Abstract:

In science-related subjects namely Mathematics, Physics or Chemistry, teaching and learning are mainly based on the implementation of theoretical knowledge for problem solving, laboratory practices being the strategy used in this context. For most students, going to the laboratory is something appealing to them and induces to phenomenon observation and analysis, but may laboratory practices be a strategy to teach Physics? This approach has led us to conduct this research work, aimed at knowing the usefulness of Physics laboratory practices planned and developed by students of Physics for Computer Science in the degree in Computer Science and Engineering, offered by the School of Computer Science and Engineering at University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), on Albacete campus.

By means of this reflection, we intend to know whether laboratory practices are solely an activity as any other or an experience permitting the student to reinforce knowledge through the implementation of the theory taught in the lecture room. Moreover, when trying to involve the student as an experience performer, a critical thought is favoured, together with teamwork and troubleshooting. For this purpose, a perception survey on the use of Physics laboratory has been applied amongst students who carried out laboratory practices, then results have been corroborated with marks obtained in these practices and the final average mark.

It is proposed to assume laboratory practices as an experience and a strategy allowing to find and build knowledge in a critical and sensible scientific thinking, and not only as any other activity performed by the student. The development of approaches for Physics active teaching, particularly the implementation of laboratory practices, prompts lecturers to face new challenges, ranging from deciding aspects assessed by a rubric to designing and innovating in these practices.

The knowledge acquired in a laboratory experience is more than the command of a combination of measuring instruments, it is about generating questions and giving a response to them by means of a practical demonstration. As an innovation example in laboratory practices, we would like to allude to three electromagnetism practices that, from our point of view, are inexpensive and easy to be performed in the laboratory of any university, therefore these practices might be very helpful to lecturers in the field: Measurement of the magnetic field of small magnets with a smartphone: a very economical laboratory practice for introductory physics courses, Linear Quadrupole Magnetic Field Measured with a Smartphone, and An indirect measurement of the speed of light in a General Physics Laboratory.

Keywords:

Physics laboratory practice, innovation, laboratory experience, strategy, knowledge.