Proposal and Evaluation of Problem-based Experiments using Accelerated Motion Experiments Support Software

Abstract

The new Courses of Study requires that education methods be improved based on active learning. The Courses of Study for science education note the importance of problem-based learning (PBL), in which students perform their own observations and experiments, for increasing students' interest in science. In this paper, we propose problem-based experiments (PBEs), which are educational experiments that adopt the philosophy of PBL to promote students' interest in physics. In PBEs, students formulate hypotheses on problems given by their teacher, and then they test their hypotheses through independent activities such as performing measurements and calculations. Students can consider better ways to solve the problems based on their initial results. To assess the effectiveness of PBEs, we used support software to evaluate experiments on accelerated motion performed by high school students. According to the results of a comprehension test administered during the experiment, students had improved understanding of basic concepts and laws related to energy. Additionally, the results of a questionnaire given after the experiment showed that the PBE increased the interest of over 75% of the students in physics.