.In response, Mr. F. Gravenberch, NVON Acting President, TheNetherlands, compares the MMAR evaluation to results of ’similar’projects that were conducted in the Netherlands and comments onteachers’ expectations of outcomes of projects in curriculumdevelopment.The presentations are available on the website:http://www.hope.edu/GIREP2006.

Paper abstract

Fuller c.s. present in there their paper: ‘”Modeling Assessments ofInnovative Physics Courses’” results that relate to teachers and studentsin Tertiary Education.Naturally, differences exist with teaching conditions in SecondaryEducation5. This contribution first illustrates that nonetheless many of theresults reported in the paper are quite analogical to the ones we cameacross working with teachers and students in Secondary Education, in theNetherlands. Finally, two reasons for explanation of the resemblance arediscussed.

Paper abstract

If our symposium was in German, its title would be „Altlasten derPhysik“. This title meets the content of our contributions veryaccurately, but is almost untranslatable into any other language. InEnglish it would translate, literally but colorlessly, as „Old Charges ofPhysics“.The term „Altlast“ came into being in the early 1990s to describe aphenomenon that showed up after the breakdown of the communistregime in East Germany. The rotten and hazardous industrial plantsand other infrastructure remnants that are not only useless, but alsonecessitate large investments for their rehabilitation, are called„Altlasten“.In physics there are such infrastructure remnants from the historicaldevelopment of the subject. We hope that by identifying them, we canbegin to make the investment towards fixing them. We have chosen thetitle „Historical Burdens of Physics“: Like the hazardous sites of EastGermany, these concepts once served a purpose, but now they must becleaned up before further gains can be made.More of them can be found on our web sitehttp://www.physikdidaktik.uni-karlsruhe.deIn German: click on „Kolumne: Altlasten der Physik“In Spanish (in preparation): click on „Publicaciones en Español“

Paper abstract

In this contribution, we try to depict how the future undergraduatephysics education should take into account the increasingcomputational flavor in science and engineering, observed in bothacademia and industry. This flavor, of course, has its roots inmathematical modeling and numerical simulation, but it has got amuch broader scope in the last years, including issues of visualization,parallel and distributed processing (up to the Grid), data handling andexploration, and software engineering. Hence, this paper’s corestatement is that the modern physicist needs more than a mereprogramming course or some basic numerical knowledge, but aprofound education and training in “Advanced Computing” –organized in a way similar to the typical Advanced or HigherMathematics Courses covering calculus and linear algebra which areclose to standard today.

Paper abstract

The action principle is a powerful tool for understanding, applying, andbuilding bridges among fields of physics, from quantum theorythrough relativity to current research. We dramatize those who devisedthe action principle and its precursors – Fermat, Huygens, Maupertuis,Euler, Hamilton, Einstein and Feynman – with the authors performingthe roles of these great physicists and mathematicians. We accept noresponsibility for the accuracy of the words of our characters! This isan effort to introduce fundamental physical principles, not toreconstruct the actual historical development of these principles.

Paper abstract

The physics curriculum in England and Wales has a requirement tointroduce quantum phenomena to students in the first year of the twoyearpre-university physics course in schools. Usually this meansdiscussing the photoelectric effect, with a few words about “waves orparticles”. In the innovative course “Advancing Physics” we take amore fundamental approach, following Feynman’s “many paths”formulation of quantum physics. The experiences of teaching thismaterial for the past five years are discussed, together with difficultiesit has thrown up.

Paper abstract

The Action Principle predicts motion using the scalars energy andtime, entirely avoiding vectors and differential equations of motion.Action is the tool of choice when we want to specify both initial andfinal conditions. Maupertuis-Euler action finds the trajectory wheninitial and final positions are prescribed in advance, but requires thatenergy be a constant of the motion. Hamilton action finds the worldlinewhen initial and final events are prescribed in advance and easilydescribes motion when potential energy is a function of time as well asposition. A simple toolkit of motion tells us when to use action, whento use Lagrange’s equations, and when we must return to the vectormethods of Newton. The original Euler method of handling action alsoprovides a basis for computer modeling. Interactive software allowsstudents to employ basic concepts of the principle of least action andincrease conceptual understanding.

Paper abstract

Traditionally, differential equations dominated physics education; theaction principle was used primarily to derive differential equationssuch as Lagrange’s equations. Now the computer allows the actionprinciple to be applied directly from first principles, often bypassinganalytic solutions entirely. The action principle can illuminate andunify physics education and physics research from quantum fieldtheory to cosmology.

Paper abstract

In the study of complex dynamical systems, topics as chaos, fractalanalysis, self organized criticality (SOC), non-stationary time seriesanalysis, and others are emergent. Non-linear dynamics is a new wayof applying the known laws of Physics, with the aid of the computer, tomany phenomena that encompass, in addition to the traditional inPhysics, phenomena of Biological and Social Sciences. In this work,we review some models that have been important to understand manyconcepts of non-linear dynamics, as the sand pile model to understandSOC concepts: By using this basic model we can study forest firemodels, epidemic models or we can build spring-block models tomimic the dynamics of a seismic fault. We also review some modelsapplicable to Physiology. For the study of these and many othermodels the student needs University Physics, besides he needs to knowthe system basics that he is studying (for example, the basics of theheart Physiology if he is working with models of the heart dynamics)and he also needs the computer. We can teach to the student basicmodels and later he can do modifications to model new situations, veryoften these applications are very illustrative and interesting. Thesetopics have not been approached in the university Physics courses andits study has been postponed to the graduate courses, we propose toinclude them in the undergraduate Physics curriculum. Theundergraduate student has all the elements to work with success manyof these non-linear basic models.

Paper abstract

This paper reports a novel experimental design that was developed tocarry out an inquiry about explanatory models that university studentshave about buoyant force. This experimental design involved twostages: a spiraled exploratory inquiry and the testing of the workinghypothesis. The first stage consisted of a series of steps that aresuccessive approximations towards the identification of the students’models. These steps are: a preliminary design of a potentially adequateinquiry instrument, the collection and analysis of data (students’answers), and the ordering of the given explanations on the base of“answer categories” that were defined and coded. These steps allow thedetection of characteristic configurations given by the simultaneouspresence of certain categories. These configurations were named“category groupings” and were taken as indicators of the existence ofexplanatory models. With these results, the preliminary inquiryinstrument was improved in order to refine the categories that weredetected in the first step. Then new data collection was carried outthree times, following the same set of steps. The hypothesis testingstage was planned taking into account these results. This research madeuse of qualitative and quantitative techniques. In all cases, theinstruments’ validity was checked. As a result of this research, a set ofexplanatory models about buoyant force that students study whendealing with bodies submerged in liquids, was proposed. The degree towhich these models are shared by students was quantified. A selectiveactivation of different explanatory models was identified, depending onthe problem situation at hand.

Paper abstract

Multicoding, i. e. using various kinds of representations, can fosterflexible thinking. Especially offering different visuals can bridge thegap between theory and practice.With this intention we developed a virtual camera, using multimedia touncover basic physics of photography. A user can switch between arealistic view of a camera and a model, showing the physicalcomponents (lenses, aperture, image plain) and in particular rays oflight. Different objects, including a moving pendulum, can bephotographed. Exposure time and aperture have to be set according tothe characteristics of an object. Pictures are presented immediately andthe results can be understood by examining the model representation.Learning with the virtual camera has been studied empirically with 95pupils (10th grade) and 35 teacher students. It was looked at learningoutcomes in dependence on learners’ abilities and the influence ofnarrowly or not so accurately described exercises. For statisticalanalysis t-tests and ANOVA were applied.Results indicate that adjusted guidance is important, depending onlearners’ abilities, and an intensive and goal-oriented working with thecomputer program should be assured. Under these circumstanceslearning outcomes were found to be satisfactory for pupils as well asfor students (on a higher level). Nevertheless one single lesson turnedout to be too short to learn about complex dependencies and the virtualcamera should be integrated into an overall concept.Details will be outlined in the following sections, focusing on:* multicoding and cognitive flexibility* learning contents and the virtual camera as an aid to connect modeland reality* the empirical study and results.

Paper abstract

The cultural history of physics is an important part of teachingintroductory physics for engineering students. This way pictures andsounds can also be part of the course. Paintings and “visible” soundsoffer numerous possibilities to help like simple models to understandphysical phenomena and laws.The poster intends to show some examples from the world of picturesand sounds in many topics of physics. We can find some paintings anddrawings, which can be models of scientific thinking and modelingitself. Numerous works of painters, who dealt with the relation of lightand space, can be thought of as optical study. There are several othertopics of physics, which can be reflected in paintings, like theuncertainty principle, concepts of nuclear physics, concepts of thetheory of relativity, etc. The analysis of the sounds and making soundvisible is also suitable to show many physical concepts – besides thesound wave itself. We can mention superposition, magnetostriction, theuncertainty principle, etc.

Paper abstract

Easy Java Simulations (Ejs) is designed for teachers and students whowant to create (or modify) scientific simulations. With Ejs, they canconcentrate their effort in writing and refining the relations in theunderlying scientific model, and dedicate the minimum possibleamount of time to the programming techniques.We have found that, by creating a simulation, many teachers get a newperspective of the phenomenon they are trying to explain, whichalmost always increases their enthusiasm about the use of thistechnology with their students. An alternative approach, and a verypromising one, is to let students modify the model in a simulation orcreate their own simulations, thus engaging in what educationalresearchers call constructive modeling.

Paper abstract

Everybody knows the rise and fall of the tides. A closer look at theorigin of tides and the behavior of the tides in various ports reveals awealth of interesting phenomena that may challenge students toanalyze and to model. Fortunately, many data sources are nowavailable on the Internet for prediction and measurement of the tidalmovement. Each port has its characteristic tidal spectrum. When thisspectrum is converted into sound, the peculiarities of the tidalmovement in this port can be heard.In this paper we present a model for the moon-earth dynamicalsystem, yielding the tidal movement on an all-ocean world. We alsolook at data sources on Internet with tidal data, and reconstruct theharmonic analysis for various ports with advanced data analysistechniques. For the well-known tidal river Thames, we model the tidalbehavior as a function of the tides of the North Sea.

Paper abstract

Researches about students’ difficulties in understanding mechanicalwave phenomena have addressed issues as: propagation, superpositionprinciple, mathematical description, sound, etc. Historically,instructional materials as experiments with slinkies, taut strings andripple tanks have been proposed to address such difficulties. Since afew years, dynamical images as Java applets or Shockwave interactivemovies, available through the web, are used to address difficultiesrelated to the dynamic character of wave phenomena. Nevertheless,despite the many potentialities, such interactive simulations basedapproaches rarely allow significant modeling activities in wave physicsdue to the use of implicit built-in mathematical models. Since modelsof mechanical waves involve geometrical entities and their relations,the software “Cabrì® Géomètre”, though seldom used to modelcomplex physical phenomena, well fits to actively engage students inmodeling activities such as the construction of wave fronts, derivationof the basic laws of reflection, refraction, and interference. In ourapproach, point-like sources, circles, lines, angles are drawn directly ondigital photos of water waves produced in a ripple tank. This allows toobserve together and compare the realistic image and the schematicone and favor understanding of the meaning of the quantities defined inthe geometrical model of waves. By means of Cabrì® utilities,measures of wavelength or angles are carried on, allowing thederivation of the λ = c/ν relation and of the laws of reflection,refraction, interference pattern. Examples of activities exploiting suchapproach will be discussed.

Paper abstract

students often misinterpret polar graphs and hydrogen eigenstateprobability density plots. This paper describes our project designed toimprove this and the project outcomes. The students solve differenttasks from their workbook using small special designed programswhich enable them interactive work with graphs and to build theirunderstanding of the plots. The tasks were designed according toexperiential learning approach. Described activity was part of thestandard introductory course on quantum mechanics for future physicsteachers. Students found the project useful and interesting.

