Abstract:

The Applied Physics curriculum at High Schools is often not perceived as a priority, let alone a preference, by students. Particularly, in those classes who are preparing for more professional practice oriented follow-up education this is the case, since their preconceptions are build on the idea that disciplines like mathematics and physics are too scientific and abstract to be of any real use in their later career practice. On top of that, the present Corona-Virus has forced high schools with intervals to close campuses and physical classes and to totally or partially substitute these by online classes, since the end of March of this year in the Netherlands. This double handicap has been the starting point of a research experiment at the Dordrecht Lyceum High School to see what strategies could be developed to turn these two -negative- trends into an opportunity to use the pandemic-period for innovation and stimulation of the Applied Physics curriculum in stead. An experiment has been created, in which alternative approaches for the solution of physics' problems and questions were the starting point. Particularly, applying Dimension Analysis theory to solve these problems in an alternative way, by avoiding complicated formulas and abstract thinking, has been at the basis of a new solution’ approach, the “Dimension method”. To test the new approach in an online context, next to the educational design research theory useful insights could be integrated from blended learning and serious game theory into the experiment. Based upon this, new curriculum design criteria and a new curriculum lay-out could be formulated regarding the Dimension alternative approach versus standard approaches to solve physics' problems. The new curriculum could be tested in a HAVO 3 class, consisting of 29 pupils, during a period of a month, using best online practices, including intensified personal supervision, intensified learning via exercises, the application of dedicated serious game tools and special exams. The findings show that a relevant group of the students adopted and perceived the educational innovations in a positive way. However, to extend this to the whole group of students and other schools in the Netherlands further optimisation of the curriculum will be needed. These next rounds of redesign are envisaged to not only further optimise the new methods contents wise, but also to make even better use of the recent lessons of online learning for Applied Physics education at the High School mid-level.

References:
[1] Brezet, E.A. (2020) Applied Physics Innovation for High Schools - an online experiment at Dordrecht Lyceum Netherlands. Jac. P. Thijsse College, Castricum, The Netherlands.
[2] Akker, J. van den, Curricular Development Research as a Specimen of Educational Research. In: SLO, Enschede, 2013
[3] Berliner, D.C., Educational Research: The Hardest Science of All. In: Educational Reseaarcher, Vol. 31, No. 8, pp. 18-20, 2002 Hrastinski, S., What do we mean by Blended Learning? In: TechTrends, 2019
[4] Plomp, T. & N. Nieveen (eds.), Educational Design Research. Part A. SLO, Enschede, 2013

Keywords:

Applied Physics, High Schools, Innovation, Corona Virus, Dimension Analysis, Online learning.