A total of 2,338 students at German universities participated in a survey, which investigated media usage patterns of so-called traditional and non-traditional students (Schuetze & Wolter, 2003). The students provided information on the digital devices that they own or have access to, and on their usage of media and e-learning tools and services for their learning. A distinction was made between external, formal and internal, informal tools and services.

Based on the students’ responses, a typology of media usage patterns was established by means of a latent class analysis (LCA). Four types or profiles of media usage patterns were identified. These types were labeled entertainment users, peripheral users, advanced users and instrumental users. Among non-traditional students, the proportion of instrumental users was rather high. Based on the usage patterns of traditional and non-traditional students, implications for media selection in the instructional design process are outlined in the paper.

The internet has developed into an important source of knowledge in recent times. It is used not just for engaging and entertaining users, but also for promoting language learning, especially for English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL and EFL) learners spending long hours using internet, 85% of all web pages are in English. This experimental research investigated EFL learners’ experiences of vocabulary learning while surfing and text processing. In this small-scale study, two homogeneous groups of EFL learners )N=19(, after taking a vocabulary test to ensure that their vocabulary knowledge differences were not significant, were randomly assigned to attend Interchange 3 class in two different groups – one as the Experimental and the other as the Control Group. Each session, there was a free discussion on special topics; while the Experimental Group surfed the internet, processed the online texts, shared and discussed their findings and beliefs on the internet, the Control Group did not use the internet and simply shared their opinions and discussed their personal beliefs. The results of the vocabulary pre- and post-tests indicated that the “internet users” significantly outperformed the “non-internet users”, that is, the Control Group. Based on the findings, internet creates a stimulating environment which helps learners effectively boost their vocabulary knowledge.

This article reports on an exploratory study of giving medals as part of a peer rating system in a question-and-answer (Q&A) study group on Python, a programming language. There are no professional teachers tutoring learners. The study aimed to understand whether and how medals, awarded to responses in a peer-based learning environment, can work as a mechanism to assess the value of those responses when traditional markers of expertise are not always clearly defined and identifiable. Employing a mixed-method approach, the analysis examined (a) the content of the answers that were awarded medals and their perceived immediate value and (b) the nature of the networked relationships resulting from participants’ interactions. The findings suggest that the peer rating system makes visible what the participants find immediately valuable and allocates a form of recognition that extends the “legitimation code”, which refers to the credentials that make someone competent and worthy of recognition.

Perceived usability affects greatly student’s learning effectiveness and overall learning experience, and thus is an important requirement of educational software. The System Usability Scale (SUS) is a well-researched and widely used questionnaire for perceived usability evaluation. However, surprisingly few studies have used SUS to evaluate the perceived usability of learning management systems (LMSs). This paper presents an empirical evaluation of the SUS questionnaire in the context of LMSs’ perceived usability evaluation. Eleven studies involving 769 students were conducted, in which participants evaluated the usability of two LMSs (eClass and Moodle) used within courses of their curriculum. It was found that the perceived usability of the evaluated LMSs is at a satisfactory level (mean SUS score 76.27). Analysis of the results also demonstrated the validity and reliability of SUS for LMSs’ evaluation, and that it remains robust even for small sample sizes. Moreover, the following SUS attributes were investigated in the context of LMSs evaluation: gender, age, prior experience with the LMS, Internet self-efficacy, attitude towards the Internet and usage frequency of the LMS.

In this paper, we obtain the analytical solutions of two kinds of transcendental equations with
numerous applications in college physics by means of the Lagrange inversion theorem. Afterwards we
rewrite them in the form of a ratio of rational polynom…

This study is concerned with the use of energy methods to find the equivalent stiffness properties
of certain vibration models. The first class of models are one-degree-of-freedom oscillatory systems
that include several combinations of a main spring…

In this paper, we obtain the analytical solutions of two kinds of transcendental equations with
numerous applications in college physics by means of the Lagrange inversion theorem. Afterwards we
rewrite them in the form of a ratio of rational polynom…

We modify a standard Freshman physics experiment with the aim to produce high density plots of
two-dimensional electric potentials versus position. To achieve this we connect a voltage probe to a
rotary motion sensor and a computer interface so that …

Teaching partial differential equations (PDEs) carries inherent difficulties that an interactive
visualization might help overcome in an active learning process. However, the generation of this
kind of teaching material implies serious difficulties, …

