One of the skills needed in the 21st century is critical thinking skills that need to be developed for secondary school students. Currently, upper-secondary students' critical thinking skills are still low. To overcome the problem, websitebased E-module learning media was developed using a STEM approach with a Problem-Based Contextual Learning…

The relative speed concept was chosen since it is linked with the relative nature of motion and it is likely that the students would harbor many alternative conceptions about it. The research objective was to identify the various ways students conceive relative motion. Qualitative data collected in various forms of representation received a…

The intent of this research is to evaluate the use of a formative assessment probe about balance and torque. The lesson was conducted with 52, 11th grade students studying in two physics classes at a state high school. A formative assessment probe was used at both the beginning and end of the study. After the students' prior knowledge about…

Students have access to the Internet at their fingertips via e-tablets and smart phones. However, the STEM fields are struggling to remain relevant in students' lives outside the classroom. In an effort to improve high school science curricula and to keep students engaged in the classroom, we developed a technology-rich bioengineering summer…

This study applied an unconventional use of past examination papers by converting questions into hands-on experiments for students. Students in an experimental group were engaged in use of those experiments while the remainder attended conventional lectures with written practice. The results reflect that the experimental group positively improved…

Inquiry learning is a widely recognized method for fostering inquiry competence in science education. Nevertheless, there is discussion about how to best support students while working on inquiry tasks (in this case: experiments on causal relationships). To identify the kind of support students need in order to design experiments in upper grades,…

The main purpose of this study was to enhance student understanding of the scientific concepts of chemical reaction rate. Forty-four grade 11 students were the target group. The treatment tools were seven learning plans of 5E inquiry incorporated with an analogy learning approach during 15 hours of class time. In each learning plan, the students…

A small group of high school students performed a virtual laboratory experiment in Second Life that mimicked a real experiment in both its appearance and procedure. Lab report grades were equivalent to report grades for hands-on experiments, and the quality of students' results was similar. Results of an attitudinal survey show that students…

The purpose of this research was to examine and compare the effect of teaching the brightness of lamps, which is a topic for grade 11 physics lesson, on student achievement and attitude according to the 5E model belonging to the constructivist learning theory and the traditional teaching method. The research was conducted on 62 11th grade students…

The purpose of this project was to investigate the effects of virtual versus physical manipulation using a simulation-based laboratory activity (SBL) and a microcomputer-based laboratory activity (MBL). Both the SBL and the MBL used computers to collect, graph, and analyze data. A major difference was that the MBL allowed the students to…

These 2 studies investigate the extent to which an Embodied Mixed Reality Learning Environment (EMRELE) can enhance science learning compared to regular classroom instruction. Mixed reality means that physical tangible and digital components were present. The content for the EMRELE required that students map abstract concepts and relations onto…

In order that students can develop researching, questioning, critical thinking, problem solving and decision making skills, so that they become lifelong learning individuals, they should be improved regarding their knowledge, understanding and attitude towards natural sciences. Attitudes towards physics lessons and physical experiments of high…

The measurement of solar UV under water is not a simple process. In the underwater environment the difficulty of obtaining useable data is greatly amplified due to the optically complicated and at times unpredictable nature of water itself. The following practical exercise designed for use in the Year 11 and Year 12 Physics classroom aims to…

This activity discusses a unit exercise in which a physics practical was implemented during a laboratory session. The lab practical design was centered on Newton's Second Law. The practical was implemented in a high school setting. Further, through the administration of both a pre and post test we were able to assess the effectiveness of the lab…

In the framework of a curriculum reform in the Netherlands, an interdisciplinary open inquiry assignment has been introduced as a part of the final secondary school examinations. We developed and evaluated a preparatory open inquiry assignment to be used in science and mathematics departments of schools, in collaboration with each other: the…