Munirah Shaik Kadir

In this paper, we focus on students’ understanding of the concepts relating to buoyancy: namely, (a) the level of displaced liquid as being dependent on the volume of the object that is submerged in it, and (b) density as a characteristic property of a material which is unaffected by its size. The study used a pretest-posttest control group design. The students were secondary one (grade 7) students. Due to limitation of time, the data in this paper were derived from analysing two classes (N = 72) out of six in the experimental group which experienced the PbI1@School curriculum, and two classes (N=80) out of five in the control group which were taught using the traditional approach. We used two pretests to probe students’ preconceptions of the two concepts (a) and (b) stated above. The common preconceptions identified from students’ answers in the pretests include: the idea that mass and/or weight of the object and the depth at which an already completely immersed object is placed below the surface of the liquid affect the level of displaced liquid. Another common preconception is the idea that the mass/weight of the object determines its buoyancy (i.e. whether it will sink or float). From the reasoning seen in their responses, it was clear that many students, prior to instruction, were not able to distinguish between the concepts of mass, weight, volume and density. Results from our analysis showed the effectiveness of the adapted inquiry-based materials and instruction in developing student conceptual understanding. A good understanding of the common student preconceptions and how instruction can be designed and facilitated to help students resolve their preconceptions to better learn the concepts would be beneficial to physics teachers in secondary school.

This paper reports on crucial factors that could influence students’ learning of Physics at three different stages of their lives: 1) lower secondary school, 2) post-secondary school or tertiary education, and 3) career. A sample of 275 secondary 1 students in a school in Singapore responded to several survey items on a six-point scale (from disagree strongly to agree strongly). The factors derived from the survey items include students’ interest, self-efficacy, competence, and parents’ expectations as internal and external factors, which may influence outcomes such as engagement, future educational aspiration, and career aspiration in physics. By determining the influencing factors and the seriousness of the implications, educators and parents could play their role effectively in cultivating the necessary characteristics in students for their optimum benefit.

The science curriculum in Singapore promotes innovation in teaching and learning to encourage children to develop curiosity and the spirit of inquiry. It hopes to build the development of thinking and reflection into the everyday classroom processes and sets to understand the complexities and relate learning to application and alternatives. The end goal is pupils who enjoy and value science. In the area of physics, pupils find it difficult to enjoy and appreciate the subject because they are intimidated by the terminologies, calculations and concepts that require higher- order thinking. Teachers are always looking for new ways to make physics more appealing to the pupils. Past research has shown that when pupils play with concrete models and toys, it arouses curiosity and interest because it is a fun learning experience. Curricula in early childhood education programs throughout the world are built around play because young children respond very well to it and play has shown to contribute to the many aspects of a child’s psychological development. If the level of difficulty of the play activities is raised for older pupils, will play still be a stimulant for their learning and will the learning be effective? Will the pupils respond well to play or find the play experience too childish? These are some of the questions and concerns that have been addressed in the study. This paper reveals how the “play-n-learn” approach was implemented on a group of secondary three pure physics pupils and their response to the experience.

Students come to formal science instruction with prior ideas or preconceptions concerning natural objects and events. Preconceptions serve as a platform from which students interpret their world. In most cases, preconceptions differ from scientific notions and if they are not confronted in formal instruction, a diverse set of unintended learning outcomes and alternative conceptions occur. In this paper, we report on some of our findings on secondary one express stream students’ ability to solve problems on speed before intervention, as well as students’ performance after intervention. These findings were a part of our 3-year PbI1@School study, which is an on-going research project with an autonomous school in Singapore, to develop and validate effective inquiry-based classroom materials and instruction for secondary one students in the Singapore science classrooms. We attempt to answer the following research questions in this paper: 1. Are the students able to make calculations involving ‘average speed’? 2. Are students able to represent speed in terms of a strobe diagram? Our pre-tests findings revealed that even though most of the students (73%) were able to use the formula for speed and perform the calculations involving average speed correctly, their level of understanding of speed as “distance per unit time” remain questionable as they had problems representing speed in terms of position drawings in a strobe diagram, with only 5% success rate. The findings from the pre-tests have guided our research team in coming up with a curriculum package that comprise hands-on activities, follow-up sessions, classroom activities and homework. The positive post-test results from the 2011 intervention have motivated the research team to share our intervention strategies with more schools in Singapore and even educators around the world.

Studies indicate primary school students' interest and attitudes towards science decline as they progress into the secondary years. Experience shows that Singapore students are no exception. Knowing these students’ perceptions of science and understanding of science concepts should help in developing pedagogical approaches and lesson packages that will address the decline. Therefore, in our on-going study data are collected from students of six secondary one classes in a school in Singapore to learn of their views of science, reasons for liking or disliking science and their understanding of the topics in the science curriculum before and after instruction. This is done for a range of physics topics in their science syllabus. In this paper, we report the preliminary findings on the topic “Forces at Work” consisting of two sub-topics, ‘Moment of Force’ and ‘Work Done’. We group our findings into three main categories, ‘Students’ Perceptions’, ‘Students’ Preconceptions’ and ‘Students’ understanding of concepts’. Among the early findings are 1) students are confused between the two concepts of ‘Moment of Force’ and ‘Work Done’ 2) students are concerned about having to memorize a lot of information and solve many quantitative problems 3) students prefer to be given opportunities to carry out experiments as a means of verifying physics concepts to theory lessons where information is passed on to them verbally, and 4) students are good at using keywords as reasoning without actually understanding what they mean. This study surfaces key issues in understanding these young students’ learning journeys in the world of science. As such, the results from this research can guide curriculum development. We will be developing a curriculum that take into account these research results and the constraints of the school.

