Challenges in addressing student difficulties with time-development of two-state quantum systems using a multiple-choice question sequence in virtual and in-person classes

Research-validated clicker questions as instructional tools for formative assessment are relatively easy to implement and can provide effective scaffolding when developed and implemented in a sequence. We present findings from the implementation of a research-validated Clicker Question Sequence (CQS) on student understanding of the time-development of two-state quantum systems. This study was conducted in an advanced undergraduate quantum mechanics course for two consecutive years in virtual and in-person classes. The effectiveness of the CQS discussed here in both modes of instruction was determined by evaluating students’ performance after traditional lecture-based instruction and comparing it to their performance after engaging with the CQS.

The ability to solve physics problems in symbolic and numeric representations

The aim of this study is to analyze the ability of students to solve the problems of linear motion kinematics expressed in symbolic and numeric representation. Research was survey with cross-sectional design. Research subjects included 26 first year undergraduate students in physics at one of the State Universities in Malang which was consisted of 10 men and 16 women. The research instrument was open-ended test of linear motion kinematics problems expressed in symbolic and numeric representations with a reability of 0,807 The research data were analyzed using descriptive and non-parametric inferential statistics. The results showed that the ability of students to solve linear motion kinematics problems in both symbolic and numeric representation was medium. Students had difficulty solving physical problems in both symbolic and numeric representations. It was also found that the problems of linear motion kinematics in symbolic representations were more difficult for students to solve than numeric representations. The study suggested further research to explore the causes of student difficulties more authentically, e.g. by interviewing or thinking aloud.

Trends for Business Education Post COVID-19

COVID-19 has brought about tremendous changes in all occupations. Education in general and business education, in particular, is no exception. In the normal course, business education entailed students being on the campus as the courses are full-time residential with physical attendance to enable interaction and discussion. With COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions, the usual way of doing business is disrupted. Hence, by adopting systematic literature with grounded approach, the aim of this chapter is to understand the disruptions, faculty, and student difficulties and sketch out the future trends in business education post COVID-19.

Should we teach free-body diagrams before or after Newton’s Laws?

There are two interesting lesson sequences for teaching force and motion in high-school physics. These are teaching free-body diagrams before Newton’s laws (FbN) and teaching Newton’s laws before free-body diagrams (NbF). Both sequences were found in physics textbooks. Different authors adopted the sequence that they believe it would affect student understanding better. However, some physics experts did not agree with this. It is therefore interesting to know if we should teach with the FbN or NbF sequence. This motivates us to study the effect of such lesson sequences on student understanding of force and motion. The sample group was grade-10 students from two physics courses in 2020. One course was taught with the FbN sequence (29 students) and the other with the NbF sequence (34 students). Their understanding was evaluated by using an assessment test which consisted of three parts including (1) Newtonian concept, (2) problem solving, and (3) free-body diagrams. The result shows that for the Newtonian concept part, the average scores are 11% for the FbN and 13% for the NbF sequence. The average scores of the problem-solving part are 13% and 9% and those of the free-body diagram part are 41% and 48% for the FbN and NbF sequences, respectively. The scores of all parts between the two sequences were not significantly different. In addition, student difficulties found in all parts were similar. However, a larger number of students who could provide the equation of motion (F = ma) in the problem-solving part was found in the FbN sequence. We might conclude that teaching free-body diagrams before or after Newton’s laws did not affect student understanding in the topic of force and motion. Detail of student difficulties in both sequences will be further discussed.

