We describe an initiative at the University of Bonn, where the students develop and perform a 2 hour physics show for school classes and the general public. The show is entertaining and educational and is aimed at children aged 10 and older. For the physics students this is a unique experience to apply their knowledge at an early stage and gives them the chance to develop skills in the public presentation of science, in front of 520 people per show. We have extended the activity to put on an elementary particle physics show for teenagers. Furthermore, local high schools have picked up the idea; their students put on similar shows for fellow students and parents. We would be interested in hearing about related activities elsewhere.
The article sets out to analyze national and foreign experience of use of electronic textbooks in the system of education; to justify the use of Smart Kids technology as a system of methods, forms, and electronic educational game resources, electronic textbooks for educational process in the system of elementary school. Four forms of implementation of Smart Kids technology (Smart Case, Smart Teacher, Smart Class, and Smart Kids) were described con-sidering the facilities of every school as well as the level of information and communication technology qualification of the elementary school teac…
To stimulate the intellectual curiosity of elementary school students, we conducted a workshop in distance education aimed at exploring the microscopic world inside a cell. In this workshop, elementary school students motivated to learn more on the subject of science analyzed movies of the Brownian motion of micrometer-sized particles suspended in water, using an open-source software, Tracker. These students then performed two-dimensional(2D)-random walk experiments using a dice game sheet to examine the physical mechanism of Brownian motion. After the workshop, we conducted a questionnaire-ba…
This is a graduate course on elementary quantum mechanics written for the benefit of undergraduate and graduate students. It is the English version of physics/0003106, which I did at the suggestion of several students from different countries. The topics included refer to the postulates of quantum mechanics, one-dimensional barriers and wells, angular momentum and spin, WKB method, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, quantum scattering, and partial waves
Owing to their potential impact on students' cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, the negative attitudes towards science held by many elementary teachers are a critical issue that needs to be addressed. This study focuses on the science education of pre-service elementary teachers with the goal of improving their attitudes before they begin their professional lives as classroom teachers. Specifically, this study builds on a small body of research to examine whether exposure to inquiry-based science content courses that actively involve students in the collaborative process of learning and dis…
This is the first graduate course on elementary quantum mechanics in Internet written in Romanian for the benefit of Romanian speaking students (Romania and Moldova). It is a translation (with corrections) of the Spanish version of the course (physics/9808031, English translation physics/0004072), which I did at the request of students of physics in Bucharest. The topics included refer to the postulates of quantum mechanics, one-dimensional barriers and wells, angular momentum and spin, WKB method, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, quantum scattering, and partial waves
With the interactivity and multiple representation features, computer simulations lend itself to the guided inquiry learning. However, these simulations are usually designed for post-elementary students. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate how the use of guided inquiry approach with customized energy simulation can improve students' understanding of this topic. In this ongoing research, the case study is adopted. In the first phase of the study, we have modified open source energy simulation based on principles for reducing extraneous processing, existing energy simulation and guided…
The finite scope of the some elementary interactions is usually presented to Physics students as a natural consequence of the time-energy uncertainty relation. It is demonstrated that this heuristic derivation is not a priori valid. Accordingly, it is argued the doubtful usefulness of this "proof" in the classroom, for it may lead to misconceptions.
We investigate how the integration of visual agent-based programming and computationally augmented physical structures can support curricular integration across STEM domains for elementary grade students. We introduce ViMAP-Tangible, a socio-technically distributed computational learning environment, which integrates ultrasonic sensors with the ViMAP visual programming language using a distributed computation infrastructure. In this paper, we report a study in which 3rd and 4th grade students used ViMAP-Tangible to engage in collaborative design-based activities in order to invent 'drawing mac…
The work describes curricular modification to a physical science content class for elementary education majors at Winona State University. The modification, the regular use of Cognitive Acceleration materials to develop student reasoning ability, produces unusually high gains on Lawson's Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning.
