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For nearly two decades, augmented reality (AR) has found diverse applications in education, particularly in science education, where its efficacy has been supported by relevant theories and many empirical studies. However, previous studies have revealed the following research deficit: While AR technology appears to influence learning-related variables, at the time of this study only few research on the use of AR glasses in physics, a discipline for which this technology seems particularly promising in the context of laboratory experiments, has been found. Thus, the present study uses an experimental comparison group design to investigate the question of how the use of AR glasses in a physics laboratory experiment (compared to in a learning setting without AR) influences students' motivation to learn, their cognitive load during the learning process and their learning achievement. The study (sample size N = 75) investigated the impact of AR glasses in a physics laboratory experiment on optical polarization. Results align with prior research, indicating heightened motivation among learners using AR applications. However, the absence of a significant difference in cognitive load between AR and non-AR learners was unexpected. Despite expectations based on spatial contiguity, learners with AR showed no advantage in learning achievement, challenging existing meta-analyses in physics education. These findings suggest a need to shift focus from surface features, like specific AR technology, to the content design of AR applications. Future studies should analyze the deep structure of AR applications, identifying features conducive to learning.

The field of geometrical optics features a broad knowledge base concerning conceptual learning difficulties and student conceptions. However, in contrast to other areas of physics, no widely used standard test instrument exists to assess middle school students' conceptual knowledge of geometrical optics. This is even more true for other areas of the electromagnetic spectrum. For this reason, a concept test was developed for an intervention study to collect preconceptions about visible light as well as preconceptions about infrared radiation in the subject area of reflection and transmission. A pilot study with 108 middle school students preceded final revisions and implementation in the main study of 820 learners aged 12-16. The measurement model is presented for the developed concept test with the subscales 'preconceptions and knowledge about reflection and transmission in visible optics', 'preconceptions and knowledge about reflection and transmission in infrared optics' and 'applied knowledge on reflection and transmission in visible and infrared optics'. The results show that the concept test validly captures the development of preconceptions and knowledge regarding specific aspects of reflection and transmission of the part of the electromagnetic spectrum from 3 µm to 380 nm.

The limitation of conventional visual acuity assessment, which primarily focuses on individual eye performance (monocular visual acuity tests). This study addresses this limitation by emphasizing the importance of binocular vision, where both eyes work together. Binocular vision provides numerous advantages, such as improved depth perception, a wider field of view, reduced visual fatigue, and binocular summation. The article introduces a new mathematical model based on the physics of constructive interference in light waves and the anatomy of visual nerves. This model yields an equation that quantifies how weakness in one eye affects the visual acuity of the other. By analyzing the correlation between the rates of visual weakness in each eye and the corresponding distances, utilizing the Snellen 6-meter test, valuable insights are gained into the complex interplay between eye deficiencies and their collective impact on overall visual acuity. The equations derived from this study can have significant implications for eye care professionals, clinicians, and patients, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of visual impairments and enriching the field of optics and vision science.

HOBIT, which stands for "Hybrid Optical Bench for Innovative Teaching and learning" is an educational platform that leverages the combination of numerical simulation and physical manipulation to facilitate learning of complex phenomena and motivate users about wave optics in practical work. HOBIT operates in real time and is self-adaptive, providing realistic displays of optical phenomena with virtual augmentations designed to facilitate their understanding. HOBIT makes it quick and easy to build any reconfigurable optical experiment. Students can manipulate optical components and observe the changes induced on detectors and displays. We detail the technology, the simulation model and the initial teaching aids. Current and future enhancements should meet the needs of students at different levels, from high school to higher education degrees.

Clear and rigorous quantum reasoning is needed to explain quantum physical phenomena. As pillars of true quantum physical explanations, we suggest specific quantum reasoning derived from quantum physical key ideas. An experiment is suggested to support such a quantum reasoning, in which a quantized radiation field interacts with an optical beam splitter, leading to experimental results conflicting with classical physical predictions. The results, however, can be explained consistently with a quantum reasoning based on the key ideas of probability, superposition, and interference (PSI). In this quantum optical key experiment the optical beam splitter prepares a superposition of single photon states and a Michelson interferometer is used to detect the superposition via controlled propagation phases. Although different single photon experimental setups (aimed at helping students to gain access to foundational issues in quantum physics) have been discussed in the past, the wave-particle dualism bound to classical physics maintains its predominance as an explanation pattern for the interpretation of these experiments. The study presented here investigates the effect of the quantum optical key experiment on the ability of students to use quantum reasoning based on the key ideas of PSI to overcome the naive wave-particle dualism. The current state of relevant studies that test student access to quantum physics can roughly be divided into two distinct areas: one tests how mathematical abilities help them to understand quantum physics and one tests how nonmathematical representations of a set of specific quantum theoretical traits ("Wesenszüge") lead to a deeper understanding of quantum physics. There is a lack of questionnaires that focus on the idea of developing quantum reasoning based on superposition, probability, and interference of quantum states combined with a real experiment using true quantum light. In the first part of the article, we describe the physical modeling and present the development of the questionnaire. The set of items has been constructed from newly developed items and combined with well-tested ones. The validation of the set addresses qualitative and quantitative methods. In the second part, we give a pre- and poststudy examination of the impact of the quantum optical key experiment on students' quantum reasoning. A significant increase in the number of students using quantum arguments is based on PSI reasoning for the explanation of an interference, such as the behavior of single photon states. Though the increase is significant, we found only minor changes in a particular issue to the students' reasoning when approaching quantum physics as illustrated by a sample of answers given in the second part of the article. The concept of quantum states and the principle of superposition still appear particularly difficult.