Paper abstract

Learning concepts related to specific phenomena becomes easier andmore effective when learners are allowed to experiment them withtheir own senses. In acoustics, basic phenomena can be perceived byhearing, although sight is also involved through images and text.

Therefore, a learning tool which involves also the sense of hearingshould be welcomed, especially if it is easy to implement. The hearand-see tool presented here is based on the open-source audio softwareAudacity. It could be also implemented with similar programs such asWaveLab or Adobe Audition, both of which are commerciallyavailable. Nevertheless, the fact that Audacity is available on the web,free of charge, makes it an ideal choice for implementing this hearand-see tool, even as a sort of home lab.

Many learning activities can be devised using this software applicationwith headphones and a microphone. Several existing examples aredescribed here: an activity designed to observe how a plain sound ofdefined pitch consists of a periodic variation in air pressure which isrecorded through the microphone as a periodic electrical signal;another that allows the learner to quantify the differences among his orher vowel sounds looking at the corresponding frequency spectra; andanother that can be used to investigate the differences between soundand noise, or the differences in the fundamental frequencies betweenmusical notes that differ by an octave.

Paper abstract

A teaching sequence in astrophysics for future science teachers thatincorporates both explicit discussions of the nature of scientific modelsand the role of these models in explanations has been developed andtested. The goal was to promote meaningful learning in Physics. Thelectures were combined with lab and project work. During the lecturesthe students formed groups in the classroom, thus enhancingdiscussions. A semi-structured role-play was used to report on theproject. The students impersonated different experts, with differentperspective of the phenomenon. The students expanded on thedescriptions of the roles in their own way in their group work, thusadding theoretical perspectives of the phenomenon at hand – stellarbirth, life and death. The teaching was well received by the studentsand we found that it elicited meaningful learning.

Paper abstract

We conducted a series of constructivist activities with futureelementary and junior high school teachers aimed at changing theirconceptions about the Sun-Earth-Moon relative movements like Moonphases, Sun and Moon eclipses, and others. Students’ astronomyconceptions, at the beginning and at the end of the study, wereanalyzed by means of a written questionnaire containing 21 items.Most activities were performed in class, followed by a groupdiscussion guided by the teacher; some activities were assigned ashomework. In the pos-test questionnaire, only the experimental classand one of the control groups showed a statistically significantimprovement, with the experimental class making the most impressiveprogress.

Paper abstract

A very simple experiment often programmed already in primaryschools is to observe the temperature rise of a black object exposed tosolar radiation and to compare it with the temperature rise of anidentical white object exposed in similar conditions.

The physics of this simple experiment is however much richer than onegenerally realizes at this basic level. For example, it is not common tocompare also the rate of cooling of the two objects: one observes, if themeasure is done correctly, that the black object cools faster than thewhite one, as expected from Stefan Boltzmann and Kirchhoff laws [1].It is also very instructive to measure how the rate of temperature riseslowly decreases in time until a dynamical equilibrium temperature isreached: when this happens, the rate of energy absorption is equal tothe rate of energy emission and both the equilibrium temperature andthe relaxation time depend critically on the type of object and of theexperimental conditions.

In the paper we discuss results obtained by high school students duringa stage in our university lab and a simple model developed to interpretthe data in terms of dynamical equilibrium between absorption andemission of radiation, which shows the complete similarity betweenthe two processes.

Paper abstract

Formal models are insufficient for learning at school age andunsatisfactory for the student’s need to understand. We believe itimportant to propose structural models which can favor reasoning,interpretations and predictions, and are intellectually fruitful becausethey stimulate inquiry into entities and processes supposed to exist inmaterial systems. We developed a teaching learning sequence onfriction grounded on these ideas and based on a didacticalreconstruction of the physics content, which has been tested in preserviceteacher education.

Paper abstract

This paper reports on the third year of a three-year longitudinalinvestigation into six Year 10 secondary students’ understanding ofoptics at a secondary school level. During the first two years of thestudy the students’ understanding of geometrical optics was exploredwith the adoption of constructivist teaching and learning strategies.The students’ understanding of geometrical optics following the Year11 teaching stage then formed the basis of exploration of their mentalmodels of the nature of light. This exploration occurred before, during,and following a Year 12 teaching stage where the students studiedphysical optics and quantum ideas. Before the Year 12 teaching stagethe students had constructed mental models of light that related to theirunderstanding of a ray. Over the Year 12 teaching stage the students’mental models changed to conceptualizations of a photon. There wasevidence in the students’ mental models of a hybridization of theparticle and wave scientific models. That is, they conceptualized thephoton as having both wave and particle characteristics. The variationin the students’ hybrid models also suggested a variation in the waythey conceived of the nature of scientific models.

Paper abstract

Italian and international historical and art museums have been settingup for several years tactile exhibits dedicated to blind or sight-impairedpeople, while in scientific museums a lot of work is still to be done. Inthis framework we propose an educational activity allowing the blindand the sight-impaired to put their “hands on light”. We regard it as astarting point for alternative teaching method useful both for schoolsand museums. This experience not intended to be dedicated to arestricted target, indeed true integration rises not from the creation ofactivities strictly targeted to impaired capacity people, but fromallowing everyone to share the same experience.Hands will be our eyes in the dark. The laboratory will be a journey ofexploration of the mysterious nature of light. We will move from theconcept of light in the ancient times up to the quantum theory and toatomic and molecular models of today’s physics. The sensation ofwarmth caused by an intense light beam on our hands leads us to thestraight propagation of light, and to the laws of reflection. With otherexperiments we study the formation of images in the eye and theperception of distance. Several mechanical models and the analogywith sound waves illustrate various theories of light and of matter.There are also hands-on experiments on electricity and magnetism. Forinstance, a particular kind of glove allows us to "touch" the magneticfield.

Paper abstract

The concept of a ‘coefficient of restitution’ is often introduced in thecontext of a model describing inelastic collisions. In this paper weattempt a critical assessment of the model. Some computer-basedexperiments will be described which help explain the conceptsunderlying the model.

Paper abstract

A teaching sequence about acoustics has been prepared for a schooluniversitypartnership with secondary school students without priorinstruction on the subject. It is implemented in a computerized laboratoryat the university and different ICT tools (applet, simulation software andMBL) are integrated. Research studies of science education, pedagogyand psychology provided foundations for the sequence. The paperdescribes many of the different and relevant components that a sequenceneeds to integrate for taking benefit of the theoretical knowledge fromthe above fields. Analysing outcomes from a teaching sequence withouttaking care of the teaching approach used can disguise the real results orlead to misinterpretations.

Paper abstract

The two slits experiment is often used to explain the basic principle ofinterference of light. The position of the interference pattern dependson the phase difference of light from the slits. This experiment is usedto explain our interference experiments with Michelson interferometerwith the mirrors far from equidistant position. We propose anexperiment where the distance between the interference fringes can bedetermined when the interference pattern disappears completely for anaked eye. We used a semiconductor laser with two fast photodiodesas sensors. The distance between invisible interference fringes wasdetermined by observing the amplitude of the summed fluctuatingsignal as a function of distance between the sensors. The basicunderstanding of the phenomenon can be achieved using multimediamodels such as sound equivalent of two slits experiment and animateddrawings.

Paper abstract

Results of a research on naïve mental models of prospectiveprimary/elementary teachers about electrical and logical circuits arereported. All the models known from literature emerge from the studyalong with few new ones, although it seems that they are used in a nonconsistentway. Global view of electric circuits is adopted by a smallfraction of the sample; moreover, it emerges that they feel ratheruncomfortable in expressing their reasoning. Such results suggest,when addressing this content in training courses, to develop moreconsistent and scientifically acceptable models starting fromprospective teachers’ own models.

Paper abstract

Learning about energy is recognized as an important objective ofscience teaching starting from the elementary school. This creates theneed for teaching simplifications that compromise the abstract natureof this construct and students’ need for a satisfactory qualitativedefinition. Traditional teaching approaches have failed to respond tothis need in a productive manner. In an attempt to maintain consistencywith how energy is understood in physics they tend to either provideabstract definitions or bypass the question “what is energy?”, which isvitally important to students. We suggest that shifting the discussion toan epistemological context presents a means to overcome thedifficulties inherent in introducing energy as a physical quantity. Wepropose a teaching approach, for students in the age range 11-15,which introduces energy as an entity invented in the context of atheoretical framework for explaining changes encountered in physicalsystems. This framework is elaborated in a progressive manner throughthe assignment of various properties to energy (i.e. transfer,transformation, conservation and degradation). Each property isintroduced in a manner that highlights its contribution to theexplanatory power of the theoretical framework. The paper outlines therationale underlying this teaching approach and describes the activitysequence. It also reports findings from a pilot implementation with agroup of students, which are encouraging with respect to the positiontaken in this approach. The paper concludes with a discussion of theimplications for validating activity sequences and for teaching andlearning about energy.

Paper abstract

The first year bachelor courses "Waves" and "Electromagnetism" at theUniversity of Amsterdam (UvA) are given in the studio-classroomformat. We outline the structure of the electromagnetism course anddiscuss some experiences as (studio-) lecturers. To actively involve thestudents during the sessions, the course contains a mix of illustrativeslides, animations, in-class demonstration experiments, web-basedexercises with automatic feedback and laboratory experiments. Thecourse is well received and the studio-classroom format appearsbeneficial for many students.

Paper abstract

Most of the time university lectures do not show success andeffectiveness given the time that students spend learning. Therefore toremedy these and other defects at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universityof Munich an activity-based learning-system for the introduction ofModern Physics has been designed. During the development cycles ithas been tested and improved continually.During the lessons the students work alone or with a partner on amultimedia enriched text, on problem solving and on interactiveexperiments. So the lecturer’s primary responsibility is to organize thelecture and to act as an advising tutor. Most of the participatingstudents will become teachers for secondary school (grades 5-10). Thelearning-system is used in a lecture called “Physics of Matter” whichspans two semesters each with 6 hours per week. The learning-systemhas been evaluated using a comparative design.The empirical research regarding knowledge gain, conceptdevelopment and attitudes show the following results: The studentsachieve a definitely higher learning success than in traditional lectures.The learning time during the lesson is sufficient – additionalhomework is not necessary. The students enjoy the climate in the class.

Paper abstract

If teacher educators wish to educate physics teachers to teach in astudent-oriented way, they themselves should teach their prospectiveteachers in the same way. This modelling should be done explicitly soas to stimulate the prospective teachers to reflect on their way ofteaching. An important event in the education of a student teacher isthe visit of a teacher educator during a lesson in the internship school.This paper reports about a set-up of a school practicum visit, as a resultof a self-study from the perspective of student-teacher-orientedness.

Paper abstract

This paper suggests role-play as a supplement to the traditional way ofteaching science. The reasons for choosing role-play in scienceteaching are based upon student’s interests and the competencesdeveloped through the use of role-play. The paper presents a briefintroduction to the interest theory and the competences in play throughrole-playing along with a role-play example involving the Manhattanproject and some empirical research results.

Paper abstract

This paper presents examples of applications of multimediarepresentations in compulsory school, high school and atundergraduate level. The aim is to enable students respectively tounderstand the critical features of the modelling process for opticalphenomena, to explore and compare a rich variety of contexts relatedto collisions in mechanics, to highlight the role of thought experimentsas arguments to infer the counterintuitive implications of the speed oflight invariance in special relativity.

Paper abstract

We present a rationale and a framework for empirical-mathematical modelling inupper secondary physics, and report on a project focused on empiricalmathematicalmodelling in Norwegian physics classrooms. The projectparticularly aims to give students experience with the many forms ofrepresentations applied in models of physical reality.