In this paper we report on a Science Fair activity developed at Colegio Pedro II, a traditional Brazilian school, with a group of eight 8-12 years old Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) students. ADHD is usually a condition associated with underachievement at school. As part of working toward scientific literacy for students, we explored the idea of conservation of energy based on STS paradigm. At the same time, the learning experience was designed to stimulate children's poor executive function, or, more specifically, their ability to manage time and planning future tasks.
In 1980 Leon Lederman started Saturday Morning Physics with a handful of volunteer physicists, around 300 students and all the physics teachers who tagged along. Today Fermilab offers over 30 programs annually with help from 250 staff volunteers and 50 educators, and serves around 40,000 students and 2,500 teachers. Find out why we bother. Over the years we have learned to take advantage of opportunities and confront challenges to offer effective programs for teachers and students alike. We offer research experiences for secondary school teachers and high school students. We collaborate with e…
Studies of scientists building models show that the development of scientific models involves a great deal of subjectivity. However, science as experienced in school settings typically emphasizes an overly objective and rationalistic view. In this paper, we argue for focusing on the development of disciplined interpretation as an epistemic and representational practice that progressively deepens students' computational modeling in science by valuing, rather than deemphasizing, the subjective nature of the experience of modeling. We report results from a study in which fourth grade children eng…
We describe a procedure in which elementary education students fabricate 3-cell, $\approx5 ~\mathrm{Watt}$, $1.6~\mathrm{V}$ solar panels. The panels are manufactured at a cost of about $\$6$ each. The paper also describes a series of characterization activities that we have had our students complete with the panels once fabrication is complete. Specifically, our students have determined: the dependence of panel power on load resistance, the variation of open-circuit panel voltage between different students' work, and energy capture efficiency. The activity also allows opportunities for discus…
Science simulations are popular among educators as such simulations afford for multiple visual representation and interactivity. Despite the popularity and abundance on the internet, our literature review suggested little research has been conducted on the use of simulation in elementary school. Thus, an exploratory pilot case study was conducted to address this research gap. In this study, an open source energy simulation was remixed for use in elementary school targeted at the Grade 4 & 5 students as an after-school enrichment program. We proposed 3 stages: design, customization and implemen…
In Japan, research activities by junior and senior high school students show an upward trend. However, there are limited examples of research activities in the field of elementary particles and atoms. This is due to the difficulty associated with procuring research tools such as accelerators or particle detectors. Therefore, we hosted the "Accel Kitchen" in 2018 and 2019 at Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC) in Tohoku University where junior and senior high school students could participate in ongoing research of particle and atomic physics. At each workshop, 12 junior and senior high s…
Pencasts are videos of problem solving with narration by the problem solver. Pedagogically, students can create pencasts to illustrate their own problem solving to the instructor or to their peers. Pencasts have implications for teaching at multiple levels from elementary grades through university courses. In this article, we describe the use of pencasts in a university level upperdivision Electromagnetic Fields course usually taken by junior and senior physics majors. For each homework assignment, students created and submitted pencasts of ordinary problems several days before the problem set…
This elementary review covers the basics of working with astronomical data, notably with images, spectra and higher-level (catalog) data. The basic concepts and tools are presented using both application software (DS9 and TOPCAT) and Python. The level of presentation is suitable for undergraduate students, but should also be accessible to advanced high school students.
