Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemUsing computer animations to promote student understanding of physics in Singapore classrooms( 2005)In physics, students are required to learn processes that change over time, for example how a manometer responds to changing pressure and how an electric motor works. Students usually find it difficult to understand the complexities of the change involved in such processes when they are described verbally or numerically. To overcome this difficulty, computer animations have been used to present the complexities of the changes taking place visually. However, research has shown that computer animations might not be as effective as they were intended to be. This study aims to look at both the effectiveness and the limitations of computer animations in promoting the understanding of physics concepts in a Singaporean grade 9 physics class. The study adopted a naturalistic approach and focused on finding meaning from the students' perspective. Qualitative data was collected through lesson observations, student reflections about their learning experiences, student and teacher interviews and a student survey. It appears that the limitations of animations arise from a lack of consideration of how students learn. Students need to learn through social interaction and animations might not be able to provide the social interaction and motivation that students need. The study also revealed that computers could not replace classroom teachers as teachers still play a vital role in meeting the students' learning needs. Students need to interact socially with their teachers. They also need teachers to explain concepts in ways that make sense to them, monitor their learning and to motivate them to learn. It is also suggested that a teacher-controlled approach to using computer animations could be effective.
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ItemA comparison of the educational set of students in two introductory physics courses( 1972)The P.S.S.C. physics course and a traditional physics course taught in Tasmania were examined for differences in aims that might lead to differences in the educational set developed in students taking the two courses. A six-category model of educational set in physics involving recall of specifics, practical applications, mathematical generalizations, verbal generalizations, constructive criticism and destructive criticism was developed and a 24 item test instrument (Test E.S. (Physics)) constructed, subsequent to two different trials. Test E.S. (Physics), the Educational Set Scale of Siegal and Siegal and tests AL and AQ were administered to a sample of 389 students made up as follows:- Form IV - 97 in Tasmania and 58 in Victoria Form V - 49 in Tasmania and 82 in Victoria Form VI - 51 in Tasmania and 50 in Victoria Classes from two schools were included in each sub-sample. AL plus AQ was used as the covariate and the appropriate corrections were made before the technique of planned comparisons was used in a variety of within-state and between-state comparisons. The only significant between-state difference detected was in the categories of mathematical generalization. Within each state the comparison between Form IV students and students in later years resulted in significant differences in all comparison except for category 1 (specific facts). A number of correlations were investigated without any clear pattern emerging although category 3 (mathematical generalizations) was involved in several significant correlations. An off-shoot of the major study lead to the development of an Education Set Test based on Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. The administration of the test gave results consistent with the order between categories suggested by the Bloom model. The major finding of the study was that both physics courses probably produced significant changes in students' educational set but these changes did not seem to be consistent with the differences between their aims.