Paper abstract

Several research papers in physics education suggest that computational activities inmodelling and simulation are potentially useful to facilitate meaningful learning in physics,provided that students engage themselves in these activities and critically think about them.Sometimes, excited with the possibilities offered by technological resources, we imagine thatsome representations “speak by themselves” in such a way that students’ comprehension ofphysical phenomena will occur just by seeing them. However, to know how to use aninstructional tool is at least as important as having it. In the case of computational modellingand simulation, for instance, it is not enough just to use them in instruction, it is necessary tomake students think about what they are doing, about the physics involved in the models andsimulations that they are dealing with. Thus, we decided to build an heuristic tool to helpstudents in the task of creating and analyzing computational models useful to investigate thetelling questions proposed regarding some physical phenomenon of interest. We created thenwhat we call an AVM diagram which consists of an Adaptation of Gowin’s V diagram tocomputational Modelling and simulation.

Paper abstract

The Doppler effect is special pedagogically because it can relatively easily develop modelingcompetency as an interdisciplinary skill, and because the Doppler effect is extremely simple tostate and to model. Doppler modeling starts with two basic types: (a) physical models showingthe physics of the process(es) involved, and (b) mathematical models that “live” in abstractspace-time graphs. Both of these basic types involve using prior knowledge to connect variousskills together from different student “mental boxes” (verbal, pictures, some simple rules orproperties of gases, and liquids and solids, diagrams, elementary geometry of triangles andparallel lines, and working with linear graphs). These skills are further reviewed and developedduring the Doppler modeling lessons, as is the skill of changing representations, or oftranslating models from one domain to another, e.g., physical models into first graphic modelsand then math models – and vice versa. Both the basic types can be creatively manipulated fordifferent contexts. The mathematical models “live” in the abstract space of simple twodimensional space-time graphs. The modeling exercises and examples are a neat way toawaken, motivate and develop student skills and interests. The modeling process proceedsfrom the simple stationary case to the full Doppler scenario case in many different contexts.When the students see how the models change from context to context, how they areevaluated, and where their limits are, they develop modeling competences, which aretransferable to other disciplines, and, they “get the big picture”. As an added attraction, weshould mention that the modeling development was developed/designed to be consistent withBloom’s taxonomy of the cognitive domain, and was executed by an author who spend most ofhis career modeling complex systems, with over twenty publications just on fairly specificmodels in advanced design.

Paper abstract

This contribution presents seven student-ready examples of inverse modeling ofcurrently important cosmological factoids as clusters of small “mini-models” that areeasy-to-understand at the high school level. Since they are thematically related,student-accessible and fun to reason about, the chosen grouping of models is veryeffective pedagogically. In fact it is hoped that this set of examples generate intenseinterest in the Doppler effect, in inverse modeling methods, and in their applications.Even more than in Earth-bound experiments, the data that we obtain from the starsand galaxies needs to be analyzed and interpreted. The seven examples show thatevaluations must be made to choose from several possible inferences and/orinterpretations. They all assume as prior knowledge (i) that the Doppler frequencyshift equations can be solved for source velocity, (ii) that frequency/wavelength shiftscan be read from the spectra of light, and (iii) the meaning of redshift and blueshift:(A) shows why dark matter is hypothesized, and describes why some alternativemodels are currently rejected, (B) Shows how the cosmological redshift can beinterpreted either that the galaxies are simply receding, or that the whole space isexpanding, (C) shows how inverse models of Lyman alpha forests corroborate thatthe universe is expanding, a conclusion that Edwin Hubble was reluctant to make in1929, (D) shows how scientists predict space weather by “seeing” Sunspots throughthe Sun, (E) shows one popular method for finding extrasolar planets, (F) discussesthe rotation rates of Mercury, and (G) discusses the differential rotation of the Sunusing the Doppler effect.

Paper abstract

The phenomenon of refraction is usually demonstrated with lenses. But very seldomit is properly stressed, that only the change in refractive index is needed for refractionto occur. As a consequence, it is a common belief that only lenses made of specialoptical glass or optical instruments have the ability to refract the light.Water lenses are nearly as effective and a very welcome change for the classroom,either as a motivation, as a demonstration to overcome the above mentionedmisconception, or as a mind teaser at the end of the lecture. They also offer thepossibility of interdisciplinary approach. Using various water lenses it is easy todemonstrate how a human eye works. Experiments modeling eye–lensaccommodation, which provides sharp images of near and distant objects, as well asa human eye model, with possibility to visualize vision within healthy and defectiveeyes, will be demonstrated.

Paper abstract

This case study explores design criteria for teaching understanding of Nature of Science,implementing salient aspects of South Africa’s curriculum reform in rural, disadvantagedschools. Grade 7-9 science teachers carried out classroom activities that model someaspects of scientific research. Learners constructed and described an unknown animalbased on pictures of its bones, then reflected on the scientific characteristics of theknowledge they obtained. Learners ought to see that in science, experiments are not theonly way to knowledge, furthermore that creativity and imagination play a role ininterpreting data and drawing conclusions and finally that one scientific question can haveseveral equally acceptable answers. Data from nine teachers and 79 learners show thatlessons ensued in which learners engaged in genuine inquiry and reflected sensibly onscientific processes. Implementing the design criteria resulted in clarity of purpose of thetask, independence from subject matter, creative responses to a challenge perceived asattainable, freedom from pursuit of a correct answer or method, and free use of means ofexpression other than English. Support for teachers on management tasks and provision ofample resources also contributed to coherence between design intentions and actualclassroom events.

Paper abstract

A structural reform of Danish upper secondary education implies that more lessonsare set aside for optional subjects organized as subject packages. An importantfeature of a subject package is that the participating subjects form a coherent programensured by a closer interaction between the subjects. Some of the subject packageshave as their core mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. To implement theobjectives of the reform co-operation across the traditional boundaries between thesubjects is required both at the level of subject matter as well as at the level ofpedagogy. To prepare the teachers for the reform the University of SouthernDenmark developed the course “Modeling as a tool for cooperation between thesubjects of the natural sciences”. In the course the teachers are introduced to adidactical framework for co-ordination and mutual interaction of the subjects ofmathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. As a part of the course the teachersdevelop and implement integrated modeling instructional units, which are presentedat a seminar for teachers.

Paper abstract

The aim of this study was to gain an insight into the understanding of the (31) physics, (87)mathematics (34) biology and (62) science students, studying at faculty of education, aboutmodels which play an important role both in science and science education. For this purpose, aquestionaire was developed from Treagust’s (2002) research to find out the students’ viewsabout what a model is, the role of models in science, how and why models are used and whatcauses models to change. The students were asked to fill in the questionaire with 31 items; oneof them was open item and the others were Likert-type scale. The items of Likert-type werecategoriezed under five groups, each one having explicit charactristics, process, examples, usesand changes of models. The student answers were evaluated under the sections “models asmultiple representations” (MR); “models as exact replicas” (ER); “models as explanatorytools” (ET); “uses of scientific models” (USM); “the changing nature of models” (CNM) and“examples of models” (ME).

Paper abstract

An achievement test assessing abilities to reason scientifically and interchangebetween representations of physical phenomena was developed to describe physicsstudents’ modeling competency. Students’ competency is described using fourproficiency levels. Results indicate that aspects of the nature of science (NOS) andthe learning strategy “elaboration” are positively associated with performance on theachievement test.

Paper abstract

In this work is presented the combined use of experimentation and modeling anIntroductory Physics Laboratory. The course consists of a series of lab sessions,structured in a coherent way, where students perform activities that gradually guidethem from taking data measurements and graphing them to advanced data analysistasks and to mathematical modeling. Application of the course has shown thatstudents’ ability in successful modeling tasks can be reinforced by an intermediarystep where data analysis tasks are introduced between data measurement andmodeling.

Paper abstract

Most of us use information technology every day. This technology is used in physicseducation, too. The use of computer simulations seems to be one of the mosteffective ways to use information technology in physics education. By simulationswe can study many situations in different initial conditions. Thank for this feature wecan explain to students a lot of physical phenomenon more accurately. That is whywe try to incorporate simulations in physics education.This paper will present one of the ways to apply simulations in a classroom. We willpresent a set of computer simulations in the area of Radial gravitational field andinstructions on how to use them. The simulations were designed to fit the curriculaand textbooks used at Slovak grammar schools. Teacher’s and student’s guides wereprepared for each simulation. The teacher’s guide contains suggestions for possiblelearning activities and problem tasks for students. On the other hand, the student’sguide contains instructions on how to perform the simulation and additionalquestions for students. The structure of the student’s guide is designed to enablestudents to make hypothesis, observe, analyse obtained data, interpret results, etc.

Paper abstract

Students can be provided insight into processes of enzyme kinetics and physiologyvia compartmental models. Graphical modeling software supports this. In this paperwe will discuss various models that students could implement and use to investigateblood alcohol concentration after consumption of one or more alcoholic drinks.Results from these computer models are compared with measured data that wereobtained with breath analysis equipment. The broad range of models for intake andclearance of alcohol in the human body ensures that students have great opportunityto practice evaluation and revision of their models. They can develop the criticalattitude that is necessary for successful modeling of biological, chemical or physicalphenomena. All models presented, ranging from the simplest linear eliminationmodel to a sophisticated physiologically based5-compartmental model, are used in pharmacokinetic studies. This implies that thestudents’ investigation work is not only fun to do, but also resembles professionalresearch practice.

Paper abstract

Although scientific models are mentioned and used all the time in physics education, there isvery little reflection on what these models really are, and how they relate to reality. Forinstance, our formal concept of the electron is taught as if it is really as mundane as a grain ofsand, while it is in reality a summation of deductions from experimental observations.Furthermore, there is often inconsistency in the terminology, with the terms ’model’ and’theory’ used as synonyms by many authors for the same body of knowledge, e.g. ’Bohr’satom model’ and ’Bohr’s theory of the atom’. This presentation is an attempt at a fundamentalphilosophical analysis of scientific models in physics and its implications for scienceeducation.

Paper abstract

We discuss some simple models using Modellus that have been useful in variousuniversity courses, spanning from an initial propedeutic course to experimentalphysics and a simulation laboratory. The different role of models is shown at thosevarious levels of knowledge and expertise. Examples of application of Modellus inmore difficult problems, such as the initial value problem giving rise to rivermeanders and the analogous boundary value problem for the flexural deformation ofa long bar, are included.

Paper abstract

We propose a model of Brownian motion of sphere particles in viscous liquids. The model canbe solved analytically and simulated numerically. The analytic solution leads to the knowndiffusion law <r²> = Dt where the diffusion constant D is expressed by the radius and the massof particles, the viscosity of liquid and the average time between consecutive collisions of theobserved particle with molecules in liquid. The latter allows to make a simulation of the Perrinexperiment and verify how the number of observed particles and the length of observation timeinfluences the expected theoretical results. With the help of the analytic solution and presentednumerical simulation we argue that the statistics usually used in real experiments is too small toachieve reasonable results being in agreement with the diffusion theory. To avoid the problem ofthe small statistics causing departures from the diffusion law we introduce the idea of so calledArtificially Increased Statistics (AIS) and prove that with this method of analysing experimentaldata one can confirm the diffusion law even following trajectories of just few particles immersedin the liquid.

Paper abstract

Paper presents results of Spreadsheet Model Experiments creation and verification oftheir applicability at school praxis. The objects of research are models created inMicrosoft Excel Spreadsheet environment – possibility of their usage at SecondaryGrammar School Education.

The basis for work was an analysis of the Physics textbooks for Secondary GrammarSchools in Slovak Republic and a questionnaire with the view of Physics teachers atphysical phenomena modeling, which brought us an inspiration for own modelscreation.

We verified created Excel Spreadsheet Model Experiments by small pedagogicalresearch at some Secondary Grammar Schools. There were instructions for teachersand worksheets for students prepared as a part of the Spreadsheet Modelsperformance.

Paper abstract

Research shows that the knowledge and use of models and modelling by teachers islimited particularly for predicting phenomena. An area of concern relates to theeffective use of microscopic models by teachers to explain and predict physicalphenomena in several areas including electrostatics. In this context we developed andapplied a sequence of three simulated models focusing on polarization embedded in amodel based instructional unit aiming at enhancing primary student teachers’understandings both about polarization and the predictive power of models. Selectedpre- post tests and group interview results are presented showing students’ cognitiveevolution and suggesting moderate success of this model-based intervention inenhancing the use of models by students.

