Learning Gains with the Newton's Third Law Open Source Tutorial in Austrian High Schools

Abstract

In her MS thesis, the first author researched the use of the Newton's Third Law Open Source Tutorial in Austrian high schools in order to see if students achieve a better conceptual understanding of the physics concepts, compared to traditional instruction. The research was carried out in nine classes from three different schools (a total of 240 students). Pre-post testing was done with a "Force-Test" that included the Force Concept Inventory's Third Law dimension. All classes had already had their lessons in mechanics by the time of the pre-test. Therefore, the pre-tests results presented a good picture of what students had learned with traditional instruc-tion. Between pre- and post-tests stu-dents had their normal classes with traditional instruc-tion, which did not include mechanics, and only one 50-minute intervention with the Open Source Tutorial on Newton's third law. Subsequently they had the post-test, which showed what they learned with the tutorial. The results' analysis shows an evident gain on concep-tual understanding of Newton's third law's concepts (g-factor=0,45). The survey also indi-cated that these concepts actually made sense to the students: many of them had recon-ciled their intuitive ideas with the correct scientific concepts.