Physics by Inquiry (PbI) by the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington is a research-validated self-contained, laboratory-based curriculum designed to help teachers teach physics in a way that engages students in the process of science. But could the success of the PbI curriculum and approach for teacher reparation be transferred to effective learning of physics for the secondary students in our local context? This paper describes our attempt to do so in the research project PbI1@School. It outlines the development and trial implementation of a guided inquiry curriculum and approach adapted from PbI for delivering lessons on Speed and Density in the secondary one science classroom in Singapore. The 3-year project to be done in three phases take into account factors such as the existing syllabus content, the availability of time, identified student learning difficulties from specially-designed pre-tests, students’ and teachers’ experiences in learning and teaching by inquiry, and school resources. The paper also discusses the challenges and modifications made to the pilot curriculum package to support the research site school’s effort to implement the curriculum package for all its 11 secondary one classes with about 440 students.

Objectives This study explores the experiences and coping strategies of secondary students as they engaged in learning activities during the pandemic. It investigated the sources of student stress during the pandemic, and the extent to which the pandemic influenced the stress that they usually experience. Method Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit details of the students’ lived experiences as they navigated learning via an online platform, their coping strategies in managing stress. Results With regards to academic experiences, many students found online learning challenging and ineffective and were concerned about their examinations. Under social experiences, many students shared that they missed social and recreational activities during the “circuit breaker”. However, some students demonstrated resilience and were able to see the benefits of going through the pandemic. More students reported academic-related than social-related stress. The students coped with stress in three ways: (1) disengagement, (2) taking active steps and (3) turning to others. Conclusion Academic concerns were a major source of distress among adolescents. Insights that were drawn from the results of the study can be utilized to support students in managing stress and mitigate its adverse effects on student learning and functioning. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) The pandemic has a more serious impact on adolescents’ mental health and emotional well-being and many adolescents experience anxiety during this period. (2) Positive reappraisal, strengths use and emotional processing are some strategies used by adolescents to cope with stress during the pandemic. What this topic adds: (1) Although many students found online learning stressful and ineffective, some students in this study had meaningful and positive experiences during the period when they had online lessons at home. (2) Despite the challenges, some students demonstrated resilience and were even able to see the benefits arising from going through the pandemic. Others appreciated spending more time with their family members. (3) Adolescents coped with stress experienced during the pandemic in three ways: (1) disengagement, (2) taking active steps and (3) turning to others.

Studies of students’ perceptions and performance using the play-n-learn methods in Physics education are extremely scarce.

Research done on the effects of play on learning were mostly done on younger children below ten years of age. Studies have shown that play do have a significant role in the mental development and learning skills of a young child. Does play still have its benefits to learning when it comes to older, teenaged students?

This study was undertaken to examine secondary three students’ perceptions and performance in a play-n-learn physics workshop. The workshop employed play-nlearn strategies in the learning of Physics. The objectives of this study are to explore

(i) whether play experience in using hands-on kits enhances learning,
(ii) whether structured and free play promotes the acquisition of some Physics concepts,
(iii) gender differences in response to the play-n-learn workshop, and
(iv) the differences in the performance of high, middle and low ability students after experiencing the play-n-learn workshop.

The study employs the descriptive method of research and uses a survey approach to collect the data.

Questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 100 secondary three students in the express stream who read Pure Physics in the secondary school curriculum. A pre- play questionnaire was distributed to them before they experienced a two- hour play-n-learn workshop where they were given free and structured play experiences. A post-play questionnaire was given at the end of the workshop experience.

The research instruments explored the following areas:

● Content knowledge of physics concepts on four topics (both pre and post play);
● Students’ perceptions of the play-n- learn workshop experience (post play) which included motivational input from play towards the learning of physics.

The response of the surveys came from the entire sample population of 100 students. This comprises 31% of the secondary three student population – that is, 7% of the total student population in the school.

The main results of the investigations show that the students felt that learning physics through the play-n-learn workshop was fun and interesting and that they learned easily by playing with hands-on kits. They enjoyed playing in groups and preferred learning physics through the play-n-learn workshop than just theory lessons. The students also mentioned that they preferred structured play to free play because they learnt better when they have worksheets to guide them through the learning processes of the play activities.

The video footages taken of the workshop clearly showed the students’ excitement and joy as they explored the play kits. There were many constructive discussions going on among them as they figured out the physics concepts behind the play. The students looked relaxed and there was much laughter heard during the workshop.

An analysis of the performance of the students also looks promising, with 85% of the students getting more marks in their physics MCQ test after experiencing the play- n-learn workshop.

The results of this study has provided interesting insights into the way in which secondary school students respond to play and made us educators understand one of the settings in which they enjoyed learning and acquiring Physics concepts.

It is hoped the results obtained in this study, the resultant concepts drawn and recommendations proposed will be useful to MOE curriculum planners, Physics teachers and researchers in education.

We report our research findings on Singaporean student understandings of a topic in modern physics – the photoelectric effect, discuss the possible basis of their understanding, and suggest ways to improve their understanding of this topic. This on-going research involved four junior colleges (JC). The level of the treatment of this topic in JC is similar to that of an introductory undergraduate course. The research was done using pre-test, tutorial instruction and post-test on experimental and control groups in each JC. It was found that there is a significant improvement in the experimental group over the control group for both categories of questions i.e. conceptual questions which are less familiar to our students and questions which are typical of the GCE A-Level exams.