A kind of "What if we tried this?" Approach to Learning Physics

Une approche de l'apprentissage de la physique du type "Et si on essayait ça ?"

Javier Toro, Simple Science Education Co.

Track: Learning experience design/ Volet: Conception des expériences d’apprentissage

Type: Innovative teaching, technology or design technique:

Name of the innovation: Simple Science

Type of innovation: Teaching

How the innovation works:

A kind of "What if we tried this?" approach is proposed to a) introduce fundamental concepts and b) develop problem-solving skills. In this approach, students are presented with a sequence of guiding questions, each of which builds on the previous one, for them to answer. An answer to each question is provided for students to compare with their own. Students end up providing a statement on the concept explored or an answer to the problem initially posed.

How to apply the technique:

Students are given an introductory presentation of the concept to be explored or problem to be solved. Students are then asked a series of questions on which they have to reflect and give an answer. One question is asked at a time. Students can then compare their answer with the answer previously prepared by the teacher so that they can check the weaknesses and strengths of their answers. Students should also have the opportunity to reflect on why the question was asked. 

Extending the technology acceptance model to explore K-12 pre-service teachers’ intentions to use augmented reality (AR) tools in mathematics teaching.

Ji Yae Bong, Concordia University; Hunhui Na, Florida State University; Danielle Van Patter, Ana Victoria Balderas, Samira Karim, Concordia University; and Naemeh Sajadi, the Ministry of Education, Iran

Track: Institutional technology/ Volet: La technologie institutionnelle

Type: Research presentation

Rationale for the study:

This study will examine the K-12 pre-service teachers’ intentions to use AR technology and attitudes toward using AR technology for teaching mathematics based on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis et al., 1989) using an online survey instrument. The TAM and its various extensions have been used to understand how users come to accept and use a given technology in diverse contexts. The model suggests that there are a number of factors that influence the users’ intentions and attitudes toward using technology. This study will include the factors from the original TAM model (i.e., perceived ease-of-use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU)) and other factors from the extended TAM models (e.g., AR app apprehensiveness, perceived behavior of control, perceived enjoyment). 

This study will fill a gap in the literature related to using AR in K-12 learning contexts by extending the TAM. The findings would also be useful to understand the diverse groups of pre-service teachers’ technology acceptance for their teaching and student learning.

Research questions:

1. What factors influence pre-service teachers’ intentions to use AR technology and attitudes toward using AR technology for teaching mathematics? 

2. How do these factors impact pre-service teachers’ intentions to use AR technology and attitudes toward using AR technology for teaching mathematics? 

3. To what extent do these factors influence pre-service teachers’ intentions to use AR technology and attitudes toward using AR technology for teaching mathematics?

Methodology:

The participants are pre-service teachers in universities in Canada. They will complete an extended TAM questionnaire that includes measures of technology use (2 items), AR app apprehensiveness (2 items), perceived ease of use (7 items), perceived usefulness (6 items), behavioral intention (3 items), attitude toward use (6 items), perceived behavior of control (5 items), and perceived enjoyment (4 items) along with the demographic questions and three open-ended questions. This questionnaire was adapted from the studies of Fussell and Truong (2021); Iqbal and Sidhu (2021); Lau and Woods (2008); Pittalis (2021); and Reinhart and Banister (2009). The five-point Likert scales (from 1, strongly disagree, to 5, strongly agree) will be used. This data collection will be conducted during March 2022. Descriptive statistics, ANCOVA, factor analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM) will be used to analyze data.

References:

Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. 

Davis, F. D., Bagozzi, R. P. & Warshaw, P. R. (1989). User acceptance of computer technology: a comparison of two theoretical models. Management Science, 35, 982–1003. 

Fussell, S.G., & Truong, D. (2021). Using virtual reality for dynamic learning: an extended technology acceptance model. Virtual Reality. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-021-00554-x

Iqbal J., & Sidhu M.S. (2021) Augmented reality-based dance training system: A study of its acceptance. In: Salvendy G., Wei J. (eds) Design, Operation and Evaluation of Mobile Communications. HCII 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 12796. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77025-9_19 

Lau, S., & Woods, P. (2008). Understanding learner acceptance of learning objects: The roles of learning object characteristics and individual differences. British Journal of Educational Technology. 40(6). 1059 - 1075. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00893.x

Pittalis, M. (2021). Extending the technology acceptance model to evaluate teachers’ intention to use dynamic geometry software in geometry teaching. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 52(9), 1385-1404. 

Reinhart, R., & Banister, S. (2009, March). Validating a measure of teacher technology integration. In Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 1134-1140). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).

Remote Science Inquiry Instruction

Patrick Wells, Karen Goodnough, Saiqa Azam, and Gerald Galway, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Track: Evidence-based practices in teaching/ Volet: Pratiques de l'enseignement fondées sur des preuves 

Type: Research presentation:

Rationale for the study:

This study will examine a hands-on lab conducted by students in remote locations, at home, and in schools, with remote guidance and support by teachers. Remote science inquiry instruction (RSII) employs remote technology to manage and support students as they collect data to answer questions as part of confirmation, structured or guided inquiry (Banchi & Bell, 2008). The RSII of this study was a structured inquiry that examined motion on an inclined plane and required the students to use the LabPro® and Motion Sensor 2®of Vernier Inc. (https://www.vernier.com/). This case study is unique and fills a literature gap by reporting situation-specific and contextual factors for a remote high school science inquiry lesson.

Research questions:

What teacher learning results from conducting remote science inquiry instruction? 

What student outcomes result during the enactment of a remote inquiry using Vernier technology?

Methodology:

A 5-member lesson study group developed the motion on an inclined plane investigation over 14 weeks. This naturalistic investigation is a case study (Stake, 1995) where the case is the teachers and students conducting the RSII lesson (the research lesson of the lesson study). Using RSII, two teachers conducted the motion on an inclined plane investigation with students located in remote sites in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District consented to our remote research and the research protocols were approved by ICEHR of Memorial University.

References:

Banchi, H, and Bell, R. (2008). "The many levels of inquiry." Science and children 46(2), 26-30. 

Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Sage.