SAIP2019

Session

Physics Education

9 Jul 2019, 10:00

Protea The Ranch Hotel (Polokwane)

Conveners

Physics Education: Physics Education

• Itumeleng Phage (Honorary)

Physics Education: Physics Education

• Mphiriseni Khwanda (UJ)

Physics Education: Physics Education

• Deena Naidoo (School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand)

Physics Education

• Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)

Physics Education

• Paul Molefe (University of Johannesburg)

Physics Education: John

• Ignatius John (CPUT)

Physics Education: Teacher Development W/shop

• Sam Ramaila (University of Johannesburg)

Physics Education: Teacher Development

• Sam Ramaila (University of Johannesburg)

Physics Education: Teacher Development W/shop

• Sam Ramaila (University of Johannesburg)

Physics Education: Teacher Development W/shop

• Sam Ramaila (University of Johannesburg)

Physics Education

• There are no conveners in this block

Contribution list Timetable

209. Students’ approaches to solving problems kinematic problems

Dr Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)

09/07/2019, 15:00

Track E - Physics Education

Poster Presentation

The purpose of this research study is to investigate how to address the under-preparedness of students entering first year physics in South African universities, particularly with regard to their competence in solving kinematics problems. Previous studies show that the best tool for changing and expanding the conceptual understanding of a learner is problem solving; it assists a learner in...

210. The two stage test: a form of collaborative and reflective learning

Dr Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)

09/07/2019, 15:20

Track E - Physics Education

Poster Presentation

This paper reports on work that has been done in the Physics and Astronomy Department at University of the Western Cape (UWC). The mainstream mechanics physics for first years. The module focuses on improving students’ success by giving them epistemological access to the study of physics. Central to the module teaching philosophy and pedagogy is the socio-cultural perspectives on learning in...

60. Modelling instruction in ECP

Dr Ignatius John (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)

09/07/2019, 15:40

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

This paper describes the practice used in an Extended Curriculum Program (ECP), on DC circuits. ECP is a program to support the first-year university students, who qualified for the entry but did not perform well in the grade 12 national examination, from under-performing rural community schools in South Africa. In order to improve the performance of these students, the traditional pedagogy...

79. An effective solution to a many-bodied problem in first-year physics

Mr Ross Dix-Peek (NMMU)

09/07/2019, 16:00

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

At Nelson Mandela University (previously NMMU) over the past 4 years, the first-year Physics student numbers in the main stream courses have gone from 140 students to over 500. This has strained the lab capacity, equipment and staff of the department. Late 2017, it was apparent that the current system would not be able to support the influx of students from the new Bachelor of Engineering...

205. Teaching Problem Solving: The "10 Commandments" Approach

Ms Noluvuyo Matiwane (Rhodes University)

09/07/2019, 16:40

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

Expertise in physics problem-solving has been identified as one of the most crucial tangible skills that a physics graduate should develop [1,2]. An important objective in physics teaching is to promote good problem solving skills. The Physics Education Research group at Rhodes University has developed a problem-solving framework which has been used to create an innovative way of teaching...

190. Are we giving our students more than we should?

Dr Buyi Sondezi (University of Johannesburg)

09/07/2019, 17:00

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

Students’ performance is the main concern of most of the lecturers and facilitators. In seeking ways to improve their understanding, a number of interventions have been employed, which include increasing contact time, employing additional tutors and one-on-one students to tutor/lecturer consultation. All of these efforts have yielded some improvements to a certain degree, but are they giving...

239. A re-look at the sequence of concepts in our curriculum

Dr Buyi Sondezi (University of Johannesburg) , Mr Paul Molefe (University of Johannesburg)

09/07/2019, 17:20

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

The concepts and topics in introductory first-year physics textbooks are arranged in a certain manner of which has been traditionally followed in delivering lecturers. These topics and concepts help to strengthen students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills while introducing them to many topics they will learn in more details in later modules in physics. Most often, mechanics topics...

133. The Educational Power of Being wrong

Mr Peter Horszowski (PERT INDUSTRIALS)

09/07/2019, 17:40

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

This presentation is based on my article published as "The Educational power of Being Wrong." I pose the following question: 'Why can you not see color by moonlight?' and follow a process of scientific conjecture and refutation. I ask a similar question on real and virtual images: 'why does a mirror swap left and right but not up and down?'and conclude with reflections on scientific...

241. Inquiry based learning in Optics : Study of students’ understanding of image formed by a converging lens and concave mirror.