In this paper, we present highly accurate numerical results for the lowest four energy eigenvalues
of the quartic, sextic and octic anharmonic oscillators over a wide range of the anharmonicity
parameter ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0143-0807/36…

Many processes in electromagnetism vary with time. Some of them are well known, in particular those
related to line frequencies of 50 Hz or 60 Hz such as fluctuating light output of discharge and
incandescent lamps. The flickers of discharge and inca…

In this paper, we present highly accurate numerical results for the lowest four energy eigenvalues
of the quartic, sextic and octic anharmonic oscillators over a wide range of the anharmonicity
parameter ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0143-0807/36…

A brief review of lighting technologies is presented. Unavoidable restrictions for incandescent
light bulbs caused by the Planck distribution and properties of the human eye are illustrated. The
efficiency and luminous efficacy of thermal radiation a…

Graduate-level physics curricula in many countries around the world, as well as senior-level
undergraduate ones in some major institutions, include classical mechanics courses, mostly based on
Goldstein’s textbook masterpiece. During the discussion…

Interviews with students suggest that even though they understand the formalism and the formal
nature of quantum theory, they still often desire a mental picture of what the equations describe
and some tangible experience with the wavefunctions. Here…

The Udwadia?Kalaba equation is a simple, aesthetic, and thought-provoking description of the world
at a very fundamental level. It is about the way systems move. In this paper, we creatively apply
the Udwadia?Kalaba approach to study heavenly bodies?…

This paper reports a computer model simulation created using Easy Java Simulation (EJS) for learners
to visualize how the steady-state amplitude of a driven oscillating system varies with the frequency
of the periodic driving force. The simulation sh…

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Google Earth has made a wealth of aerial imagery available online at no cost to users. We examine
some of the potential uses of that data in illustrating basic physics and astronomy, such as finding
the local magnetic declination, using landmarks suc…

The act of swinging an object such as a hammer or a tennis racket involves the application of forces
and torques in a manner that is intuitively obvious to the person performing the task, but is
probably much less obvious to the average physics stude…

The air thermometer, widely used in physics laboratories to show the relationship between volume and
temperature, can also be used to obtain values for the gas constant and hence Avogadro’s number.
Using a very low cost, home-made air thermometer c…

This paper focuses on the use of software developed by the authors that allows the visualization of
the motion of a charged particle under the influence of magnetic and electric fields in 3D, at a
level suitable for introductory physics courses. The …

This paper presents the simple apparatus and steps to demonstrate the gravitational acceleration
point of the vector, which is advantageous for students who lack reading comprehension.

Twenty-two hundred years ago, the Greek scientist Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the
Earth. This paper describes an experiment to replicate Eratosthenes’ experiment with observers
located in Australia and New Zealand. The most accurate …

In my article (Featonby 2015 Phys. Educ. 50 123), three holes were drilled in a large bottle of
water, but which hole had the greatest range of water?

Thermal equilibrium is a basic concept in thermodynamics. In India, this concept is generally
introduced at the first year of undergraduate education in physics and chemistry. In our earlier
studies (Pathare and Pradhan 2011 Proc. episteme-4 Int. Con…

Sadly, modern society has developed very wasteful habits over the last few decades: consumer
products, food and energy are perphaps waste items that are most obvious. Attempting to show how we
can counteract wasteful habits, this article (a) makes re…

Peter Campbell talks to David Smith, Physics Education board member and longstanding editor of the
People section, about his teaching career, special interests and related activities.

How can physics teachers help students develop consistent problem solving techniques for both simple
and complicated physics problems, such as those that encompass objects undergoing multiple forces
(mechanical or electrical) as individually portraye…

We propose a simple experiment to estimate the magnetic dipole moment of a neodymium disc magnet.
The experiment employs a precision digital balance and a 1 m ruler to measure the force between two
magnets. The magnetic dipole moment is determined …

Almost everyone will have observed a spinning coin fall to a shuddering stop. How and why does it do
that? Several experiments are described, suitable for a student project, to help motivate an
understanding of the rotational dynamics involved.

