RESEARCH PAPER
Usability of Electronic Instructional Tools in the Physics Classroom
 
More details
Hide details
1
University of Rwanda-College of Education (UR-CE), African Centre of Excellence for Innovative Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science (ACEITLMS), RWANDA
 
2
Rwanda Education Board (REB), RWANDA
 
 
Publication date: 2020-09-26
 
 
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2020;16(11):em1897
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Information Communication Technology (ICT) is becoming valuable tools to help improve education, especially during teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. In this regard, we conducted this study to explore the usability of ICT tools in Physics taught courses. To collect data, we used classroom observation protocol for undergraduate STEM to assess how teachers and learners spend time on classroom activities among day and boarding schools and urban and rural schools. We also surveyed physics teachers after a short workshop on the use of PhET simulations and YouTube videos for teaching optics to reveal their workability and usefulness. As a result, we found that teachers in the day schools guide and assign more work to their learners, allow them to work in groups more than those in boarding schools. Similarly, learners in rural schools spend much time working in groups more than their colleagues in urban schools. However, teachers in urban schools spend much time guiding their learners than teachers in rural schools. Teachers use more of textbooks among various instructional tools. Teachers were not aware of and used to PhET simulations and YouTube videos in physics class; however, after the workshop, they conceived them as convenient electronic instructional tools that can accelerate the active learning of Optics. Since these resources are free to access and easy to use, we highly recommend teachers to use them in their daily teaching and learning activities.
REFERENCES (28)
1.
Abdullah, S., & Shariff, A. (2008). The effects of inquiry-based computer simulation with cooperative learning on scientific thinking and conceptual understanding of gas laws. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 4(4), 387-398. https://doi.org/10.12973/ejmst....
 
2.
Achor, E. E. (2003). Influence of School Location and Type on the Physics Achievement of Senior Secondary School Students. Journal of the National Association for Science, Humanities & Education Research, 1(1), 11-16. http://ssrn.com/abstract=27099....
 
3.
Afriani, T., & Agustin, R. R. (2019). The Effect of Guided Inquiry Laboratory Activity with Video Embedded on Students’ Understanding and Motivation in Learning Light and Optics. Journal of Science Learning, 2(3), 79-84. https://doi.org/10.17509/jsl.v....
 
4.
Alarcon, M., Lakhdar, B. Z., Culaba, I., Lahmar, S., Lakshminarayanan, V., Mazzolini, A. P., Maquiling, J., & Niemela, J. (2010). Active learning in optics and photonics (ALOP): A model for teacher training and professional development. In Optics Education and Outreach (Vol. 7783, p. 778303). International Society for Optics and Photonics. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.860....
 
5.
Amador, J. M., Keehr, J., Wallin, A., & Chilton, C. (2020). Video complexity: Describing videos used for teacher learning. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(4), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmst....
 
6.
Angstone, N., Mlangeni, J. T., & Chiotha, S. S. (2015). Why Rural Community Day Secondary Schools students’ performance in Physical Science examinations is poor in Lilongwe Rural West Education District in Malawi. Educational Research and Reviews, 10(3), 290-299. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR201....
 
7.
Byusa, E., Kampire, E., & Mwesigye, A. R. (2020). Analysis of Teaching Techniques and Scheme of Work in Teaching Chemistry in Rwandan Secondary Schools. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(6), 1-9. https://doi.org/https://doi.or....
 
8.
Chou, C. C. (2017). An analysis of the 3D video and interactive response approach effects on the remedial science teaching for fourth-grade underachieving students. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(4), 1059-1073. https://doi.org/10.12973/euras....
 
9.
Civelek, T., Ucar, E., Ustunel, H., & Aydin, M. K. (2014). Effects of an augmented haptic simulation on K-12 students’ achievement and their attitudes towards physics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 10(6), 565-574. https://doi.org/10.12973/euras....
 
10.
Echazarra, A., & Radinger, T. (2019). “Does attending a rural school make a difference in how and what you learn?” In PISA in Focus, No 94, OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/d076ec....
 
