The impact of interactive-engagement models in the teaching and learning of physics to first year education students
Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The aim of this study was firstly to evaluate the impact of two interactive-engagement \nmodels of instruction, namely Whole Class Discussions (WCD) and Computer Simulations \n(CS) on first year physics student-teachers’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian \nmechanics, and on their epistemological beliefs about physics. The force concept \ninventory was used to evaluate the impact on conceptual understanding while the \nEpistemological Beliefs About Physical Science questionnaire was used to evaluate the \nimpact on their epistemological beliefs. The findings suggest that interactive engagement \nmodels had a positive impact on students’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian \nmechanics, and on their epistemological beliefs about physics. The study also contributed \nWCD and CS activities that can be used or adapted with an aim of enhancing conceptual \nunderstanding in physics. The study did not show any direct relationship between \nstudents’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics and their epistemological \nbeliefs about physics. \nKey words: \nInteractive-engagement, Whole Class Discussion, Computer Simulations, epistemological beliefs about physics.
Author: M N Khwanda
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2122429669