EFL Student Difficulties of Online Learning During Coronavirus Pandemic at IAIN Langsa

This research was aimed to find out the EFL students’ difficulties and psychological impact of online learning during coronavirus (COVID-19 ) at IAIN Langsa. This research used a qualitative approach. Documentation and interview were used to collect the data in this research. The subject of this research was EFL students of the English education department at the sixth-semester students of IAIN Langsa. The result of this research showed that the students encountered several difficulties in learning online consisting of; Internet data, internet connection, difficulties in doing assignments, intrusion, lack of experience in using technology, comprehending the lesson of EFL and interaction between students and lecturer. On the other hand, the psychological impact of online learning encountered by the students such as; frustration and feeling sadness

Investigating student understanding of a heat engine: a case study of a Stirling engine

We report on the study of student difficulties regarding a heat engine in the context of a Stirling cycle by the method of measurement. An in-class test about a Stirling engine with a regenerator was taken by three classes, and the students were asked to perform one of the most basic activities—calculate the efficiency of the heat engine. Our data indicate that quite a few students have not developed a robust conceptual understanding of basic engineering knowledge of the heat engine. Notably, the error ratio of the class given a simple tutorial of engineering knowledge is smaller than those of the other two classes by more than 20%. In addition, both the written answers and post-test interviews show that most of the students cannot associate Carnot’s theorem with a Stirling cycle. Our results suggest that both scientific and engineering knowledge are important and should be included in instructional approaches, especially in the thermodynamics course taught in the countries and regions with a tradition of not paying much attention to experimental education or engineering training.

Dilematis Antara Kesulitan Siswa Dengan Guru Dalam Pembelajaran Daring Pada Masa Pandemic Covid-19: Sebuah Upaya Aksidental MTs. Muhammadiyah Wuring

The purpose of this study was to determine students' difficulties in online learning and to determine the efforts of teachers in overcoming student difficulties in online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. The method used in this research is a descriptive qualitative approach by describing the teacher's efforts in overcoming student difficulties in online learning during the Covid-19 period at MTs. Muhammadiyah Wuring. This study uses data collection techniques, namely observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of this study can be seen from several student difficulties in online learning such as a) absence of 4G networks, b) reduced income c), assignment methods and d) absence of Android phones. The teacher's efforts in overcoming student difficulties in online learning such as a) assignment methods, b) providing motivation, c) providing advice, d) providing online explanations, e) installing Wifi. By knowing the various difficulties of students and the efforts of teachers in overcoming student difficulties in online learning, researchers hope that all of us, especially schools, teachers, parents, and the government to make input in the future.

The Design of Augmented Reality-Based Synectic Model Device in Writing Short Stories

A Short story is a miniature of people's experience while the characters, plot, and setting aim to record imaginative events (Stanton, 2017). When making up story ideas, students have problems developing story facts such as plot, characters, and settings (Sayuti, 2006). This barrier emerged conflicts that were unevenly distributed across all stages of the course. The direct characterization employed in storytelling made the short stories less varied. The physical and setting depicted did not work out optimally. The advantage of using the synectic model is that it can allow students to look for and makeup concepts to describe objects through an analogy process. Augmented Reality allows users to interact with an object's interface and see it in a well-designed and attractive 3D format, so it can solve student difficulties in developing story ideas in writing short stories.

Professional Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Expectations of Pre-Service Teachers Regarding Scientific Reasoning and Diagnostics

Understanding and knowledge of scientific reasoning skills is a key ability of pre-service teachers. In a written survey (open response format), biology and chemistry pre-service teachers (n = 51) from two German universities claimed central decisions or actions school students have to perform in scientific reasoning in the open inquiry instruction of an experiment. The participants’ answers were assessed in a quality content analysis using a rubric system generated from a theoretical background. Instruments in a closed response format were used to measure attitudes towards the importance of diagnostics in teacher training and the domain-specific expectations of self-efficacy. The pre-service teacher lacked pedagogical (didactics) content knowledge about potential student difficulties and also exhibited a low level of content methodological (procedural) knowledge. There was no correlation between the knowledge of student difficulties and the approach to experimenting with expectations of self-efficacy for diagnosing student abilities regarding scientific reasoning. Self-efficacy expectations concerning their own abilities to successfully cope with general and experimental diagnostic activities were significantly lower than the attitude towards the importance of diagnostics in teacher training. The results are discussed with regard to practical implications as they imply that scientific reasoning should be promoted in university courses, emphasising the importance of understanding the science-specific procedures (knowing how) and epistemic constructs in scientific reasoning (knowing why).