A low-cost chaos dynamics lab is developed for quantitative demonstration of the butterfly effect
using a magnetic pendulum. Chaotic motion is explored by recording magnetic time series. Students
analyze the data in Excel ® to investigate the butter…

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How does the behaviour of a spinning top differ when it is set to spin on a gentle incline?

The science education literature shows that students have difficulty understanding what causes the
seasons. Incorrect explanations are often due to a lack of knowledge about the physical mechanisms
underlying this phenomenon. To address this, we pres…

There is no doubt that integrated concepts inspire students and take learning to a new level. As we
fly, we fly through the magnetic field of the Earth. We used the concepts involved in flying to
develop an exercise that bonds geology, physics and li…

We analyse why it is erroneous to think that a tidal bulge is formed by pulling the water surface
directly up by a local vertical tidal force. In fact, ocean tides are caused by the global effect of
the horizontal components of the tidal forces.

Since October 2010, the Chemistry–Biology Combined Major Program, an international course taught in
English at Osaka University, has been teaching small classes (no more than 20 in size). We present
data from the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) given…

There is no doubt that integrated concepts inspire students and take learning to a new level. As we
fly, we fly through the magnetic field of the Earth. We used the concepts involved in flying to
develop an exercise that bonds geology, physics and li…

How does the behaviour of a spinning top differ when it is set to spin on a gentle incline?

Twenty-two hundred years ago, the Greek scientist Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the
Earth. This paper describes an experiment to replicate Eratosthenes? experiment with observers
located in Australia and New Zealand. The most accurate ci…

In my article (Featonby 2015 Phys. Educ. 50 123), three holes were drilled in a large bottle of
water, but which hole had the greatest range of water?

Many researchers have documented the difficulties for learners of different ages and preparations in
understanding basic astronomical concepts. Traditional instructional strategies and communication
media do not seem to be effective in producing mean…

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David Smith finds out how a love of physics started the career of one of the UK’s most senior female
engineers, Ailie MacAdam.

We have developed much simpler cloud chambers that use only ice and cooking salt instead of the dry
ice or ice gel pack needed for the cloud chambers produced in our previous work. The observed
alpha-ray particle tracks are as clear as those observed…

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Three holes are drilled in a large bottle of water, but from which will the range of water be the
greatest?

The latest trend in special education policy is to teach students both with and without special
needs in the same school system. In the case of students with visual impairment, one of the main
problems they face, particularly in physics, is the lack …

A container was placed on top of a piece of white paper, and a pin positioned so that it vertically
touched an outside wall of the container. Students were asked to predict the image of the pin when
it was observed from the top of the container. Two …

In my article (Featonby 2014 Phys. Educ. 49 736), a ball was bounced downwards under a table. What
was the subsequent motion of the ball?

We describe how to convert a room into a camera obscura as a project for introductory geometrical
optics. The view for our camera obscura is a busy street scene set against a beautiful mountain
skyline. We include a short video with project instructi…

Experiments are described on collisions between two billiard balls and between a bat and a ball. The
experiments are designed to extend a student’s understanding of collision events and could be used
either as a classroom demonstration or for a stu…

This paper presents several simple physics experiments that take advantage of plastic inner
containers, which can be found inside the well-known ‘Kinder Surprise’ chocolate eggs.

Trampolines can be found in many gardens and also in some playgrounds. They offer an easily
accessible vertical motion that includes free fall. In this work, the motion on a trampoline is
modelled by assuming a linear relation between force and defle…

In the present paper we suggest an original physical explanatory model that explains the mechanism
of the sound amplification process in a stethoscope. We discuss the amplification of a single pulse,
a continuous wave of certain frequency, and final…

This paper gives the solution and analysis of projectile motion in a vacuum if the launch and impact
heights are not equal. Formulas for the maximum horizontal range and the corresponding angle are
derived. An Excel application that simulates the mot…

In my article (Featonby 2014 Phys. Educ. 49 736), a ball was bounced downwards under a table. What
was the subsequent motion of the ball?

Three holes are drilled in a large bottle of water, but from which will the range of water be the
greatest?

Many researchers have documented the difficulties for learners of different ages and preparations in
understanding basic astronomical concepts. Traditional instructional strategies and communication
media do not seem to be effective in producing mean…

An analysis of the interaction patterns in an online conference from a distance education graduate course was conducted, using an approach that focused on the transcript’s interactional and structural features. A new tool for transcript analysis, the T…