Enrollment year
2022/2023
Academic discipline
FIS/08 (DIDACTICS AND HISTORY OF PHYSICS)
Department
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS "FELICE CASORATI"
Curriculum
PERCORSO COMUNE
Period
1st semester (29/09/2022 - 13/01/2023)
Lesson hours
56 lesson hours
Language
Italian or English upon request (English friendly course - http://fisica.unipv.it/dida/English-friendly-programme.pdf)
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of mechanics, thermodynamics and electromagnetism, as provided by the courses of the Bachelor's degree in Physics and Mathematics.
Note: prerequisites of mathematics and physics acquired in the B.S. courses in life and earth sciences can be considered sufficient for the module of Prof. Malgieri
Learning outcomes
The course aims to introduce students to the use of the laboratory for the teaching/learning of physics by providing examples of innovative approaches, methods and tools. The course is aimed in particular to those students who intend to become teachers in secondary school.
Course contents
Module prof. Malgieri
Based on the results of Physics Education research, students are guided to design and develop lab experiences for high-school students. Methodological approaches to laboratory teaching are discussed, useful for both middle and high school contexts (more or less guided inquiry approaches, ISLE model, predict-observe-explain). Students acquire familiarity with both traditional and new teaching tools, such as Microcomputer Based Laboratory (MBL), video analysis tools (such as Tracker), simulation programs (i.e. Algodoo) and programs for multimedia and concept map construction. The course includes the presentation of a sequence of experiments, realizable with simple materials, which can complement an educational path on the greenhouse effect, with the objective of improving students’ environmental awareness (goal #13 of the 2030 Agenda). Students will be introduced to works and proposals from science education and history of physics research teams, all the while also considering the results of studies on spontaneous mental representations and conceptual change. Experiments are performed on different topics: mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism and introductory quantum physics.
Module prof. Montagna
In the course experiences, didactic approaches, experimental demonstrations are presented, which have been partly proposed in the context of didactic and outreach activities by the "Physics4Teenagers" group (https://fisicapaviaeducational.it/phys4teens). They are on various topics: fluid mechanics, optics, acoustics, nuclear physics and radioactivity, magnetism. All the experiences are suitable to be reproduced in the didactic field with easy and "poor" instrumentation and are introduced by appropriate theoretical considerations and framed in the context of teaching at the high school level.
Teaching methods
Laboratory work carried out by the students in groups of two or three. Students use worksheets, tutorials and interactive simulation environments.
Design and implementation of experiments and simulations by means of low cost materials and common tools such as smartphones.
Reccomended or required readings
Arnold B. Arons, Guida all'insegnamento della fisica, Zanichelli, 1992.
Ugo Besson, Didattica della fisica, Carocci editore, Roma, 2015
Matilde Vicentini e Michela Mayer, Didattica della fisica, La Nuova Italia, 1996.
Module prof. Montagna
Slides and other teaching materials on kiro platform
Assessment methods
Oral exam.
Module prof. Malgieri
Starting from the optional discussion of a “kitchen experiments” realized by the student as free project or based on a set of proposals by the teacher, the exam is aimed at testing the disciplinary knowledge acquired by the student and her/his skill in designing and carrying out experiments suitable for high school students.
Module prof. Montagna
Brief presentation of a teaching experience or an experimental demonstration on a topic of your choice (different from those proposed in the course), followed by a discussion about one or more experiences carried out in the course, starting from the relative reports.
Further information
Agenda 2030, goal #13
- Sustainable developement, climate change
Sustainable development goals - Agenda 2030
Università di Pavia - Offerta formativa