Dr Martin Tarisai Kudinha (CPUT)

10/07/2019, 14:00

Track E - Physics Education

Poster Presentation

Both the lens and mirror formulae have the same mathematical representation, thus student assume same physical principles to explain image formation in lens and mirrors. Although students tend to correctly apply the formulae in solving problems on mirrors and lenses, they usually experience significant difficulties and misconceptions regarding the formation of an image by a converging lens or...

122. A study on High School Learners’ Apathy to Physics Subject – Case Study Of High Schools in Kano Municipality, Kano State Nigeria.

Mr Itegbeyogene Ezekiel (National Centre for Technology Management, North West Zonal Office, Kano State, Nigeria)

10/07/2019, 14:20

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

Physics concepts form a strong background in Science, Technology and Engineering education (STE). High school learners’ interest in Physics could significantly improve the enrollment and graduation figures in STE and Mathematics (STEM) professions at the tertiary level of education. This study tries to investigate the factors that could significantly enhance learners’ interest in Physics...

236. Physics student teachers’ perceptions, experiences and their assessment of the teacher education programme. A case study of one South African University

Mr Paul Molefe (University of Johannesburg)

10/07/2019, 14:40

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

An investigation aimed at identifying and explaining physics student teachers’ perceptions, experiences and their assessment of the teacher education programme at one of the South African University was done. The main objectives of the study included, to assess the student teachers’ expectations when joining the programme. Student teachers’ experiences as they progress in their teaching...

213. The teacher development and training program for in-service teachers in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of the Western Cape.

Dr Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)

11/07/2019, 10:00

Track E - Physics Education

Poster Presentation

South Africa schools have been in a state of education reform since the mid-nineties. At the core of the reform was the establishment of the comprehensive curriculum project named Curriculum 2005. Shortcomings in the Curriculum 2005 resulted in the establishment of the National Curriculum Statement in 2008. Curriculum reform as required by the National Curriculum Statement for Natural and...

212. A Case for Physics Content Knowledge and Modeling Pedagogy for Natural Science Teachers

Mr Bako Nyikun AUDU (University of the Western Cape) , Dr Mark Herbert (University of the Western Cape)

11/07/2019, 10:20

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

Negative experiences by learners at the gateway phase (grade 9 to grade 10) due to perceived uninteresting content in natural sciences or poor teaching on the part of the teachers has a detrimental effect on learners. There is evidence that many Natural Science teachers are not trained in the physics content component of the subject, Hestenes, Megowan-Romanowicz, Popp et al (2011), Chisholm...

261. Ideas around using Google Earth as a pedagogic tool for teaching wave concepts in the era of Industry 4.0

Dr Emanuela Carleschi (Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg)

11/07/2019, 10:40

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

The advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution requires physics teachers and lecturers to re-look at the way physics concepts are traditionally taught in order to accommodate a more interactive and technology-focused teaching approach. In most textbooks wave concepts are presented with the aid of diagrams that are usually drawn in a very abstract way, i.e. as a mathematical function on a (x,y)...

211. Support program for first year main stream student outside the normal lectures and tutorial in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of the Western Cape

Dr Herbert Mark (University of the Western Cape)

11/07/2019, 11:20

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

First year students entering the mainstream undergraduate physics program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of the Western Cape are at different level of preparedness which have impact on their learning at the university. In particular, their learning of physics which influence their retention and performance in the subject and progression in their course of choice....

240. An evaluation of the impact of scientific explanation model on pre-service teachers’ understanding of basic concepts in electricity

Mr Mphiriseni Khwanda (University of Johannesburg)

11/07/2019, 11:40

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

Electricity as a topic is regarded as challenging worldwide because students from different countries around the world are reported to have the same pattern of learning difficulties in understanding electricity due to misconceptions associated with it. The literature on misconceptions suggested further research to determine if instructors are able to prescriptively address students’...

178. Perceptions of preservice teachers on the impact of the use of media in the teaching and learning of Physical Science in schools

Mr Itumeleng Phage (Central university of Technology, Free State)

11/07/2019, 12:00

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

Teaching and learning media is one form of teaching strategies also known as instructional media. Instructional media influence and affect the way and how physical science is taught in schools. This survey study was conducted with pre-service teachers to investigate their perception on the impact of instructional media in the teaching and learning of physical science in schools. The...

294. Death of an Outcome Revisited.

Dr Douglas Clerk (School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand)

11/07/2019, 12:20

Track E - Physics Education

Oral Presentation

Previous studies in which physics examinations at matriculation and first-year level have been analysed, have described evidence of a favoured question-type that can be taught explicitly and relatively easily mastered. This favoured question-type typically makes up such a disproportionately large fraction of the marks for an examination that candidates can pass the examination without having...