Conveners
Physics for Development, Education and Outreach
- Alan Cornell (University of Johannesburg)
Physics for Development, Education and Outreach
- Paul Molefe (University of Johannesburg)
Physics for Development, Education and Outreach
- Buyi Sondezi (University of Johannesburg)
Physics for Development, Education and Outreach
- Itumeleng Phage (Honorary)
Physics for Development, Education and Outreach
- Deena Naidoo (School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand)
Design thinking and systems thinking approaches have become critical to creativity and innovation to address the engineering and technology challenges of the 21st century. We build on existing research on design thinking and systems thinking and discuss how physics education research practitioners can leverage these methodologies to improve student learning and experience. Most importantly, we...
Solving problems in physics involves the contextual understanding of the problems, the identification of tools needed to solve the problem including both conceptual and mathematical, and lastly the evaluation of the answer if it makes sense. The stages are not usually followed since students mainly focus on solving every physics problem mathematically using a formula and in the end, students...
Traditional propagation calculations in photonics textbooks and courses pose a daunting task for beginners. The angular spectrum method is a complex numerical calculation that requires knowledge of 2D Fast-Fourier Transorms (FFTs) and their inverses, additionally it lacks physical insight into the nature of propagation making it relatively complicated for many students to fully grasp. The need...
In many cases, the teaching of electricity starts from the basic use of ohms law and its mathematical interpretations. Less is done in terms of defining and explaining qualitatively the role of the electric circuit elements like a resistor, a conductor, a switch and lastly a battery. Since the learning of electricity is predominantly conceptual, it is perceived as difficult because it cannot...
Physics education research shows that students learn best while actively engaged with course material, rather than passively observing a lecture. The flipped classroom curriculum and peer instruction are two complementary methods that foster active student engagement. The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of these interactive engagement (IE) approaches within the...
Kinematics is one of the topics taught at high school, from Grade 10 to Grade 12. This study was conducted with Grade 11 learners to determine their understanding of kinematics graphs in physical science. A questionnaire consisting of algebraic graphs in mathematics and kinematics graphs were distributed to 98 Grade 11 learners. The responses were analysed statistically. The results showed...
The Office of Astronomy for Development has now been part of the astronomy landscape for over a decade, and has recently undergone an external review. In this talk, we focus on the role that astronomy can play in socioeconomic development. This is particularly relevant as 2022 is the International Year of Basic Science for Sustainable Development, and astronomy is fundamentally linked to basic...
The need for physical sciences and mathematics learners to take up enrolment in tertiary institutions across the country to meet national expectations has been a challenge. Research in the Western Cape province shows that the number of High schools offering physical sciences and mathematics are on the decrease across public schools. This has led the Metro Education Districts to design...
Modeling Instruction is a version of inquiry-based learning instructional practice developed for physics teaching on the notion that physicists use mental constructs called models to reason and solve problems. The study reports on the perception of In-Service teachers Modeling Instruction after being taught the concepts of force and electricity using the Modeling Instruction strategy over a...
The language of learning has long been an important and controversial topic:- – especially in South Africa with 11 official languages but matric science available in only two of them. The author considered this issue in the refinement of a science show presented at Unizulu Science Centre. The show uses music and musical instruments to introduce students to topics around sound and waves. In...
Abstract:
Quantum computers are expected to outperform the computational capabilities of classical computers during this decade and achieve a disruptive impact on numerous industry sectors, particularly finance. Quantum machine learning is an emerging field that will develop quantum algorithms to perform advanced machine learning tasks. Quantum machine learning is at the intersection...
The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) is a well-established physics education assessment tool used to evaluate students’ comprehension of elementary mechanics principles. While it can be used to analyse the effectiveness of instruction if deployed as a pre- and post-test, we utilise the FCI here as pre-test only, to extract insights into first-year students’ (mis)conceptions of Newtonian mechanics...
Technology integration is central to the improvement of teaching and learning especially in science education. The extent to which technology integration is harnessed in teacher training programmes informs pedagogical practices adopted by pre-service teachers when integrating technology in science teaching and learning. While pre-service teachers often have sufficient knowledge and skills,...
Assessment of energy supply and use in households of Mudavula village in Collins Chabane Municipality in Limpopo province.
B Mbuyisa, TS Mulaudzi, D Tinarwo & N.E Maluta
With the ever-increasing energy challenges, globally and in South Africa, the diversification in the energy mix with a high proportion of alternative energy sources is becoming imperative. In Mudavula village, most...
Previous investigations have emphasized that there are many difficulties not only in the teaching of acceleration [1, 2] and energy [3-5], but also in the students learning thereof. As in many other instances, the perceptions regarding these concepts again illustrates that what an expert considers as straightforward mathematical concepts can become rather complex phenomena once it needs...
This research explores the representation of Nature of Science (NOS) is three national high-stakes grades 12 physics examinations. This study has particular significance due to curriculum reform that deliberately attempted to transform the previous curriculum that depicted to the learner and teacher a view of science which was not compatible with the nature of science. Science curricula...
Since 2020, many of us had to adapt to online teaching. From adapting to the circumstances the best we could in 2020 to a modern system digitally monitoring all possible aspects of each student in 2022. I will present the method I use to teach a large class ~500 first year students since 2020, how it was developed and evolved to what it is currently in 2022. This covers class attendance...
Makhamisa Senekane1, Naleli Jubert Matjelo2, Thabo Koetje2, Lerato Lerato3
1Institute for Intelligent Systems, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
2Department of Physics & Electronics, National University of Lesotho, Roma, Lesotho
3Department of Mathematics & Computer Science, National University of Lesotho, Roma, Lesotho
Water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever do...
Learners and students alike are always seeking alternative ways of learning and understanding the concepts of most Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses. Among these clusters of STEM courses, a sub-branch of Physics has been the most challenging one for both learners at the school level as well as for students at the university level. The challenge is particularly...
The applied physics curriculum often includes digital or analog electronics courses, including laboratory activities to understand the theory better and develop practical skills. During the laboratory time, the students generally assemble the electronic circuits on a breadboard or more simplified tools during the practical activity. The classical approach helps test a given circuit but does...
This study investigates 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 dealing with new and unfamiliar...
Using a Kibble balance to explain physics principles in education
In metrology, a Kibble balance is an instrument used by metrologists to realize the SI unit for mass. There are several physics principles used in the operation of this instrument – namely electromagnetism, classical mechanics, electrostatics, electricity, optics, materials science, and metrology. The basis of this...
