From led light signboards to the Planck’s constant

A 5E-based learning experience to introduce concepts relevant in Quantum Physics

“…Student's scientist-like activities in each group were supported by two teachers having many years of expertise in the field of scientific research and on teaching physics at both high-school and university level courses. The preparation to the learning path was done through a traditional lecturing approach by using university general physics textbooks covering the introduction Giancoli -2008) and all the didactical aspects of the experiments (i) with the LED and (ii) the photoelectric effect [16][17][18]20]. The progression was found from the original research published on the illustration of quantum mechanics concepts [21] Other research-based methods to inquire on wave particle duality [22] have been considered as well.…”

“…In order to calculate the Planck's constant, we followed the steps indicated in Ref.s [17,23]. The discussion about the Bohr's model and the Einstein explanation of the photoelectric effect led the students to the discovery of the mechanism of the working of a LED diode.…”

“…All these learning cycles focus on the active construction of meaningful knowledge and the stimulation of high levels of critical thinking skills. Experimental evidence shows that traditionally instructed first-year undergraduates in Engineering continue to experience difficulties on dualism wave-particles and, in general, in Modern Physics topics [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. The origin of these difficulties may be related to epistemology -their view of scientific knowledge -or to concepts -residual conceptual lacks -or both [18].…”