Emphasizing the Impact of Experiments in Physics Lessons – “Why, When, How Often?”

Abstract

Practical activities are an essential component of science teaching and learning. Nowadays the majority of school laboratories is well equipped with experimental devices and computer based experiment systems (Vernier, Pasco). The key question of our research is, whether using all this equipment make teaching physics more effective. The aim of the paper is to discuss the efficiency of laboratory work and experiments provided by teachers so as by learners at various types of schools. Physics is an experimental science and laboratory work is the most important way how to verify the theoretical concepts. Students so as researchers must have an opportunity to judge their ideas. What strategies within the use of experiments we need to develop or enrich students´ scientific knowledge? Examples how to design learning outcomes of hands on experiments so as computer based experiments in the content of school curricula will be presented.