Paper abstract

Scientific understanding emerges from making and using models (David Crystal,1990, Lasley.T.J. et .al 2002). The development and use of a model aids the lecturedemonstration process and accelerates the understanding (Lasley.T.J.,Matczynski.T.J2002).Computer modeling tools have immense power. Effects produced by physicalmodeling methods can be easily produced by computer simulation (Kumar 1996).As a step towards creating a better understanding of laboratory practical in Physicswith the aid of multimedia technology (Lakshmi & Sundararajan 2005), the authorshave prepared computer-simulation of the procedure of an experiment in thecurriculum of undergraduate degree course in Physics.

There are a lot of model experiments available in the web. What is the necessityfor developing a new one? The development of computer simulation to assist as atool for laboratory practical is closely related to the nature of the curriculum of thatparticular university. This development should focus on the abilities of the studentgroup. Hence the design of the simulation tool has to be need based and needspecific.

Paper abstract

A popular model employed to represent the learning process is typically portrayed as a fourstageprocess signified by a cycle in a two-dimensional circular path. This cycle can berepeated by revisiting topics at increasing levels of sophistication in order to produce what isknown as a spiral curriculum. In this presentation, a variation of Kolb’s two-dimensionallearning cycle model is offered that represents the learning cycle as if it were a threedimensionalspiral, or helix, with successive turns associated with Bloom’s Taxonomy levels.This representation is explored and developed to provide an alternative means to visualize thelearning process in the hope that the new perspective may lead to a more comprehensivemodel for the learning cycle and to a broader implementation of more effective curricula andteaching practices.

Paper abstract

Traditionally physics teachers and textbook authors have tended to avoid telling students andreaders very much about the fundamental role played by mathematical modelling in explainingphysical phenomena. This paper argues that learning can be made easier if the teacher is moreforthright about the nature and status of the underlying models. Care should be taken whenusing words like ‘law’ to describe a model/theory. Macroscopic models need to be clearlydistinguished from microscopic ones. Ideas will be illustrated by reference to particular modelsencountered in school physics.

Paper abstract

Mathematics plays a twofold role for physics: first it allows for predicting results andoutcomes of experiments; second, it provides a structure for the description of consistenttheories.

The predictive power of mathematics for natural processes is in itself fascinating. But mostpupils do not like mathematics in physics. However, in everyday life they encounter physicalquantities where it may be important to know the numbers as well as the relations betweendifferent quantities. Therefore ways are sought to increase the eagerness of pupils to applymathematics to physics phenomena. Making curious about numbers or showing relationsbetween different processes might be a promising way. For this goal not only exactcomputations but also qualitative reasoning with aid of some numbers is crucial. Someexamples are given.

Ways are discussed how to enhance the abilities of pupils in developing and evaluatingmathematical models to physics problems. The use of graphical representations for aconnection between experiment, measurement values, graphical representation andmathematical description is considered.

Paper abstract

Models of physical phenomena and systems are an important part of physics culture. Accordingly,students are introduced to models early on in their education. For example, students taking anintroductory physics course learn about the Bohr model of the atom and ideal gas model. They arealerted to the limitations of these models but they have very little opportunity to explore thelimitations. An undergraduate laboratory for teaching electronics principles in conjunction withperforming physics experiments offers an opportunity for conveying modeling practices to students.In the spirit of experimental physics a student can systematically explore the behavior of such thingsas transistors and operational amplifiers without knowing the specifics of how the devices work.Models can be deduced and used to predict the behavior of the devices in circuits. Circuits employingthe models can then be built to assist recording experimental measurements. Theoretical models canthen be used in the analysis of the measurements. We describe here a few examples taken from asophomore laboratory in electronic instrumentation.

Paper abstract

As a biological application of physics we discuss the physical relevance of the weak electricfish. We show how it can be used in a basic physics teaching situation utilizing bothmeasurements in an aquarium and computer modelling and simulation. The learning outcomeconcerns concepts of electric force, field and potential as well as electric material properties.The application serves the purpose of widening the field of physics and so increasing thelearning motivations.

Paper abstract

Thinking Journey (TJ) approach suggests the way to improve learning physicalconcepts in introductory physics teaching. The approach suggests explicitdetermination of the learner’s perspective and its frequent change, instead of thepresentation from a unique perspective, as it is usual in teaching practice. Changingperspectives allows students to overcome their natural egocentric view, which isimportant in learning physics in general and astrophysical concepts, in particular.We exemplify the method of TJ mediation in regular teaching using a computerizedmodel of the Earth and the Moon (day-night cycle) and summarize the features of themethod making it effective in conceptual learning of physics. We mention students’merits of cognitive nature caused by the method of mediation in teaching which mayimprove the lack of students’ success in a regular as well as in the constructivistbased teaching of physics.

Paper abstract

Students often have difficulty understanding the phenomena underlyingmagnetization processes or the simulation of electric circuits in which the inductor ismade of hysteretic ferromagnetic materials. HysterSoft is a complex, yet userfriendlysoftware that allows users to numerically implement variousphenomenological models of hysteresis, such as the Energetic, Jiles-Atherton,Hodgdon, and numerous Preisach-type models of hysteresis. This software can alsobe used to analyze and simulate electronic circuits such as nonlinear RL and RLCcircuits consisting of hysteretic inductors. HysterSoft can be used for both researchand educational activities, as well as for the development of other phenomenologicalmodels of hysteresis.

Paper abstract

We describe our experience in supervising undergraduate Physics students to producecomputer models illustrating interesting physics concepts, including a game of leakybucket, special relativity, eclipsing binary stars, close binary star systems, andelectrorheological fluids. A feature of the projects is the requirement for students tomake presentations to both university and high school students with the aid of thecomputer models.

Paper abstract

This paper will discuss the results of a research on explanatory models that universitystudents possess about buoyant force. Research in Science Education has contributed tothe understanding of students’ learning through the modeling of students’ reasoning.The idea of “model” as a personal construction has been treated from differenttheoretical perspectives. We understand that the explanatory model that a studentconstructs about a physical system could be a key to understand how he uses differentways of reasoning and alternative conceptions in different situations. The identificationand characterization of explanatory models could help to understand why students seemto adopt some ideas close to those scientifically accepted in some contexts and, almostsimultaneously, work with spontaneous ideas that are incompatible with the scientificones. The working hypotheses focused on three aspects: students adhere to explanatorymodels that are related to buoyant force when dealing with problems where bodies aresubmerged in liquids (H1), there are groups of students that share the same explanatorymodel (H2), and there are students that selectively activate different explanatory modelsdepending on the problem at hand (H3).As a result of this research, four coherentexplanatory models were identified. Non empty sets of students that share each of thesemodels were found. Some students were detected to have elicited different explanatorymodels in different contexts. These results provide favorable evidence to the statedhypotheses. More over, they are in accordance with previous investigations on theconceptions that students hold and allow to look at them from the explanatory modelsperspective.

Paper abstract

We present a pedagogic approach aimed at modelling electric conduction in metals,built by using the modelling environment Net Logo, and describe some relatedactivities. The reported examples have been experimented during the laboratory coursesof the Italian Pre-Service School for Physics Teacher Education (S.S.I.S.).

Paper abstract

This paper presents a pedagogical approach to address students’ difficulties, identifiedin a previous study (GIREP 04 Proceedings, 170-173 ), in the learning of Ampere’slaw. The teaching approach developed in this work proceeds from the fundamentalassumption that learning and teaching sciences is developed as a process of the solvingof open tasks or problems which students could find interesting. The approach wasdeveloped within a rigid timetable and the programme of Physics for Engineering wasthe same for all the students participants in this study. The study groups were organisedinto small groups of 4 students which carried out the proposed activities and thendiscussed their conclusions with the whole class, under the teacher’s management andguidance. The students work with the same methodology throughout the whole course,so the methodology used in the “Magnetic field” chapter is not new to them. Theteaching sequence was mainly evaluated by two questionnaires which aim to test thestudents understanding of Ampere’s law by a systematic analysis of its application indifferent situations. The results show that students in the experimental groups have abetter understanding on Amperes’ law than students who receive traditional teaching.

Paper abstract

The concrete experience with the yo-yo wheel motion can become a good startingpoint for the student understanding of the concepts of rotational motion.

The first step is to gain information about student’s knowledge in the field ofrotational motion of flywheels with the help of conceptual question test. The resultsof the test, administrated to University students after the Mechanics course presented,show rather low level of understanding of the concepts of rotational motion.

In order to help in better understanding of the rotational motion concepts there is aninquiry based laboratory work designed for students. The aim of this labwork is tostudy the rotational and translational motion of the Maxwell wheel in order todescribe and analyze the kinematics and dynamics of this kind of motion. Studentsmeasure and analyze the position, velocity and acceleration of the moving wheel withthe help of MBL tools. Furthermore, they determine the force acting on the wheel atthe lowest point and study the motion from the energetic point of view. They discussthe mentioned problems with their peers in order to draw their predictions into theworking sheets. After the measurement they compared the gained results with theirpredictions.

The next part of the measurement is devoted to the study of the motion of twoMaxwell wheels with the same mass but different moment of inertia. Theirpredictions can be compared with the results of real measurement orvideomeasurement and the conclusions are presented. There are some additionalproblems to solve, i.e. Is there any final speed in case of a very long string or thespeed will be increasing unlimitedly? The increase in moment of inertia leads to thedecrease in acceleration of the wheel. Is there any limit in acceleration decrease? Isthe force acting at the lowest point the same for the wheels of the equal mass anddifferent moment of inertia? What is the length of the string for which the string toreapart assuming we know the breaking point of the material?

In order to evaluate the effect of the labwork on student knowledge the studentsanswer a post-test about two weeks after the teaching.

Paper abstract

In the process of teaching students basic concepts of physics, it turns out that the firstproblem is not the introduction of new concepts but the underlying use of physicalquantities and the formulation of relations between them. While it is clear that in theteaching process a careful introduction of new concepts is necessary, in an attempt toconvey to students the right “feeling” about their meaning, less emphasis is given toformal manipulations of physical quantities as mathematical entities which areneeded in practical problem solving.

Our research’s goal was to determine which are the main problems and obstacles thatstudents encounter in acquiring a working knowledge of physics. A study wasconducted among freshmen who had combination majors mathematics-technology,chemistry-biology and biology-home economics, and the fourth-year students whohad combination majors physics-technology and physics-chemistry. The results ofthis study show that the weak links are often the “accessory” and “subsidiary”knowledge needed in addressing physical problems.

Not only is a proper approach needed in teaching, but maybe additional training isnecessary for teachers in order to avoid, in the teaching process, a mechanical use offormulas leading to a superficial knowledge without a satisfactory understanding,also in the sense of existing passable (open) channels between various pieces ofknowledge. Our intent is not to go deeper into explanations of the topics of thephysics curriculum, but to give students more time to gain a general view of thestructure of interwoven pieces of knowledge and to consolidate their knowledge.

Paper abstract

This paper concerns an ‘in principle’ outline of an introductory mechanics course. Itis based on the argument that various uses of the concept of force (e.g. from Kepler,Newton and everyday life) share a common explanatory strategy, which has its basisin core causal knowledge. The explanatory strategy consists of (a) the idea that aforce causes a deviation from how an object would move of its own accord (its forcefreemotion), and (b) an incentive to search, where the motion deviates from theassumed force-free motion, for recurring configurations with which such deviationscan be correlated (interaction theory). Various assumptions can be made concerningthe force-free motion, thus giving rise to a variety of specific explanations. Kepler’ssemi-implicit intuition is rest, Newton’s explicit assumption is uniform rectilinearmotion, while in everyday explanations a diversity of highly pragmatic suggestionscan be recognized.

The idea is that the explanatory strategy, once made explicit by drawing on students’intuitive causal knowledge, can for students be made to function as a kind of advanceorganizer, as a general scheme that they know needs to be filled in but do not yetknow how to fill in concretely for scientific purposes.