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Instructional labs: Improving traditions and new directions.] This manuscript presents a case study of an introductory physics student who, during the remote learning conditions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, found inspiration within a new, open-inquiry, project-based, laboratory curriculum designed at Portland State University. The phenomenon investigated by the study subject was intriguing to both the student and the lab instructors for its unfamiliar and instructive optical effect: a ring-shaped pattern or halo created by a laser diffusely reflected in a shallow body of water. Drawing on classwork and interview responses, this study shows that the subject achieved many expected curriculum outcomes, particularly with respect to experimental design and data analysis tasks, indicating that the course's open-inquiry structure can be effective while offering students a free choice of what to investigate in a laboratory class. Additionally, the case study shows that the halo phenomenon is pedagogically rich as it combines refraction, diffuse reflection, and total internal reflection in a nontrivial way, thereby answering calls by physics education researchers for more complex, realistic examples in geometric optics instruction. Finally, this case also highlights challenges students may experience interpreting diffuse reflection and determining the position of optical features beyond image formation, not commonly a focus of introductory physics courses, textbooks, and education research.

Wave optics is a mandatory part of Croatian secondary school physics curriculum for students in the final year of secondary school (age 18-19). Many physics education research studies have shown that it is a difficult physics topic for both university and secondary school students. An inquiry-based teaching sequence on wave optics, designed for eight 45-min teaching periods, was developed by the authors. The sequence included four investigative students' experiments on the topics of interference, diffraction, and polarization of light, as well as several teacher demonstrations. The experimental group included six classes of students from six different Croatian urban secondary schools, who underwent the teaching intervention with the new inquiry-based sequence on wave optics, whereas the control group consisted of six classes from the same schools, taught in a predominantly lecturing way. Both groups were post-tested with the same instrument, the Conceptual Survey on Wave Optics (CSWO), to evaluate the research hypothesis that the new sequence might improve students' conceptual understanding better than the traditional teaching. The results of the experimental and control groups were analyzed and compared using the Rasch analysis. The results show that the experimental group outperformed the control group in four out of five conceptual areas probed by the CSWO, suggesting that the new inquiry-based teaching sequence may contribute to stronger development of secondary school students' conceptual understanding of wave optics, especially concerning typical wave optics patterns, reasoning from experiments, and explaining basic wave optics phenomena. A questionnaire on attitudes toward the teaching intervention was administered to students and it was found that students generally liked the inquiry-based teaching intervention and expressed positive attitudes to interactive, experimental, and collaborative aspects of physics teaching. The results are very promising, but their generalization may be limited by the selection of the students, as well as by the short duration of the teaching intervention and the relatively small breadth of the covered topics.

Previous work has demonstrated similarities and differences between aerial and terrestrial image viewing. Aerial scene categorization, a pivotal visual processing task for gathering geoinformation, heavily depends on rotation-invariant information. Aerial image-centered research has revealed effects of low-level features on performance of various aerial image interpretation tasks. However, there are fewer studies of viewing behavior for aerial scene categorization and of higher-level factors that might influence that categorization. In this paper, experienced subjects' eye movements were recorded while they were asked to categorize aerial scenes. A typical viewing center bias was observed. Eye movement patterns varied among categories. We explored the relationship of nine image statistics to observers' eye movements. Results showed that if the images were less homogeneous, and/or if they contained fewer or no salient diagnostic objects, viewing behavior became more exploratory. Higher- and object-level image statistics were predictive at both the image and scene category levels. Scanpaths were generally organized and small differences in scanpath randomness could be roughly captured by critical object saliency. Participants tended to fixate on critical objects. Image statistics included in this study showed rotational invariance. The results supported our hypothesis that the availability of diagnostic objects strongly influences eye movements in this task. In addition, this study provides supporting evidence for Loschky et al.'s (Journal of Vision, 15(6), 11, 2015) speculation that aerial scenes are categorized on the basis of image parts and individual objects. The findings were discussed in relation to theories of scene perception and their implications for automation development.

Researchers have expressed concern about the state of STEM education. To improve this situation, new pedagogies, such as blended learning, have been proposed and tested. The last decade has seen an increase in the use of blended learning to support learning; however, the effect of blended learning on learning remains unclear and often mixed. The two studies in this paper draw on data from pre-university science students in the following courses: (1) Electricity and Magnetism (E&M) and (2) Waves, Optics & Modern Physics (Waves). In study 1, the treatment group (blended learning coupled with two-stage quizzes & peer formative feedback) performed significantly higher than the control group (lecture format with online homework & instant feedback) in the standardized final exam. In contrast, in study 2, there was a non-significant main effect of groups, indicating that the treatment group (blended learning with online homework & instant feedback) and the control group (lecture format with online homework & instant feedback) performed similarly in the standardized final exam. The finding of study 1 suggests that the effect of an instructional pedagogical framework embedded in a blended learning context improves performance in STEM education. Whereas the finding of study 2 suggests that a blended learning context without incorporating any instructional framework or support for cognition other than the lecture is comparable to a traditional face-to-face course.

