Abstract:

Our aim in teaching is to motivate students to work independently or work in a small team. We want to support their critical thinking and the ability to solve assigned tasks.

Within the subject of the Experimental Method, we presented four topics as homework to students. Two topics are obligatory and two are voluntary, which means that instead of two suggested topics, students can choose their own homework. Mandatory tasks are the processing of statistical data and the calculation of π using the Monte Carlo method. Two voluntary tasks are the empirical verification of the mathematical pendulum formula and the construction of a simple viscometer.

Large discrepancies can be seen in the submitted protocols. Most students take proposed topics such as fixed; only few have the courage to choose their own theme. Although it is highlighted in lessons how exactly the protocol should look and what it should contain, it is possible to find imperfections even in the formal way.

Protocols processing is not an end in itself but forces students to think about their own work, the possibilities of errors and the search for the optimal solution. Without the students being aware, the protocols meet quite commonly, e.g. a manual for technical equipment, a recipe in the cookbook. By creating protocols, students are likely to encounter a future job when they will need to write a report about their work or progress. It is therefore crucial to them adequately explain the principle and sense-making protocols.

In the paper we analyse the quality of the submitted works, the differences in their elaboration and also the choice of the subjects of examination (objects on the pendulum, liquids in the viscometer). The evaluation of the individual work is done with the emphasis on further improving the teaching and improving the motivation of the students.

Keywords:

Experimental methods, protocols, evaluation, homework.