Paper abstract

This research article depicts the result of a conceptual diagnostic test on simple DCCircuits undertaken by 26 physics teachers teaching at senior secondary level.Analysis shows that the teachers do have alternative conceptions related to simpleDC circuits.

Qualitative analysis of their explanation justifying their answers reveals the cause ofthe alternative conception and the associated mental models. To bring in conceptualclarity a teaching strategy based on “ Physics by Inquiry “ has been developed whichproved to be a successful one.

Paper abstract

The paper reflects on the argument on the effectiveness of using pictures in teaching.The way is shown to use pictures as a model in teaching the concept of the Earth’srotation. The advantages of such a use are ascribed to the mediation by a teacherprovided while using pictures in a special mode of teaching – Thinking Journey (TJ).It is explained why such use may improve the results of teaching the day-night cyclein the middle school and surpass the success of using regular material model of aglobe. The activity uses real pictures of the Earth and Mars. Questions regardingestimation of time in a particular location on the planet encourage students tomentally manipulate the pictures thus essentially improving their knowledge of thesubject. The applied approach of multiple perspectives helps students to constructscientific understanding of the day-night cycle as an invariant of their experiences.

Paper abstract

This study was conducted in a large faculty of education with the participation ofteacher candidates from different majors and years. The literature review showed thatthere is not a significant number of research studies conducted on teacher candidates’learning of impulse and momentum. Hence, the purpose of this research study wastwo fold: first, to determine how the teacher candidates defined the concepts ofmomentum and impulse; second, to determine the level of successful application ofthese concepts to problems. Data were collected through written responses to openendedquestions and four multiple-choice questions that can be solved by usingmomentum and impulse concepts. Participants were required to give extendedresponses for all questions. Thus, the raw data were mostly qualitative in nature.They were scored by three researchers first independently and then together. Thisresearcher triangulation ensured reliability of data analysis and the subsequentinterpretation of findings. The findings reveal that freshman students, by and large,were not familiar with these concepts, and that during their four-year study theparticipants majoring in teaching physics developed a substantial gain in definingthese concepts. However, the results suggest that there is still room for furtherdevelopment in teaching and learning of these concepts at this level. It was alsofound that students experienced difficulties in applying the impulse-momentumtheorem. The major difficulties were: not drawing limits of the system examined,disregarding internal/external forces, and ignoring that momentum is a vectorquantity.

Paper abstract

Student misconceptions in science and particularly about force and motion have beenstudied over the years. These studies provide a wealth of knowledge for researchersand educators. The purpose of this study was to develop a diagnostic test that caneasily reveal student misconceptions about force and motion. The Force and MotionDiagnostic Test was developed over the years and addresses Newton’s first andsecond laws of motion. Teacher candidates were administered the test andconsecutively their misconceptions were identified. The test consists of 20 true / falsequestions about a situation described both verbally and by providing a graph in thequestion. The situation involves an object on which a net force is applied. However,during the first half of the whole time the force diminishes linearly and becomes zeroand then it increases again linearly in the opposite direction. The true/false questions,besides the correct scenario, also model typical student misconception like “there isno motion unless there is a force,” “speed is proportional to applied force,” and“objects always move in the direction the force is applied.” On top of revealingstudent misconceptions the provided situation in the question also assesses howparticipants understand the concept of acceleration. The concept of acceleration is thekey to understanding Newtonian mechanics. Without comprehending this conceptappropriately no meaningful learning is likely to occur. Therefore, two daily lifeanalogies for acceleration outside physics are provided for in class discussions thatcan foster desired understandings about acceleration: population growth rate, andinflation of prices.

Paper abstract

Educational research overwhelmingly shows that in formal instruction, students useknowledge (ideas, strategies, criteria and representations referred to entities, process,interactions and related concepts) that may be different from present acceptedPhysics knowledge.

Some authors suggest that there is certain similarity between alternative schemes ofstudents, and explanations developed by precursors of present Physics. In this paperthis kind of similarity is explored for university students’ representations aboutelectricity.

We present research results concerning the following models used by students:

- A “kinetic model” for electric energy, which associates electric energy exclusivelyto the movement of charge circulating in a circuit

- An “isolationist model” for electric energy, which assigns to electric energy anabsolute status and treats it as an intrinsic property of each element.- A “substantial model” for electric energy and field, which assigns to electric energyand field the properties of substances.

- A “sequential model” for electric field, which considers electric field as an entitypropagating from the source and suffering progressive alterations while encounteringobstacles along its path.We hope these results may contribute to deepen the comprehension of students’unscientific representations, in order to suggest criteria to improve teaching practice.

Paper abstract

We interpret the square of the so-called probability density as a measure of the densityof a substance or material, the electronium. Correspondingly, the probability curentdensity becomes the current density of the electronnium.

We show pictures of calculated electronium density distributions for the various statesof the hydrogen atom, as well as animations of electronic transitions. The electroniummodel explains several properties or phenomena by means of arguments fromclassical physics:

1.The shape of atoms and molecules.

2. The orbital angular momentum results from the circulating mass flow.

3. The magnetic moment results from the circulating charge flow.

4. Since for stationary states the current density is constant in time, these states arenon-radiative.

5. When two eigenstates are superposed, the density and the current density oscillate.In such a state the atom radiates. The selection rules can be deduced with purelyelectrodynamic arguments.

Paper abstract

In teaching quantum mechanics to freshmen at the University of Amsterdam, a setupis being developed that relates theory to observation. Assignments have beendesigned following the Van Hiele level scheme. In short, this scheme states thatstudents learn via three successive levels: the visual, descriptive, and theoreticallevel. In the observed educational practice, the first two levels are often left out,causing confusion and misunderstanding amongst students.

As a starting point the idea of energy levels was discussed in an assignmenton the spectrum of hydrogen. Students were able to reason at the first two Van Hielelevels, but a transition to the theoretical level was difficult. This approach can beextended to more difficult concepts, such as the wave function.

Paper abstract

In previous researches we designed and implemented an educational path to construct the theoreticalquantum mechanical model, following the Dirac vectorial outline, in the secondary school.

In analysing the phenomenon of polarisation students are introduced to quantum concepts andconstruct their new ideas about: the peculiar concept of state; the superposition of states; the meaningof incompatible observables; the basic formalism of vectorial space. Interpreting diffraction, withinthe conceptual framework of our proposal, constitutes simultaneously an extension, a potentiality anda strengthening of the proposal itself.

In the context of the Italia-Slovenia Interreg III Project, we designed a didactical model for teachers inorder to interpret diffraction patterns. The development of this model starts from the quantum modelof polarization constructed above. The diffraction model is based on the identification of mutuallyexclusive potentialities of photon transmission through a single slit. The pattern derived from thediffraction model is in good agreement with the experimental one, in the Fraunhofer approximation.

Paper abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify Turkish pre-service physics teachers’ knowledge andunderstanding of the Moon, Moon phases and other lunar phenomena. Results illustrate thatpre-service teachers might enter to science teacher education programs with various nonscientificknowledge. The pre-service physics teachers participated in this study had variousflawed, incoherent and incomplete mental models about the Moon and some lunar phenomena.Their most widespread misconceptions, which were emerged from their understanding ofreflection, scattering, Kepler’s Law, angular momentum, relative size, motion, distance, andgravitation, were related to the following lunar phenomena: moonrise and moonset, seeing thesame phase of the Moon, the Moon’s effect on tides, appearance of the same phase of theMoon at the same time all over the world, magnitude change in the appearance of the fullMoon, and the number of lunar eclipse.

Paper abstract

In this paper we report a didactic approach to mechanical wave propagation based onboth measurements and modelling of wave properties in solids by using MBL and asimulation tool widely used in undergraduate physics courses, as well in pre-serviceteacher education activities. Considerations about observed modifications inprospective teachers’ attitude in utilising experiments and modelling to buildpedagogical activities are discussed.

Paper abstract

This paper addresses the question on how to develop prospective teachers’Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the field of modelling mechanical wavepropagation. We focus on the central issue of the relationships between observablephenomena and their interpretation and/or explanation in terms of microscopiccharacteristics and behaviours of media. This paper reports an empirical studydeveloped an a course for pre-service teacher preparation.

Paper abstract

The speed of sound can be easily measured indoors by using two microphones and afast recording device such as a digital storage scope. However, the measurements Ishall present require only one microphone and yet they enable us to measure thespeed of sound as well as to confirm (at a qualitative level) three additionalproperties: 1) speed vs. temperature dependence, 2) gas composition dependence and3) to establish that gas is a non-dispersive medium.

Furthermore, a cheap flexible plastic tube, a microphone, a PC and sharewaresoftware (such as CoolEdit [1, 2]) motivate the students to also perform theseexperiments at home. I intend to carry out these experiments during my lecture.Adapting a tube which is commonly used to install electrical wires in the walls, onecan detect two signals after a clap is produced. The first signal comes directly to themicrophone while the second one comes with a few hundredths of seconds delay as ittravels through the tube. The software enables us to resolve time intervals even ahundred times smaller. As the tube is cheap, I propose to use a tube at least 8 meterslong. To establish the temperature dependence of speed and of sound, the tube can befilled by warm air simply by using a hair-drier. The change in the speed of sound as afunction of gas composition can be easily produced by emptying a helium-filledballoon into the tube. As the average kilo molecular mass of such air is reduced, thespeed is increased.

Paper abstract

Computer has become a relevant piece of equipment in the physics laboratory, notonly as a powerful computing means, but also as an active component of someexperimental arrangements. In the acoustics laboratory, suitable software is essentialas part of the laboratory equipment.

In this paper we compare three software applications with each other, in order todetermine which is the most suitable one for the considered learning activities andwhich practical advantages has each one in front of the others. The comparedapplications are Audacity, WaveLab and Cool Edit 2000, today rebranded underAdobe Audition, the most known ones in our college.

The specific learning activities considered range from observing and studying therelationship between fundamental frequency and pitch, up to experimenting with thespectral synthesis of timbers.

The evaluation process has been performed using each computer application in thesame set of learning activities. In this way, we graded the ease of use offered by eachcomputer application for each considered activity. In addition, an overall grade forevery application was calculated after establishing appropriate weights for eachactivity. This weighted mean grade has to be seen as a guiding value, not as astatement of “the winner”, since the decision about which computer applicationwould be the most suitable in every day’s practice depends on the particular learningactivity planned.

Paper abstract

In laboratory work, the theoretical and the methodological domain are interrelated. Our research, groundedin Vergnaud’s theory of conceptual fields, is concerned with modeling this process through the use of adynamic learning model (MATLaF). We describe conceptual developments in the theoretical domain ofstudents performing laboratory work on the subject of mechanical waves, guided by the MATLaF model.The study involves students studying to become physics teachers on the Laboratory III course at UPEL-IPC,a university in Venezuela. The data collection process was carried out in three stages. Firstly, students weregiven three questionnaires and they all participated in one collective interview. Having completed a set ofguided simulations (applets), relevant information was extracted from their conclusions. Finally, theirlaboratory reports and questionnaires were subjected to rigorous analysis. The results showed that the initialconceptual model held by the students developed satisfactorily in relation to both the complexity of theirscientific ideas and their approach to scientific concepts involved in laboratory work.

Paper abstract

The students who are preparing for an internal or an external evaluation need practiceand a coach. Practice can be assured by specialized educational software, whichevaluates competences and the coach can be the computer. The designed program is aflexible one which takes in consideration the evaluating process, the way it is takingplace every day in the Romanian learning institutions.

