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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.

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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.