Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Understanding
Experiments in different forms can certainly be suitable tools for increasing student interest in physics. However, educators continuously discuss which forms of experimenting (if any) are the most beneficial for these purposes. At the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague,...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Ljubljana
2018-03-01
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| Series: | Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ojs.cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/319 |
| _version_ | 1818064466112151552 |
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| author | Marie Snětinová Petr Kácovský Jana Machalická |
| author_facet | Marie Snětinová Petr Kácovský Jana Machalická |
| author_sort | Marie Snětinová |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Experiments in different forms can certainly be suitable tools for increasing student interest in physics. However, educators continuously discuss which forms of experimenting (if any) are the most beneficial for these purposes. At the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague, two different forms of physics experiments are offered to upper secondary students: hands-on experimental work in the Interactive
Physics Laboratory, and physics demonstration shows where the students watch experiments conducted by a lecturer. Our research focuses primarily on student feedback about their immediate attitudes towards these two projects. Data collection was undertaken using questionnaire research based on the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. This research was subsequently supplemented with a qualitative study examining the influence
of students’ experimental work in the Interactive Physics Laboratory on their understanding of selected physics concepts. The results of the main research show that the two projects do not exhibit significant differences
in terms of student interest and perceived usefulness; nevertheless, students felt the need for significantly more effort and experienced pressure during their work in the Interactive Physics Laboratory. One interesting
finding, which goes against our original hypothesis, is that grades in physics are quite a strong predictor of students’ assessment of the projects: better grades indicate more positive assessment of both projects as well as less pressure felt during hands-on activities in the laboratory. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:36:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd2629cdec1e4798b8a9e604939f9b56 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1855-9719 2232-2647 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:36:26Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | University of Ljubljana |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd2629cdec1e4798b8a9e604939f9b562022-12-22T01:44:49ZengUniversity of LjubljanaCenter for Educational Policy Studies Journal1855-97192232-26472018-03-018110.26529/cepsj.319Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and UnderstandingMarie Snětinová0Petr KácovskýJana MachalickáCharles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Physics EducationExperiments in different forms can certainly be suitable tools for increasing student interest in physics. However, educators continuously discuss which forms of experimenting (if any) are the most beneficial for these purposes. At the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague, two different forms of physics experiments are offered to upper secondary students: hands-on experimental work in the Interactive Physics Laboratory, and physics demonstration shows where the students watch experiments conducted by a lecturer. Our research focuses primarily on student feedback about their immediate attitudes towards these two projects. Data collection was undertaken using questionnaire research based on the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. This research was subsequently supplemented with a qualitative study examining the influence of students’ experimental work in the Interactive Physics Laboratory on their understanding of selected physics concepts. The results of the main research show that the two projects do not exhibit significant differences in terms of student interest and perceived usefulness; nevertheless, students felt the need for significantly more effort and experienced pressure during their work in the Interactive Physics Laboratory. One interesting finding, which goes against our original hypothesis, is that grades in physics are quite a strong predictor of students’ assessment of the projects: better grades indicate more positive assessment of both projects as well as less pressure felt during hands-on activities in the laboratory.https://ojs.cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/319laboratory activitiesupper secondary school studentsintrinsic motivationoptics conceptsphysics demonstrations |
| spellingShingle | Marie Snětinová Petr Kácovský Jana Machalická Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Understanding Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal laboratory activities upper secondary school students intrinsic motivation optics concepts physics demonstrations |
| title | Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Understanding |
| title_full | Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Understanding |
| title_fullStr | Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Understanding |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Understanding |
| title_short | Hands-On Experiments in the Interactive Physics Laboratory: Students’ Intrinsic Motivation and Understanding |
| title_sort | hands on experiments in the interactive physics laboratory students intrinsic motivation and understanding |
| topic | laboratory activities upper secondary school students intrinsic motivation optics concepts physics demonstrations |
| url | https://ojs.cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/319 |
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