Paper abstract

The classroom demonstrations where normally the measurements are absent sometimes makethe students relatively passive observers. Physics teaching in schools can actually besupplemented by simple experiments involving measurements even if these are not the part ofthe curriculum. In the developing countries that includes India a wide range of inexpensive butuseful materials are now available for designing these simple experiments. With someinexpensive measuring instruments one can carry out meaningful measurements in a largenumber of physics experiments designed mostly with the everyday objects. The wholeexercise demands different types of skill form a learner. With some guidance from theteachers the process becomes a participatory one involving a two-way communication. Mostof these experiments can actually be done outside a conventional laboratory. However, oneshould not expect very accurate results with the rudimentary measuring equipment. Rather thewhole exercise should be treated as a part of the learning process for both theory andexperiment.

Paper abstract

A simple school model with rotating bar magnet and stationary coils is often used inhigh schools physics lessons and labs to demonstrate the principle of an ACgenerator. It occurs that the time dependence of output voltage measured in a realexperiment is far from students’ (even university students’) expectations. The articledescribes how results of such experiment may be discussed qualitatively at a highschool level and modeled quantitatively at an introductory university level, providingalso a motivation for using multipole expansion of magnetic field. Comparison withmeasured data shows that even a simple model is in a good agreement withexperiment. The problem may thus inspire an interesting “inquiry” both at highschool and university level.

Paper abstract

Order-disorder phenomena play a significant role in research as well as in everydaytechnologies. Examples are the melting of solids or the transition of magnets fromferromagnetic to paramagnetic state. Order-disorder transitions in solids are experimentallystudied by scattering experiments (e.g. particle or x-ray diffraction techniques).

Modelling of order-disorder transitions (continuous or discrete) can be easily performed byusing visible laser-light diffracted by specially designed objects. Starting with the introductionof an ideal lattice model, i.e. diffraction object with regular arrangement of subunits, disordercan be introduced by independent variation of several parameters of the subunits: distancebetween adjacent units, size, shape, “superstructure” of units etc. The resulting diffractionpattern can be directly observed on a screen and, furthermore, it can be evaluated with respectto parameters of the model.

The experiment is set up as a Remotely Controlled Laboratory (RCL) experiment, that is anexperiment which can be carried out over the Internet. The user is allowed to change thediffraction objects and he or she can observe and record the diffraction pattern via web cam.

Paper abstract

The contribution deals with the use of MBL in physics teaching. Teachers at secondary schoolsusually do not have the technological background and capacity to transform traditional labactivities into computer-based lab activities. Therefore we started our project named Labworksin MBL. The aim of the project was to design computer-based lab activities for the second yearof grammar school (students aged 16-17), prepare worksheets for active learning in MBL, gainexperience in the field of pedagogical methods, role of the teacher in the class, instructionalmaterials, etc. and test the effectiveness of teaching in MBL. The seven activities which weredeveloped were: Introductory labwork, Thermal processes of an ideal gas, Thermal expansionof water, Changes of state, VA characteristics of a battery, VA characteristic of differentelements, Thermal dependence of resistance. Before each session students answered a pretest.Then students worked 90 minutes in groups of two or three to carry out the experiment guidedby the work sheets. After the measuring procedure they analyzed the graphs, created newgraphs, determined the values of different physical quantities typical for the physical processand they answered the questions and problems. Some time after the labwork they answered aposttest. The paper will discuss experiences, results of research regarding the effectiveness ofteaching with MBL, and will make recommendations regarding the pedagogical methods used.

Paper abstract

Contact pressure is an important parameter for a press-joint working and it should bein a preliminary determinate range. If the pressure is lower there is a risk of a pressjointskid during the operation and if the pressure is higher – there is a risk of an extraload, in advance and accelerated destruction. Because of that it’s of great importanceto make the students acquainted beforehand and trained for a successfullymeasurement of the contact pressure in the press-joint by ultrasonic non-destructivemethods. Ultrasonic conductivity is measured through the contact layer of the pressjoint.A conclusion about its pressure at particular point could be taken depending onthe magnitude of the reflected signal. Recapitulation of the digit values in a specificway gives the possibility of evaluation of the main press-joint parameters, which areof great importance for the practice.

Knowledge in the field of Physics and Engineering is used for the quality evaluationof the joints.

Reiterated mechanical operations and mathematical calculations are used. Thestudents find it difficult to create notion about the load in the press-joint, becausethey pay a lot of attention to the repeated operations and calculations as well to thedrawing of graphic dependences between the different parameters. Modern computertechniques enable the use of automated control systems, calculating and visualizingsystems. These possibilities are positively evaluated in education where technicalequipment is limited. The student can initiate the great part of the computerizedactivities with a view to flexibility as well improvement of the man-computer dialog.In addition, not only the final result is important but also the way of it’s obtaining forthe purpose to rationalize working processes. Thus the practical research on theproblems of press-joints is important in the training in the frame of the workshop of awide range of specialists.

The purpose of this work is to present a technical decision and short methodic ofquality parameters determination in press-joint and conducting of a workshop withthe help of computer techniques. The research is conducted into Machinery ElementsLab of Todor Kableshkov Higher School of Transport and intended for students’training in herenamed and other European schools. On the base of a presentlaboratory task the students can receive a real notion about the physics phenomenaand properties application in a specific area of engineering.

Paper abstract

The problem of falling buttered bread, though solved by several authors already, stillremains inspiring and interesting. Not only because the results found in literaturesometimes differ a bit, but the problem may well attract students at both high schooland introductory university level. Using todays common tools like camcorder andcomputer freeware the problem may be studied even experimentally.

The paper presents both a theoretical analysis of the problem (by means of numericalsimulation) and its experimental study using video recording and videoanalysis.Comparison of our results and results of previous studies is mentioned; moreover, weexplored also the influence of some further factors (especially moment of inertia ofthe toast).

Paper abstract

Pupil practical work is said to encourage interest and to facilitate learning in physics.However, in practice students often follow instructions that resemble recipes and donot incorporate scientific thinking and reasoning. By using open-ended experiments,students have to develop, carry out, and evaluate their own scientific approaches andexperiments. One example for an open-ended experiment is the construction of asmall model of a wind energy plant. Here, students have to determine the number, theform, size, and the angle of rotor blades. A study investigated students’ generalproblems with and views of open-ended experimental problems for the givenexample. First results show that even though students often feel overextended whenworking on complex physics projects they nevertheless prefer to have an insight intothe context addressed and the reasons for using specific scientific methods. Thefindings of the study are used to develop a learner-centred help for pupil practicalwork with open-ended problems that gives adaptive feedback.

Paper abstract

School experiments can be seen as models of more complex, realistic situations.Students usually fail to see this relation. We suggest a strategy for guiding students tobuild a bridge between everyday phenomena and experiments performed inlaboratories at school. An explicit case is presented in details with the game “bocce”.Students of two classes were involved and the outcome of the project has beenevaluated.

Paper abstract

Among simple electrical devices, the incandescent lamp is one of the most studiedbecause of the various processes involved in its operation, depending on the electricaland thermal properties of the material of which is made its filament. For this reason,simple measurements of current and voltage allow several fertile analyses by meansof interpretative models. In our previous works on this argument we used this deviceto characterize the electrical properties of the tungsten at high temperatures, in anoperation mode of the lamp dominated by the emissive processes. In this work wepresent IV measurements executed in an isothermal environment, in the operationzone of the lamp in which the electrical conduction is still not ohmic, but theemissive processes are not relevant and the dominant heat exchange process is thethermal conduction in the filament. This type of measurements allows to evaluate thethermal conductivity of the tungsten, by means of an interpretative model a la Fourierof the system, based on the analysis of energy fluxes in the filament.

Paper abstract

Physics education should deliver insight into modern physics. The aim of the EUprojectSUPERCOMET 2 is the development of teaching material in order tointroduce basic elements and applications of superconductivity in secondary schools.Partners from 15 European countries collaborate in SUPERCOMET 2. Thecooperation with teachers at various schools is essential for the project since they areinvolved in all phases like development, adaptation and evaluation of the material.

Models of superconductivity can be built up on a macroscopic and microscopic scale.The first ones include experiments, the second ones can only be visualised byanimations. Within SUPERCOMET 2, proposals of both kinds of models have beendeveloped. They are collected on a CD-Rom which is available in 10 differentlanguages.

A main focus of the German-speaking partners focuses on the development of handsonkits for producing and investigating high-temperature superconductors.Suggestions are given for baking superconductors at schools as well as using them ineasy-to-perform experiments. Furthermore, a new module about applications ofsuperconductivity is in progress.

To facilitate the approaches, a teachers’ guide has been translated into and adapted toGerman and Austrian requirements, and teacher seminars have been organised.

Paper abstract

Lecture demonstrations are common in physics teaching, yet a survey of the physicseducation research literature indicates a deficit of research into their effect on studentlearning. Even as demonstrations are included with newer modeling tools in researchbasedclasses, the research often does not test them effectively. We explore underutilizedtechniques for effectively integrating demonstrations with modeling tools.The experience with the PER group at University of Colorado, Boulder is reviewed.New web resources for lecture demonstrations are described, including databases,ordering tools, bibliography, and the Global Demo Web Spider. As essential asmodeling is, demonstrations motivate successful models.

Paper abstract

We have developed a Physics Show for Primary Schools (age 8-11) in which three physicistsperform many fascinating experiments in the context and with the structure of a real play. Theshow deals with the matter and its states, and with the light and its behaviors when it interactswith the matter. Themes as state changing, reflection, refraction, diffusion, colors of light, andalso infrared vision and polarization of light, are tackled with the aid of scientific instrumentationand of some custom made devices in an informal learning contest. The show has been realized incollaboration with a theatre company specialized for children, and in its first two years of life ithas reached about 15.000 students in Italy.

We present here the results of a study on the effects of the show on children. They seem toindicate that the show leaves a lasting mark in kids, and is probably effective in changing theperception of physics, and the knowledge of the work of a physicist.

Paper abstract

This work, issued from an ongoing collaboration between the researchers in Physics education of theUniversities of Udine and Modena-Reggio Emilia, focuses on an educational and training processwhich allows to bridge experimental work and formal thinking, thus providing professionalizing basesto teachers to-be. This process was performed within the course in “Design of EducationalExperiments” which is a part of the degree course in Primary Education, placing the student-teachersin a critical position by proposing project activities which implied reflection not only on theoperational elements of the organization of simple experimental activities for children, but also - andmainly - on the role of such activities in science education. The students were asked to illustrate themodels underlying specific sets of experimental activities and to discuss their reflections upon thesemodels. For the design and reflection phases the students could benefit from the opportunity to designactivities using specific materials, as well as sufficient time for discussion through a web-basedenvironment supplying web-forums and a cooperative writing tool.

Paper abstract

We investigated the ways that primary school pupils and middle school teenagers representelementary electrical phenomenology using pictures and explanations, in the context of an analysis ofthe properties of materials. Simple situations were proposed, from which open discussions weredeveloped.

The inquiry was articulated according to a path of increasing involvement of every pupil inrepresenting each system under inspection, in an increasing role appropriation geared toward modelconstruction. For this purpose role plays proved to be an important strategy in the context of electricalphenomena. The work method is set up as a model of informal activity and outcomes are proposed asdata upon which one may build a strategy for the foundation of basic scientific education aiming atthe construction of formal thinking in physics.

Paper abstract

Discussion about light and the most common optics phenomena accompanied withsome explanation starts in the science course at the upper primary school. Itcontinues in the Physics course in high school, when deeper insight into the subjectcan be gained. When teaching refraction of light at the interface of two media, theteacher often illustrates the concept with some common examples from everyday life.A simple and very popular experiment that is frequently performed is with a coin,which is at first placed on the bottom of an empty glass. The observer looks at theglass bottom, but can not see the coin. Afterwards the glass is filled with water andan image of the coin appears in the field of vision.

We present a proper explanation of this and similar phenomena, which is not sotrivial as it seems at the first sight, when one looks for it in science and physicstextbooks. Some examples of inappropriate illustrations from textbooks are used toshow that some of them suffer fundamental lack of understanding of how an image ofan object is formed.

