Department of Physics
Library of the School of Science

2023-06-08

2023

Nantsou Panagiota

Γεώργιος Τόμπρας, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Φυσικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Αθανάσιος Κατσής, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Κοινωνικής και Εκπαιδευτικής Πολιτικής, Πανεπιστήμιο Πελοποννήσου
Έκτορας Νισταζάκης, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Φυσικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Φοίβος Μαυρόπουλος, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Φυσικής ΕΚΠΑ
Γεώργιος Καλκάνης, Ομότιμος Καθηγητής, ΠΤΔΕ, ΕΚΠΑ
Ανδρομάχη Τσίρου, Ερευνήτρια, CERN
Κωνσταντίνος Κωνσταντίνου, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Επιστημών της Αγωγής, Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου

Πειραματισμός και Εκπαιδευτικές Μέθοδοι στη Σύγχρονη Φυσική

Greek

Experimentation and Educational Methods in Modern Physics

This doctoral thesis is situated within the scientific field of Physics Education Research (P.E.R.). The aim of our research is to improve the effectiveness of real and practical (hands-on) experimental teaching of Physics, according to the findings of recent, international research tendencies in our field of interest, as well as to introduce an active approach to learning through applying a learning-by-doing (LBD) method. Qualitative and quantitative research conducted in this doctoral thesis shows that students profit significantly by applying such teaching methodologies, starting from primary school and all the way to the higher educational level, as far as the understanding of natural laws and principles is concerned, both by male and female students, as well as by male and female physics educators. More specifically, our work extensively studies the introduction of scientific methodology and scientific thinking in education through actual physics experiments utilizing simple materials. As mentioned above, our research is intentionally and systematically connected to all educational levels: from primary to university education, lifelong learning, and the training of physics and science educators or schoolteachers, as well as in education through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
Our thesis highlights specific difficulties that students face in the context of the school laboratory and the various challenges they encounter in their efforts to understand the basic laws and principles of modern science. According to the arguments presented in this work, the creation of innovative educational scenarios and modern projects in Physics at the compulsory education level, as well as teaching natural sciences through interactive learning strategies, are important and should become the new standard in Physics education. Our research also confirms the hypothesis that age is not a barrier to experimental teaching of classical and modern Physics, as long as the teaching methods applied are able to bypass the use of complex mathematical equations and computational procedures. When we introduced the proposed experiments to male and female students, we observed impressive receptivity to the laws of Physics; correspondingly, students are more eager to interpret complex scientific models when these are introduced to them through actual, hands-on experiments. This doctoral research also shows that the basic principles of electrical circuits and electromagnetism can be taught more effectively through a hands-on approach than a purely theoretical one. Overall, this thesis highlights the importance of innovative and interactive teaching methodologies in enhancing students’ learning experiences and their understanding of the principles of Physics.
Teaching modern topics in Physics through hands-on experiments with simple materials in the laboratory has been shown to cultivate critical thinking and can help students to acquire a satisfactory level of understanding of fundamental physical laws and principles, regardless to the pupils’ previous knowledge, according to the initial research hypothesis. The student who "does science," as shown in our research project, conquers scientific adequacy through real, novel experiences in the lab and through the difficulties encountered during experimentation and any actual attempts to resolve them.
At the end of the work, we present our research conclusions and analyze some educational scenarios for teaching Physics through experiments with simple, everyday materials. Additionally, we sketch out the contribution of this work to the field of Physics Education Research, along with future research proposals that emerged during the procedure, as well as other furure directions for research in our field of interest.

Science

Physics Education Research, Hands-on Experiments, MOOC, STEM Education

No

0

Yes

695

378

File access is restricted until 2024-12-09.

https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/3330970