11.
Ekmekci, A., & Gulacar, O. (2015). A case study for comparing the effectiveness of computer simulation and a hands-on activity on learning electric circuits. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11(4), 765-775. https://doi.org/10.12973/euras....
 
12.
Halim, L., Rahman, N. A., Ramli, N. A. M., & Mohtar, L. E. (2018). Influence of students’ STEM self-efficacy on STEM and physics career choice. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1923(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5019....
 
13.
Istrate, O., Noveanu, G., & Smith, T. M. (2006). Exploring sources of variation in Romanian science achievement. Prospects, 36(4), 475-496. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125....
 
14.
Jones, T., & Cuthrell, K. (2011). Computers in the Schools YouTube: Educational Potentials and Pitfalls. Computers in the Schools, 28(1), 37-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/073805....
 
15.
Kibirige, I., & Tsamago, H. E. (2019). Grade 10 learners’ science conceptual development using computer simulations. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(7), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmst....
 
16.
Mckagan, S. B., Perkins, K. K., Dubson, M., Malley, C., Reid, S., Lemaster, R., & Wieman, C. E. (2008). Developing and researching PhET simulations for teaching quantum mechanics. American Journal of Physics, 76(4&5), 406-4017. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2885....
 
17.
National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. (2018). Rwanda Statistical YearBook. The Republic of Rwanda. https://www.statistics.gov.rw/....
 
18.
Ndihokubwayo, K., Uwamahoro, J., Ndayambaje, I., & Ralph, M. (2020). Light phenomena conceptual assessment: an inventory tool for teachers. Physics Education, 55(3), 035009. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6....
 
19.
Njiku, J., Maniraho, F., & Mutarutinya, V. (2019). Understanding teachers’ attitudes towards computer technology integration in education: A review of the literature. Education and Information Technologies, 24(5), 3041-3052. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639....
 
20.
Orodho, A., Nzabarirwa, W., Odundo, P., Waweru, P. N., & Ndayambaje, I. (2016). Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods. A Step by Step Guide to Scholarly Excellence. Kanezja Publishers & Entreprises.
 
21.
Perkins, K. K., Moore, E. B., & Chasteen, S. V. (2016). Examining the Use of PhET Interactive Simulations in US College and High School Classrooms. Proceedings of the 2014 Physics Education Research Conference (Minneapolis, MN, USA (Pp. 207-210). https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2....
 
22.
Ramnarain, U. (2015). Connecting the hands-on to the minds-on: A video case analysis of South African physical sciences lessons for student thinking. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11(5), 1151-1163. https://doi.org/10.12973/euras....
 
23.
Ruiz, M. J. (2009). Kinematic Measurements from YouTube Videos. The Physics Teacher, 47(200), 200-203. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.3098....
 
24.
Rwanda Ministry of Education. (2013). Republic of Rwanda Education Sector Strategic Plan 2013/14 - 2017/18. Kigali, Rwanda. https://planipolis.iiep.unesco....
 
25.
Smith, M. K., Jones, F. H. M., Gilbert, S. L., & Wieman, C. E. (2013). The Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS): A New Instrument to Characterize University STEM Classroom Practices. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 12, 618-627. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.13....
 
26.
Smith, M. K., Vinson, E. L., Smith, J. A., Lewin, J. D., & Stetzer, M. R. (2014). A campus-wide study of STEM courses: New perspectives on teaching practices and perceptions. CBE Life Sciences Education, 13(4), 624-635. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.14....
 
27.
Taşlidere, E. (2015). A study investigating the effect of treatment developed by integrating the 5E and simulation on pre-service science teachers’ achievement in the photoelectric effect. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11(4), 777-792. https://doi.org/10.12973/euras....
 
28.
Wieman, C. E., Adams, W. K., Loeblein, P., & Perkins, K. K. (2013). Teaching Physics Using PhET Simulations. The Physics Teacher, 48(4), 225-227. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.3361....
 
eISSN:1305-8223
ISSN:1305-8215
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top