Paper abstract

Currently there is an ongoing curriculum reform in Turkey starting from primary schoolcurricula. This reform is now being extended to secondary education. The curricula for grades1-8 are being implemented. In the second phase, middle school curricula are to beimplemented by fall 2006. One of the aims of primary education is to prepare pupils for uppergrades. From this perspective, the purpose of this examination is to check how the newprimary school science and technology curriculum lays the foundation for high school physicseducation. The primary science and technology curriculum has many characteristics: it hasseven learning areas with four strands supported by skills, understanding and attitudes; there isa spiral approach for each strand; mainly based on the constructivist approach; enriched withteaching activities and multiple assessment methods and techniques. The four strands are thefollowing: physical processes, matter and change, living beings and life, and the earth and theuniverse. The physical processes strand includes three units which are force and motion,electricity in our lives, and light and sound. The concepts that are covered in each unit of thephysical processes, and the earth and the universe strands have been examined according togrades and convenience for pupil levels. It is seen that there is a systematic structure embeddedin the new curriculum. This structure guides the science teachers to enable them to addresscommon student misconceptions in early years.

Paper abstract

Traditionally, energy is one of the last concepts introduced in the classical mechanicscurriculum. It follows after the concepts of force and work. Energy is generally consideredto be an abstract concept and difficult to define. Nevertheless, energy is central to all ofscience and, together with matter it makes up the universe (Hewitt, 2002). In this paper wereason that energy is a basic concept that should introduce the study of physics, becauselearners’ intuitive ideas about this concept do not differ as much from the scientific as is thecase for the force concept. Furthermore, energy is a unifying concept in physics and theconservation of energy a unifying principle that is encountered throughout the physicscurriculum. The energy concept does not undergo essential changes from classical tomodern physics like the force concept, although its meaning is broadened. The role andplace of energy in the physics curriculum is considered from didactical, linguistic,philosophical and epistemological perspectives.

Paper abstract

Stick-Slip motion is the basis for the description of a great variety of phenomena characterized by thepresence of sliding friction between bodies with elastic features. In this article we describe a simpleexperimental equipment for the analysis of this kind of dynamics. A wide set of possible experimentalobservations and measures is presented. We tested this equipment at the university of Naples“Federico II” in courses for undergraduate students and in the teacher training school for secondaryeducation. We are now performing an analysis of the educational impact.

Paper abstract

Many students often experience difficulties in solving applied physics problems. Thecauses of failure can be traced back to a lack of knowledge of the concepts andprocedures of physics, or to a lack of strategic knowledge required to solve problemssystematically. Many researchers claim that the development of strategic knowledgeis just as necessary for solving problems as the development of content knowledge.In order to improve students’ problem-solving skills, it might be profitable to know atwhat time during problem solving the use of hints is most effective: during thesolving of a problem or after. In an experiment with fourth-year secondary schoolstudents, one experimental group (n = 18) received hints during and after problemsolving, and another experimental group (n = 18) received hints only after problemsolving. Both groups used versions of a computer program to solve a great variety ofproblems. The control group (n = 23) used a textbook, which contained the sameproblems. The results indicated that the version of the program providing hintsduring and after problem solving was the most effective − as measured by a problemsolvingpost-test − followed by the version which only supplied hints afterwards.

Paper abstract

We suggest analyzing the well-known problem of the monkey and the mirror that hang from a rope thatis looped through a pulley. It is assumed that weights hanging from the rope do not deviate from thevertical direction during motion. This assumption is not discussed on physics lessons, but to keepstrictly to a vertical direction during school laboratory experiments is almost impossible. We discussthis problem using analytical mechanics methods in order to compare theoretical and experimentalresults according.

Paper abstract

This article presents results regarding incoming university students’ understanding ofsome basic physics topics included in the secondary physics curriculum. The resultsshow that these students still hold major alternative conceptions on the tested topics,after high school instruction.

Paper abstract

Although biomedical physics academics provide educational services in the majorityof Faculties of Health Science (alternatively known as Faculties of Medicine) inEurope, their precise role with respect to the education of the healthcare professionshas not been appropriately defined nor studied in a systematic manner. This has oftenled to role ambiguity and role conflict and their associated ensuing effects, role stressand role strain. In order to address this issue we are conducting a research projectwith the purpose of producing a strategic development model for the role. Central tothe study is a position audit for the role which we have carried out via the wellestablishedSWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) methodology.Internal strengths and weaknesses of the role were identified through a qualitativesurvey of biomedical physics departments and biomedical physics curricula deliveredto healthcare professionals within Europe. External environmental opportunities andthreats were inventorized via a systematic survey of the healthcare, healthcareprofessional education and higher education literature. This paper reports the resultsof the SWOT audit.

Paper abstract

In the framework of the Bologna reform, universities are given the task of creating newcurricula which are supposed to increase the efficiency of the learning process and tobetter serve the purposes of the students’ mobility and program exchangeability.

Within the curricula that include physics courses, it is necessary to create new physicssyllabi, appropriate for various combination majors. In this new framework we areoften confronted with a drastic reduction in hours allowed for physics instruction whileat the same time the basic goal is to still convey to students, even in courses of suchreduced extent, the elementary knowledge that, in our opinion, constitutes the naturalsciences and technology literacy. As it is difficult to give, in the limited time frame, asurvey of all of the classical physics and the introductory notions of the modernphysics, selection and rearrangement of topics are necessary.

In this paper we show ways that were followed in the implementation of such selectionand rearrangement procedures for “small-sized” basic physics courses designed fordifferent non-physics majors, and consequent dilemmas which will have to be solved.In particular, it is necessary to preserve some basic topics which convey, in the mostessential way, the knowledge of physics as well as the philosophy of the physicsapproach in dealing with natural phenomena and, at the same time, to teach basicquantitative skills required to describe some of the typical topics relevant for aparticular major.

Often, students are given separate explanations of the same phenomenon appearing indifferent contexts in unrelated ways. As a consequence, the same phenomenon isperceived as a number of different phenomena. Therefore we believe that a closercooperation between different areas is necessary (and possible) in order to achieve abetter connection between various pieces of information. In this way, a betterefficiency, i.e. a better understanding at a “lower cost” could be achieved.

Paper abstract

The Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) is a well knownassessment instrument designed to assess student knowledge of electricity andmagnetism, and diagnose difficulties that students have in this domain. CSEMwas administered to a sample of Croatian students at University of Zagreb, andthe data obtained were analyzed with the Rasch model. In the stochastic Raschmodel the interaction of persons and test items is modelled as the probability ofpersons’ success on an item, which depends only on item difficulty and personability. The Rasch model enables calculation of linear measures for itemdifficulties and person abilities, which - together with the analysis of their fit tothe model - provide important insight in the functioning of the test. Thefunctioning of the CSEM is discussed on the basis of that analysis. The fitanalysis revealed problematic functioning of some items (especially item 14),and the analysis of item difficulties suggested important differences in thedifficulties of conceptual areas covered by CSEM.

Paper abstract

At the National Defence College analysis showed that students had attitude andmotivation problems concerning science and technology courses. It was claimed thatthose courses were theoretical and difficult. One answer to these claims was the ideato produce course material which is more focused, coherent and less encyclopaedic inits nature. One of the aims in the project was to produce such a course material whichallows students to concentrate lessons without continuously taking notes.

Lean philosophy underlines production simplicity, low production costs, small series,and minimal use of resources without forgetting the “customer’s voice”. In thisproject one set of course books was printed using some underlying elements of theLean concept. Produced education materials consist of thin, compact booklets, whichinspired students. All feedback is possible to apply and relevant upgrades are seen innewer series’ because of relatively low and controlled material production costs.

It was observed that learning obstacles in the learning process became smallerbecause of the material itself and partly due to the compact course material outlook.In spite of Lean production philosophy products should be attractive and interesting.Appearance and content of learning material should be qualified. That’s why theproduction process of course material should be controlled and thorough, which onthe other hand is the most critical and demanding challenge in this kind of a project.

Paper abstract

We report on a course for “Secondary School Physics Laboratory Assistant” education,managed by Milan University. The one-year course is based both on disciplinarytheoretical contents and on practical laboratory activities. The significant part of thediscussion deals with relevant aspects arising from the students’ profile, their initialcompetence, the quality of their laboratory reports. The improvement of the students’progressive scientific knowledge is also interesting, along with the developingunderstanding of theoretical concepts of data interpretation related to the experimentalactivity. This is a crucial condition for a positive interaction between “TechnicalLaboratory Assistants” and Teachers in Physics Education of Secondary SchoolStudents.

Paper abstract

Ionizing radiation has proven to be a double-edged sword: it is a potent mutagen andcarcinogen, and it is also used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The keyissues that explain and sustain both situations are the same: radiation damage toDNA, DNA damage repair mechanisms, cell-cycle kinetics, linear energy transfereffects, oxygen effects, genomic instability, neoplastic transformation, and apoptosis.With a difference: concepts are modeled to account for opposite purposes andexplanations. Truths that make up a valid argument for carcinogenesis need to bereframed to account for therapeutics. In the present work we argue that the spatiotemporalreasoning tools of physics can help to enhance the understanding of theeffects of ionizing radiation at the molecular, cellular and whole-tissue levels. Ouraim is to translate to science education –through teachers’ in-service training- someresults from the field of cancer research. We explore the case of cell radiosensitivityfor two reasons: first, radiosensitivity has emerged as an actual question for a localgroup of secondary school teachers working in a science project in Brazil, who haveexpressed their concerns with the valid idea that mitotic –not phase S- cells are mostsensitive to ionizing radiation; and with the idea that observation of cells with thefeature of apoptosis is not necessarily indicative of cell radiosensitivity. Second, fromthe perspective of the logical organization of categories, cells are basic-levelcategories from which we can either dig for more specialized molecular knowledge,or abstract towards whole-tissues.

Paper abstract

The paper reports a study on teachers’ ideas about scientific models. The study wasconducted using the same methodology of inquiry adopted for a previous study bySpanish researchers in order to compare results from different cultural contexts. Theinquiry has been carried out in different towns in Italy, involving student-teacherswith a degree in Mathematics, Physics or Engineering. After a presentation of theresults, suggestions for didactical communication are advanced.

Paper abstract

At ESERA 2005 Conference, we presented the results of a Pilot Study on the topic “Teachers’conception of scientific model” (Gutierrez & Pintó, 2005). In this paper, we present acontinuation of that work. We have used the same questionnaire, now with a group ofexperienced teachers. As results, we have found some differences, being the most important: 1)it is possible to analyze the data using fewer categories; 2) the highest concentration ofanswers belongs to the semantic field of “models”; 3) teachers’ answers show more coherencythan the first group ones. There still remain some unanswered questions. The samequestionnaire have been used in Italy, with several groups of prospective physics teachers (seeDanusso et al on this Conference). On the whole, we hope to offer some light on the topic.

Paper abstract

In this paper we examine teacher students’ and in-service teachers’ activities whilethey are planning and implementing experimental teaching sequences in the schoollaboratory. The participants’ questions during the planning phase of the teachingsequences were recorded on audio tape for both mentioned participant groups.Participants’ questions revealed four types of boundaries in planning andimplementing experimental teaching units. These boundaries are related to physicsknowledge, familiarity with equipment and facilities, instructional approaches, and togeneral organizing of activities.

Paper abstract

Pre-service science teachers’ knowledge of models and modelling is crucial because it mayinfluence the way they implement modelling in their classrooms. Therefore, providingopportunities for teacher candidates to improve their knowledge of models and skills inodelling should be the subject of pre-service education. The purpose of this study was toexamine the effects of model-based teaching on the pre-service physics teachers’ knowledgeand perceptions of models and modelling. Results indicated that implementation of modelbasedteaching in the pre-service teacher education program did not make too much influenceon the pre-service physics teachers’ general knowledge of models. However, detailedexamination showed that the type of the model constructed or used in model-based teachinggenerated some differences between the knowledge of pre-service teachers in the experimentalgroup and the knowledge of pre-service teachers in the control group in terms ofcharacteristics, roles and functions of models. Moreover, promoting model-based teaching inthe pre-service teacher education program might affect the pre-service physics teachers’perceptions of modelling positively and lead them to use models in their teaching. Theseconclusions have implications for teacher education.

