Providing examples suitable for the children's world in the music education given to younger age groups may reinforce the knowledge to be taught. For this reason, cartoons can be utilized for an engaging and fun lesson environment. One of the best examples of this situation is believed to be the short cartoon series Silly Symphony produced by Walt…

This study investigated evidence of how students' mental models of fundamental kinematic relations evolved (i.e., developed cognitively over time) as observed during an introductory course in calculus-based classical mechanics. The core of the curriculum is based on a claim known as Galileo's principle of relativity. The course material comprised…

The family of paths of ideal projectiles shot from a point with a common value of speed and at different angles to the horizontal has several interesting properties associated with it. For example, Chapou et al. have shown that an ellipse passes through the apexes of these parabolic paths. This observation encouraged us to further explore this…

In high school, and also in introductory physics courses in higher levels of schooling, the law of universal gravitation of planets is introduced by postulating Johannes Kepler's three laws, and later Isaac Newton's law of the inverse of the square of the distance to the Sun. The justification of the laws is only achieved in advanced courses in…

It is widely accepted that nonverbal communication is crucial for learning, but the exact functions of interpersonal coordination between instructors and learners remain unclear. Specifically, it is unknown what role instructional approaches play in the coupling of physical motion between instructors and learners, and crucially, how such…

One of the contemporary trends in the development of physics teaching is its integration with computers. Introducing computers and microcontrollers into the teaching of physics opens up completely new possibilities for explaining different physical phenomena. Microcontrollers allow the experiment to be brought back to the focus of physics teaching…

In conversations about pedagogy, researchers often overlook how physical space and movement shape teacher sensemaking. This article offers a comparative case study of classroom videos using a dynamic visual method to map embodied interaction called "interaction geography." Our analysis proposes an integrative framework to study classroom…

Although the value of physical activity for physical and mental health is well accepted, benefits for learning are less clear. Research about the incorporation of physical activity in teaching practice and the benefits teachers perceive for student learning and behaviour is sparse. In the current study, Australian teachers (n = 222) completed an…

It can be a challenge to come up with simple demonstrations of circular motion and conservation of energy. One such demonstration consists of a large exercise ball, off of which a small solid ball is rolled. The small ball is coated in finger paint so, after an initial push, it rolls nearly without slipping and creates a visible track.

Newton's laws are essential for understanding causes and description of mechanical motion. Great attention is paid to them during physics education. Unfortunately, many students, not only in high school, but also undergraduates, can recite them but do not understand their essence. Therefore, it is useful to demonstrate different experiments in the…

We investigated whether congruent action while reading informational texts about physics improves science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) vocabulary learning and reading comprehension. Second- and third-grade Spanish-speaking children (N = 216) were randomly assigned to one of five conditions implementing forms of Embodied-Action or…

Ever increasing technological progress opens novel opportunities concerning educational activities, and the ability to use the technology effectively is one of the 21st century's most demanding skills. The Partnership Forum for 21st-Century Skills (P21) states that no organization can achieve satisfying results without using technology and…

Of the many disciplines that rely on calculus, physics is among those with the strongest connections to this branch of mathematics. For instance, the derivative--one of the key notions of calculus--is used to describe velocity and acceleration, which play a central role in mechanics. In post-secondary education, in particular at the college level,…

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate the robustness of the human movement effect and its stability over time by comparing the effectiveness of dynamic and static presentations on acquisition and retention of a gross motor skill. Methods: One hundred and seven first-year students studying for the certificate in Physical…

This quasi-experimental study was conducted in two secondary schools in a major city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to examine the impact of Computer Simulations (CSs) on students' learning of Newton's Second Law of Motion (NSLOM) in grade 11 compared to traditional face-to-face education. The study used Newton's Second Law of Motion…