We investigate the multilingual and multimodal performance of a large language model-based artificial intelligence (AI) system, GPT-4o, using a diverse set of physics concept inventories spanning multiple languages and subject categories. The inventories, sourced from the PhysPort website, cover classical physics topics such as mechanics,…

The problem here dealt with concerns physics education, and specifically the concept of force. The idea behind this research is that a historical approach to the teaching of such a notion is of great help for the students to fully understand the meaning of this basic physical magnitude. For, most of scientific concepts can be better grasped by the…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Qualitative Methods in PER: A Critical Examination.] Epistemic beliefs about physics are most often investigated using quantitative instruments that reflect binary conceptualizations of those beliefs. This study reports from a qualitative study which used continua to represent the epistemic beliefs…

The increasing availability of digital tools in science classrooms can provide students with more frequent and easier access to large amounts of data. Large data sets have considerable epistemological potential, as they enable, for instance, the observation of otherwise unobservable phenomena, but it must be assumed that handling them places…

In introductory texts, some "special" rays are selected to draw the image produced by lenses and mirrors. After teaching special rays, students usually ask how to draw an arbitrary ray. One method for drawing an arbitrary ray is the "tilted principal axis." As an example, the tracing of an arbitrary ray in diverging lens is…

One of the methods in blended learning is case-based learning, which focuses on problem-solving through analyzing real case studies. This research aims to generate creative scientific ideas through creative scientific assignments by implementing Case-Based Blended Learning supported by Digital Mind Mapping. This exploratory research examines how…

In 1981 I published a note on "Balancers" as part of a series of illustrations drawn from 19th-century physics texts. Some months later a wonderful present arrived from a physics teacher in Japan, showing the range of our journal. This was the Horse and Rider Balancer in Fig. 1 that was just like the woodcut in my note. The little…

Numerosity perception has been studied for at least 150 years and its psychophysics have been well characterized by experimental work. However, the origins of many of its key properties remain obscure. For instance, people estimate the numerosity of small sets (up to four) much more rapidly and accurately than larger sets; people tend to…

We aim to graphically analyze the depth of conceptual understanding behind the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) responses of students, focusing on three questions (questions 1, 15, and 28). In our study, we created and implemented subquestions to clarify and quantify the students' reasoning steps in reaching their responses to the original FCI…

Diagrams are ubiquitous in physics, especially in physics education and physics problem solving. Physics problem solvers may generate diagrams to orient to a scenario, to organize information, to directly obtain an answer, or as a tool of communication. In this study, we asked 19 undergraduate and graduate physics majors to answer 18…

Contribution: Visual maps that illustrate how mathematics, physics, and electrical engineering classes are connected to each other during the first two years of the electrical engineering curriculum were developed. Key terminology and differences in presentation between fields are discussed. Background: Experience has shown that engineering…

Possibly the greatest irony of physics education is the difficulty of demonstrating optics in a visible way. The two most common solutions to this conundrum are to either use "all-inclusive" optical apparatuses, like a large-format camera, or to rely on classic ray-tracing diagrams. While the former looks elegant while demonstrating the…

Contribution: An innovative approach utilizing interactive software paired with stereoscopic projection hardware is introduced to enhance the teaching and learning of solid-state physics. This method is distinctive for its integration of complex 3-D visualizations directly into classroom instruction, facilitating a deeper understanding of abstract…

In one of the Faraday's experiments an electric current is induced in a conducting loop when a magnet in front of it moves towards or away from the loop. While the direction of circulation of the electric current in the loop has only two options, it depends on three experimental conditions that generate eight cases. Even though the Faraday law or…

Science textbooks often include text and diagrams to aid learner understanding. Yet traditional written instructions in textbooks often separate them, which can increase cognitive load and hinder effective learning. This research proposes and tests a novel presentational format for written instruction that incorporates spatial contiguity, numbered…