In this work, we present the results of a research in which we aimed to evidence obstacles and advances in pre-service teachers' conceptualization on a subject involving elementary Quantum Mechanics. We based our analysis on the theories due to David Ausubel and Gèrard Vergnaud to study Meaningful Learning patterns, both in predicative and operator form of knowledge, of six students involved in a didactical intervention composed of six classes, in which we emphasized both similarities and differences between Classical and Quantum Physics. With this intervention, we intended to teach the concep…
This is the first Internet course on elementary quantum mechanics written in Spanish ("castellano") for the benefit of Spanish speaking students. I thank my eight Mexican students at the Institute of Physics, University of Guanajuato, Leon, (IFUG), for the collaboration that made this possible. The topics included refer to the postulates of quantum mechanics, one-dimensional barriers and wells, angular momentum, WKB method, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, quantum scattering, and partial waves
The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) is a well-established physics education assessment tool used to evaluate students' comprehension of elementary mechanics principles. While it can be used to analyse the effectiveness of instruction if deployed as a pre- and post-test, we utilise the FCI here as pre-test only, to extract insights into first-year students' (mis)conceptions of Newtonian mechanics as they enter university. In this preliminary study, we tested 353 students enrolled at the University of Johannesburg in 2021, across six introductory physics courses. We focus on their responses to six…
In this meta-analysis, we synthesize the results of 24 studies using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) and the Maryland Physics Expectations Survey (MPEX) to answer several questions: (1) How does physics instruction impact students' beliefs? (2) When do physics majors develop expert-like beliefs? and (3) How do students' beliefs impact their learning of physics? We report that in typical physics classes, students' beliefs deteriorate or at best stay the same. There are a few types of interventions, including an explicit focus on model-building and/or developing expe…
We present the screenplay of a physics show on particle physics, by the Physikshow of Bonn University. The show is addressed at non-physicists aged 14+ and communicates basic concepts of elementary particle physics including the discovery of the Higgs boson in an entertaining fashion. It is also demonstrates a successful outreach activity heavily relying on the university physics students. This paper is addressed at anybody interested in particle physics and/or show physics. This paper is also addressed at fellow physicists working in outreach, maybe the experiments and our choice of simple ex…
Recent studies have shown that not only primary school students but also their future teachers reach science courses with pre-constructed and consistent models of the world surrounding them. These ideas include many misconceptions which turn out to be robust and hence make difficult an appropriate teaching-learning process. We have designed some tools that proved helpful in putting in evidence some of the most frequently used alternative models on a few basic astronomical notions. We have tested these tools with preservice elementary teachers from various normal schools in Buenos Aires and mad…
The purpose of this article is to present a simple solution of the classic dog-and-rabbit chase problem which emphasizes the use of concepts of elementary kinematics and, therefore, can be used in introductory mechanics course. The article is based on the teaching experience of introductory mechanics course at Novosibirsk State University for first year physics students which are just beginning to use advanced mathematical methods in physics problems. We hope it will be also useful for students and teachers at other universities too.
Quark Wars is an all-new, adventure style game. We recommended playing it outdoors. Quark Wars is modeled upon the outdoor game called Hungarian Number War, with notable influence from Star Wars, the American epic space saga. The players form two opposing teams. Both teams elect their own leader. The team members and their leaders wear particle war bonnets on their foreheads. These headdresses consist of three or four cards indicating combinations of elementary particles. The two teams compete by identifying (reading out loudly) the elementary particle cards on the foreheads of their adversari…
During the past twelve years, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has supported a wide range of Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) activities, targeting K-14 students and the general public. The purpose of the Fermi E/PO program is to increase student and public understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, through inspiring, engaging and educational activities linked to the mission's science objectives. The E/PO program has additional more general goals, including increasing the diversity of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline, and…
The physics learning is very important to techniques teaching and the engineers upbringing. However, there is evidence that science classes from elementary school through to university are generally failing to provide most students with an understanding of physics We have explored the use of a novel aspect of information technology: interactive simulations to learning of energys concepts. This way, students can construct their understanding through semi-guided exploration. Research has shown this process to be an effective and engaging way to learn.
Some education researchers have claimed that we should not teach the Bohr model of the atom because it inhibits students' ability to learn the true quantum nature of electrons in atoms. Although the evidence for this claim is weak, many have accepted it. This claim has implications for how to present atoms in classes ranging from elementary school to graduate school. We present results from a study designed to test this claim by developing a curriculum on models of the atom, including the Bohr and Schrodinger models. We examine student descriptions of atoms on final exams in transformed modern…