Paper abstract

Over the last years there has been an increasing interest in investigating teachers’understandings about the central role of models play in physics education and theirintentions related to implementing such modules in their teaching. In this work wepresent the design of the course, offered to prospective Physics teachers, introducingphysics students-teachers to ways of incorporating and integrating modern ICT tools(measurement and data collection, advanced data analysis and modelling techniques)in the teaching of Physics. Results on the on the application of the course to finalsemester physics students are presented and discussed.

Paper abstract

The demand of physics knowledge is essential due to the rapid development ofdifferent sciences and new technologies in the 21st century. Physics is a significantsubject in different programs of study. However, physics is often excluded fromstudy programs or is detached from the real life context, society and the environment.Moreover, students try to avoid learning physics, if it is not a formal prerequisite fora study program or if it is not clearly applicable for their future activity. This problemis especially evident in teaching students for other specialties (medicine, e.g.) andcalls for new strategies in physics teaching and learning.

VU has implemented a pilot project “Medphystrain” supported by the EU Leonardoda Vinci programme and is carrying out a new project “Dicort”. These projects areaimed at improving the quality of Biomedical Physics instruction for all-levelmedical students. A Systematic Approach (SA) to this course was developed andimplemented. The SA builds upon the results of the first project and seeks to ensurethe efficiency of students’ learning, based on the principles of learning, flexibility,socialization, individualization and integration for the educational environment.Newly redesigned programs and the SA were tested for different medical studyprograms.

We will present the activities and outcomes of the projects and new programs. Theresults of empirical research about SA influence upon students’ attitudes towardsteaching, learning and physics will also be put forward.

Paper abstract

One pedagogical technique aimed at emotional activation of students and increasingtheir motivation is the selective mobilization of attention and motivation’ method,which based on the knowledge of typical misconceptions in the content of theteaching material and utilizes the theory of probabilistic prognosis.

This technique is effective in cases when the lesson deals with something aboutwhich the students have preliminary knowledge (even at the level of daily life),although for some of them this knowledge may be erroneous. At the very beginningof the lesson the students are asked a question related to the material to be taught.The question is formulated in accordance with the principle of multiple-choice, withcharacteristic misconceptions included among possible answers.

After the student made his choice, he is immediately provided with the correctanswer. The discrepancy between the student’s cognitive models (in the case that heis wrong) and the correct answer causes the latter to have an emotional reaction andincreases his motivation and attention precisely at the time, when the teacher beginshis discussion of the matter, that was misunderstood by the student. That is why weshall label this technique the Selective Mobilization of attention and motivation’Method - SMM.

Paper abstract

Teaching Physics to adolescents presents an interesting challenge. In addition to gaining and keeping students’attention, it is necessary to introduce difficult non-intuitive concepts to an audience with short attention spansand reluctance to employ higher order thinking skills. One approach which has proved successful in severalAustralian classrooms is the use of humour. Practical activities using non-standard equipment can encourageexperimentation to test standard Physics models, whilst cartoon based worksheets, Flash animations and PowerPoint presentations enable reference to alternate, non-observed realities. For example, using the Physics modelof gravity to predict the behaviour of a falling body and then comparing it to a Psychological model whichinvolves the force of gravity depending on the knowledge and interaction of the observer engages studentcuriosity and develops a broader understanding of the underlying physical laws. In the competition to attractstudents to senior studies, any Physics course needs to be presented in a relevant and meaningful way toindividual students. Humour is one way of achieving this without reducing the intellectual level of commitmentneeded for a high level of conceptual understanding.

Paper abstract

Purpose of this study is to find out gender differences in freshmen’s selectedaffective characteristics related to physics, and to determine the best-fitting structuralequation models for males’ and females’ physics related affective characteristics. Theresearchers developed the Affective Characteristics Scale, which consisted of 53items related to 11 selected affective characteristics. Sample of the study consisted of433 female and 435 male students in three public universities in Ankara. A one-waymultivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine the effectof gender on freshmen’s physics related affective characteristics. Significantdifferences were found among gender groups on the dependent measures in favor ofmale students. Two different models derived from the literature were tested for maleand female freshmen. While the unidimensional model exhibited best fit for females,a multidimensional model different from the proposed model exhibited best fit formales.

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We present a video that can be used both in physics education and as a scientific popularmean.In this video a physics professor named Icetein, is trying to learn how to ice-skate. So hebegins by analyzing the precise movements performed by the athletes while practicing.Each exercise can be viewed from a physics point of view that is briefly explained. Iceskatingprovides a particular low-friction situation, so it can be used as a speciallaboratory in which the distance between reality and the physical model is shortened.Many laws of mechanics are found out and described in a simplified and pleasant way.Some evaluation made by teachers is presented.

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From the early eighties it has been recognized that computers might be beneficial inthe teaching and learning process in Science Education. A lot of new ideas aboutapplying Information and Communication(s) Technologies (ICT) emerged, inspiredby technology itself and by new views on education and schooling. An excellentexample is the ’Virtual University of Bavaria’ (VHB), opened to the public viaInternet in May 2000. The VHB provides various multimedia-based lecture coursescontributed by Bavarian universities. The Physics Education Departments of theUniversities of Augsburg and Erlangen-Nuremberg have jointly developed the course’Multimedia in Physics Teaching’. This virtual lecture is intended for teacher studentsto acquire knowledge and special skills as well as for professional teachers interestedin modern teaching methods. Ideas and intentions of the project will be presented;contents and the educational plan of this lecture will be explained in detail.

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In this article, we motivate our interest in theatre, film and show techniques for scienceeducation and explain our methods with one specific example taken from the DVD-project“QED – Matter, Light and the Void”.

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We report on the relation between physics students and computers in developingcountries. Our goal is to figure out the possibility of applying e-learning andcomputer modeling in the field of physics in these countries. More than a hundredSudanese physics students, from more than ten institutes, and from various levels ofeducation were questioned about their computer knowledge, and the availability ofcomputers in their institutes, and whether they use computer programs in their study.Data recorded, analyzed, and interpreted due to that.

We conclude that, although most of students showed poor relation with computersand poor computer skills, it is still possible to achieve e-learning and computermodeling in developing countries institutes if some recommendations were taken intoaccount.

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The outlined lesson plan shows (A) some general and specific steps that Albert Einstein usedto hypothesize, formulate and construct one of his famous models (the gravitational redshift),and (B) the way the model was verified using the Mossbauer effect. Both parts make use ofthe Doppler effect as prior knowledge. Einstein’s famous free-fall thought experiment isdiscussed, and explained using analogous demonstrations that involve minds-on and hands-onProject Based Learning (PBL). It is hoped that this contribution can lead to a CognitiveLaboratory of Operational Experiments (CLOE) on gravity for older children, to introducethem to modern research, and provide a key example for the use of meta-cognition metamodelsto help develop creative relationships with models and modeling. PBL is used to helpintroduce the students to the Mossbauer effect.

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This paper presents an initial version of a biomedical physics elements-ofcompetenceinventory for first cycle nursing educational programmes in Europe anddescribes the process used in its development. EU legislation and documentation,standards of proficiency promulgated by professional councils, educationalbenchmark statements published by higher education quality assurance agencies andarticles in the healthcare, healthcare professional and higher education literaturerelevant to standards of nursing practice, role development and undergraduatenursing education were analyzed. The current outcome competence list for FirstCycle nursing programmes developed by the nursing group working within theTuning Educational Structures in Europe framework was examined. Nursingcurricula across Europe were surveyed. Competences expected of a First Cyclenursing graduate that included major biomedical physics components were identifiedvia document analysis. These competences were in turn broken down into specificelements-of-competence and those elements falling within the biomedical physicsdomain singled out. A structured elements-of-competence inventory was designed toserve as a practical curriculum development tool for biomedical physics educatorsservicing nursing programmes within Europe.

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The paper illustrates results of a research project concerning an “educational reconstruction”of modern physics (relativity and quantum physics).

The research aims at re-shaping the current debates on Foundations, Philosophy andHistory of Physics in order to design intelligible and practicable routes along whichsecondary school students can be guided to face the following questions: What arespace and time in current research in physics? How does the concept of “object”change from classical to modern physics?

The discussion will focus on identifying to what extent guiding students to recognise“space” and “particle” as models implies facing the complexity of physics thinking.Accepting complexity as an intrinsic feature of physics thinking led us to find outcriteria for designing teaching paths in which complexity, instead of being removed,was re-organized so as to become manageable by the students.Preliminary results of classroom implementations with 18-19 years old students willbe presented.

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Since 1978 CERN has been promoting programmes for High School Teachers (HST). From the 3rd to the 23rd July2005, there were 32 of us coming from 20 different countries. We had different ages, looks and speech. The 3rd wewere unknown to each other and on the 23rd we were the “HST05 team”.How can 32 wise people turn into a group of happy, somewhat foolish, Physics Teachers?Welcome all in a get together party with refreshments, snacks and smiles. Tell them they are important tointroduce students to Scientific Research and to emphasize the beauty of Particle Physics. Join them in classrooms and teach lessons about:

- Historical evolution of Particle Physics;

- Cosmos from a Particle Physicist point of view;

- Detectors, colliders and their technologies;

- Matter and anti-matter;

- Feynman diagrams;

- The goals of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC);

- The Top Ten Mysteries of the Universe.

Don’t forget to tell that they sit in chairs once occupied by Nobel Prize winners. To get really special feelings, letthem have a lesson given by one of those Nobel Prizes: Jack Steinberger will tell about his life and work and howhappy are those who work in Physics Research.It’s important to add social activities like:

- pic-nicks;

- meals with international gastronomy;

- firemen ball;

- Geneva treasure hunt;

- barbecue with salads and songs.

Wrap all with warm feelings and you will turn each participant into an enthusiastic ambassador of TeachingModern Physics in High Schools.

Paper abstract

Diffraction of light as a common topic in school physics is attended by difficulties:Learners conceptions on models of light and of diffraction frequently are notadequate in the physical sense. A computer program on diffraction of light by asingle slit was designed following the theory of learning about models and evaluated.Two variables were investigated concerning their influence on knowledgeacquisition: Firstly the text surface design which refers to aspects of the linguisticstructure of the text, in particular the text coherence and to the text-picturereferences. Secondly the instruction to self-explain was analysed for effects.

Students (N=80, grade 12) learned with the computer program and their knowledgeacquisition was assessed with pre-, post- and follow-up testing on optics. Results ingeneral show positive effects of self-explanation on learning physics in the domain ofoptics (p=0.009), while the characteristics of text surface do not influence thelearning outcome significantly.

Analysis of data will focus on students’ conceptions that become visible in items ofthe knowledge test. Selected protocols of self-explanation are interpreted concerningstudents’ understanding of diffraction. The evaluation shows that though studentsacquire significant knowledge during the treatment, they still have difficulties inchoosing adequate models of light, and applying them to new situations. Due to thislearners juxtapose diffraction phenomena and shadow formation in an inadequateway. This is interpreted as a need for more extensive learning about models inphysics education.

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This study explores undergraduate students’ conceptions and reasoning models ofelectric forces and fields. It is based on their answers and explanations given in theinterviewed CSEM test questions 6 and 13. The results indicate that the students areable to apply Coulombian force only in relatively simple problems, but they fail inusing appropriate electric field models in cases the Coulombian force is no longeradequate concept for modeling more complicated phenomena. These findings amongwith the one concerning the disability to transfer the knowledge of vector calculus tothe physical context can not be overlooked in the implementation of the introductorycourse of electromagnetism. The instruction should be based on students’ priorknowledge about forces and vectors. By introducing new tools for representing thefields the students can be helped to build themselves scientifically acceptable modelof electric field. This can be done by doing certain problems where the student has todefine, represent and explain the electric field vectors in arbitrary points in theproximity of a charge distribution both algebraical and graphically.