We describe the design and implementation of a teaching-learning sequence that was started before the lockdown and was then transformed for distance teaching. A backward design approach was adopted in order to identify clear learning outcomes. The activities were outlined according to an inquiry-based learning paradigm, referring to research-based…

A video is taken of a road-sign mirage from the passenger seat in a car traveling at constant speed on a highway. The video spans the duration of seeing the mirage of the sign, viewing the vanishing of the mirage as the car approaches, and passing the road sign. The mirage angle, defined as the angle with respect to the horizontal at the moment…

Effective teaching of physics requires the use of well-designed and diversified instructional tools such as multimedia throughout the teaching and learning process. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Physics Educational Technology (PhET) simulations and YouTube videos to improve the learning of optics in…

The target of this study is to determine the minimum angle of deviation of a prism which is one of the optical experiments. Thus, the aim is to state the refractive index of a prism. In this context, the Tracker program, which might also be utilized in terms of distance education purposes, was preferred. The videos of the experiments were recorded…

The pandemic triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has produced worldwide interruptions of face-to-face teaching activity in both schools and universities. In Italy, the quarantine began in the second half of February 2020 and lasted for all the second semester of lectures. The University of Bologna, where all the authors of the present article are…

In the age of rapid technological advancements, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and large language models (LLMs) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has emerged as a transformative force, reshaping pedagogical approaches and assessment methodologies. "Uses of AI in STEM…

This paper is inspired from a scene in the movie "Memento" (2000), where the eyeglass prescription for a myopic eye can be estimated since the virtual image of a distant wall seen through the lens and a nearby actor outside the view of the lens are located at the same distance. The estimate illustrates that there are times when the power…

Students preparing to enter medical fields are required to take physics. To increase their interest in physics, a low-cost classroom medical activity is presented introducing them to the basics of endoscopic visualization and navigation. Incorporated in the activity are basic surgical techniques such as resection with single or multiple operators.…

This research aims to investigate the effect of guided inquiry laboratory activity with video embedded on students' understanding and students' motivation in learning lights and optics topic. The method used in this research was pre-experiment. The sampling technique used in this research was convenience sampling, and the samples were taken from…

In the current debate on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), the term is used to refer to the context-specific knowledge that teachers activate when reflecting on practice. Against the background of this debate, we conducted an empirical study and sought to answer the question of which knowledge experts and novices activated in assessing a…

This study aims to demonstrate how the average speed of a light-emitting toy car may be determined using a smartphone's light sensor. The freely available Android smartphone application, "AndroSensor," was used for the experiment. The classroom experiment combines complementary physics knowledge of optics and kinematics to find the…

Thanks to their sensors and the large number of apps available, smartphones can be used as a useful tool to carry out new laboratory experiments in physics. Such devices, very popular among young people, may be a successful approach to improve students' interest in the subject, particularly in a medical context. In addition to their small camera,…

The standard method to create dramatic color images in astrophotography is to record multiple black and white images, each with a different color filter in the optical path, and then tint each frame with a color appropriate to the corresponding filter. When combined, the resulting image conveys information about the sources of emission in the…

Since the invention and dissemination of domestic laser pointers, observing optical phenomena is a relatively easy task. Any student can buy a laser and experience at home, in a qualitative way, the reflection, refraction and even diffraction phenomena of light. However, quantitative experiments need instruments of high precision that have a…

Surprisingly colourful views are possible from sparkling white snow. It is well known that similarly colourful features can exist in the sky whenever appropriate ice crystals are around. However, the transition of light reflection and refraction from ice crystals in the air to reflection and refraction from those in snow on the ground is not…