Using PhET™ interactive simulation plate tectonics for initial teacher education

Abstract

Abstract. Using digital educational resources (DERs) in science education is an effective way of promoting students' content knowledge of complex natural processes. This work presents the usage of the digital educational resource CreativeLab_Sci&Math | Plate Tectonics, designed for exploring the PhET™ Plate Tectonics simulator, in the context of the education of pre-service teachers (PSTs) in Portugal. The performance of the PSTs was analysed based on the five tasks into which the DER was organized. Results show that the DER contributed to the successful achievement of the following learning outcomes for PSTs: describing the differences between the oceanic crust and continental crust regarding temperature, density, composition and thickness, associating the plate tectonic movements with their geological consequences, and identifying the plate tectonic movements that cause the formation of some geological structures. Results also show that PSTs considered the PhET™ Plate Tectonics simulator a contributor to their learning about plate tectonics.

Identifying key features of digital elements used during online science practicals

“…Registered users gain access to teaching materials. The design of the simulations has been tested and proven effective (58)(59)(60)(61). The web resource was mentioned 16 times in our survey, typically gained overall rating 5, and positive rating in pedagogical suitability.…”