This study sought to check and evaluate whether or not thought experiments presented in the Indonesian physics textbooks can be used as tools to transfer scientific knowledge. This was a descriptive study using Indonesian physics textbooks as the primary sources of data. In this study, we analyzed thirty (30) physics textbooks from Grades 10 to 12 which are widely used both by teachers and students. The results showed that majority of physics textbooks did not mention about thought experiments. Only 6 physics textbooks presented thought experiments at a satisfactory level. The number of physics textbooks that described thought experiments in fair and poor levels are 9 and 5 respectively. The study concludes that Indonesian physics textbooks published from 2009 to 2017 generally lack thought experiments. Many authors of these Indonesian physics textbooks ignored or inadequately present thought experiments. Moreover, 70% of thought experiments mentioned in the physics textbooks were in the fair and poor levels. So, in general, thought experiments presented in the Indonesian physics textbooks cannot be used as an introduction in transferring scientific knowledge to science students.
This study aims to map the physics education research topics trending in the last three years in highly reputable international journals. This is a descriptive study that analyzed 511 articles using content analysis. All articles were selected from the top 3 academic journals: International Journal of Science Education (IJSE), Research in Science Education (RISE), and Science Education (SE). All three journals have JSRs above 0.8 with a quartile of Q1. Data collection and analysis were carried out from April to September 2020. The results showed that the top research topics in the IJSE journal were science learning: contexts, characteristics, and interactions with a percentage of 15.05%. Likewise, in the RISE journal, the topics of science learning: contexts, characteristics, and interactions also ranked first with a percentage of 16.30%. Meanwhile, the top research topics in the SE journal were STEM/STEAM, with a percentage of 13.28%. Based on the results, it can be concluded that overall, the top three research topics highlighted by physics researchers in highly reputable international journals from 2017 to 2019 period were science learning: contexts, characteristics and interactions, STEM/STEAM, and curriculum and assessment.
One of the primary purposes of physics education is to help students develop critical thinking abilities to solve everyday situations. The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of STEM education using PhET simulation on students' critical thinking skills. A pre-experimental approach with a one-group pre-test post-test design was used in this study. There were no control or comparator groups in this study, which was done in a single group. This study was carried out in a high school in Makassar during the even semester of the 2020/2021 academic year. The research population consisted of 110 students separated into three classes. Using a simple random sampling technique, a sample of 37 students from class XI IPA2 was chosen. The results revealed a significant increase in students' critical thinking skill scores after the implementation of STEM Education using PhET simulation. The students’ pre-test means score in linear motion material is 68.18, and it increased (N gain = 0.45) after STEM education through PhET simulation is applied. Likewise, the students' pre-test means score in Newton's Law material was 66.33 and rose significantly to 81.96 (N gain = 0.46) in the post-test. Therefore, this study concludes that STEM education through PhET simulations can improve students' critical thinking skills in both linear motion and Newton's laws materials. This study has implications, especially for physics teachers in improving students' critical thinking skills by using STEM education through PhET simulations.
Thought experiments have a crucial role in the discovery of physics theories. Yet, in order to properly use thought experiments in the classroom, teachers must have enough pedagogical knowledge and abilities. This study aims to explore the perceptions and attitudes of high school physics teachers toward thought experiments. In this study, we involved 30 physics teachers from different schools in both urban and rural schools. The data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative and qualitative analysis results demonstrate that physics teachers have a high awareness of the importance of thought experiments in physics learning, especially atomic theory and relativity, and perceive themselves to lack skills regarding the pedagogical aspects of thought experiments. Teachers also show positive attitudes and beliefs about teaching thought experiments. However, teachers still recognized the challenges of implementing thought experiments in the classroom. The teacher suggests that thought experiments be carried out collaboratively so that students can share ideas with each other. Furthermore, technology media such as virtual reality may be the ideal answer for assisting students in visualizing an imaginary environment when doing thought experiments in the classroom.
The photoelectric effect experiment generally uses a very sophisticated and expensive apparatus. Some high schools and even universities in Indonesia cannot afford to conduct this experiment because of the high price of the apparatus. The purpose of this study was to develop a user-friendly, and cost-effective teaching aids which can be used to demonstrate the concepts of modern physics related to the photoelectric effect. The stages of this study employed the Four-D model, namely define, design, develop, and disseminate. Based on experts and practitioner evaluation, the developed teaching aids and practicum devices of photoelectric effect experiment were found to be valid and reliable. The results of the experiment by using this developed teaching aids of the photoelectric effect showed that there is a linear relationship between the stopping potential and the frequency of light emitted by the LED. These results are consistent with Millikan's experimental results, the first physicist who succeed in proving Einstein's hypothesis of the photoelectric effect, that in the photoelectric effect the stopping potential does not depend on the intensity of light but depends only on the frequency of light. In this study, the Planck’s constant value obtained is 6.408x10-34 J.s. Although this value is slightly smaller than the accepted value of Planck's constant that is 6.626x10-34 J.s, it is good enough considering the instrumental error occurred during the measurement of current and voltage. Furthermore, the students’ perception of the developed teaching aids and practicum devices of the photoelectric effects experiment are 74.9% (good) and 80.2% (very good), respectively. This indicates that the photoelectric effect experiment teaching aids and practicum devices that have been developed can be used to demonstrate and prove the concepts of modern physics related to the photoelectric phenomena correctly.Keywords: Teaching Aids, Photoelectric Effect, Students’ Perception
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