The Effect of Using PhET in Changing Malaysian Students’ Attitude to Learning Physics in a Full Virtual Environment

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of physics inquiry learning using PhET Interactive Simulation on form four students’ attitudes toward physics in a fully virtual environment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. This quantitative study employed the Quasi-Experimental Design by administering the Attitude Toward Physics Lesson Scale (ATPLS). Fifty-nine form four students from a rural school located in Selangor, Malaysia, participated in this study. The control group (n1= 25) was taught in the standard thematic order as the usual teaching approach by the teacher during online lessons. In eight lessons, students only watched videos related to laboratory experiments that covered Gravitational Force, Newton’s Laws, and Gas Laws. Meanwhile, the experimental group (n2= 34) used the PhET Interactive Simulations as a treatment to explore the same topics. All test results underwent a normality test, homogeneity test, and hypothesis evaluation. The data in this study were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Findings revealed that PhET Interactive Simulation negatively impacts students’ attitudes towards physics inquiry learning during the full virtual online lessons. Further study is expected to pair PhET Interactive Simulation with other e-learning tools or platforms to provide better instant feedback and enhance students’ attitudes in physics inquiry learning.

Chemistry Teacher Reflections of Online Teaching Platforms in Malaysia Secondary Schools during COVID-19 Crisis

“…The authors suggested pairing PhET Interactive Simulation with other learning tools or platforms to provide better instant feedback and guidance to students. 28 Overall, this study demonstrated the potential of technology tools, student-centered pedagogy, and innovative teaching methods to overcome challenges in online chemistry teaching and improve students' engagement, learning outcomes, and interest in the subject. The findings suggest that with effective adaptation and exploration of suitable platforms and teaching approaches, chemistry teachers can achieve successful outcomes even in unstable and unpredictable situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…However, it is essential for teachers to evaluate the suitability of each platform for their specific teaching goals and consider the needs and preferences of their students. This is because recent study suggested that PhET Interactive Simulation might not be suitable to be applied during the entire virtual environment to enhance students’ attitudes in physics lessons due to personal matters, technical issues, school training lessons, and extraneous influences. The authors suggested pairing PhET Interactive Simulation with other learning tools or platforms to provide better instant feedback and guidance to students …”