In this research, we examined the effect of the prediction-observation-explanation (POE) method on learning of image formation by a plane mirror and pre-service teachers' opinions. Twenty pre-service science teachers studying at first grade in the Department of Science Education in Turkey participated in the research. We used a one group pretest-posttest design. In the teaching process, carried out in accordance with the POE method, the pre-service teachers made their own plane mirror by using glass and mirror-effect spray paint, and then analyzed the image of a cube by using these mirrors. We analyzed the data by using the SPSS software and content analysis. As a result of the research, we found that the POE method is effective in the learning of image formation by a plane mirror. Thirteen (65%) pre-service teachers expressed only positive opinions about making a plane mirror by using glass and mirror-effect spray paint; seven (35%) pre-service teachers expressed both positive and negative opinions. The entertaining production process (learning by practicing that mirrors can be made from glass) and gaining experience (like preparing material, learning, and implementing safety rules) were the most common positive opinions, although the irritating smell of the spray paint was the most common negative opinion. Seventeen (85%) pre-service teachers expressed positive opinions and three (15%) pre-service teachers expressed both positive and negative opinions on the organized activity in accordance with the POE method. In consideration of the obtained positive and negative opinions, we found teachers could do such activities to provide a better learning environment.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of teaching through a virtual laboratory prepared using simulations teaching materials and that are based on constructivist thought about geometrical optics upon the students' academic success and their attitudes towards physics. Quasi-experimental pretest and posttest control groups was used as the research method. While the independent variable of the study is teaching method that is based on virtual laboratory application, the dependents variables are students' success at physics lesson and their attitude towards physics. The study was carried out with 59 students from the same grade but a different section and taking Physics II lesson that is taught in Department of Computer and Instructional Technologies in the spring term of 2013 and 2014 academic year. One of the sections was objectively determined as the experimental group and the other one is determined as the control group. The subject was taught to 29 students in the experimental group in a virtual laboratory environment which was created using simulations, and 30 students in the control group was taught the same subject in a traditional laboratory environment. As a result in this study, it was seen that teaching in the virtual laboratory environment where simulations were used in the subject of Geometrical Optics was more affective in physics success than teaching in traditional laboratory environment but there was no meaningful difference in attitudes towards physics.

In this paper, we described the development of the High School Wave Optics Test (HSWOT). Firstly, 56 conceptual, multiple-choice items with a single correct answer and three distractors were created. Next, we conducted an initial review of the items which resulted in reducing the item pool to 44 highest quality items. Validity evidence and feedback on the quality of these 44 items were collected through an expert survey and small-scale item try-out which included 3 subject-matter experts and 13 high school students, respectively. This process helped us to reduce our item pool to 30 technically improved conceptual items, which were eventually administered to 164 high-school students, from Kazakhstan. Finally, a Rasch analysis of the students' answers resulted in a 24-item scale for measuring conceptual understanding in high-school students. The item reliability proved to be good, person reliability was acceptable, and the difficulty of items was approximately person-independent. All distractors were chosen by at least 5% of students and 8 distracters were chosen by more than 35% of students. We could conclude that HSWOT may be effectively used for measuring conceptual understanding in advanced high-school physics courses and for identifying students' misconceptions in wave optics, in general.

The incongruity-resolution model plays a key role in the cognitive mechanisms of perceived humour. This study employed the incongruity-resolution model to discuss humorous design techniques to help design novices and students understand the influence of various humorous design techniques on perceived humour. First, 260 humorous products currently on the market were randomly collected. Subsequently, two focus group interviews were conducted, in which 10 postgraduate students from various majors and 6 design postgraduate students compiled, categorized, and discussed techniques to design humorous products. Next, questionnaires were distributed and 336 valid responses of young adults were obtained. The results revealed that humorous design techniques can be assigned into the following categories: implication, scenario, causality, displacement, opposite meaning, unrelatedness, exaggeration, and optical illusion. Furthermore, resolution plays a mediating role in the relationship between incongruity and perceived humour in humorous products; incongruity has no direct explanatory power for perceived humour and can only exert humorous effects through resolution. Finally, the findings of this research regarding humorous design techniques and perceived humour are discussed. The results and measurement tools provide guidance for novices in and students of design to create humorous products and offer practical strategies to enhance perceived humour in their products.

To remedy the difficulties encountered by Moroccan students in geometrical optics during the transition from secondary to higher education and for an efficient education system, we propose this study to investigate the causes of these difficulties as well as their impact on the quality of the secondary/university transition, and come up with a remediation device to overcome them. For this survey, we adopted a mixed method to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The research tools used are semi-directive interviews with thirty high school and university teachers; questionnaires and exercises were administered to 120 of first year university students. The results of this study revealed the persistence of difficulties in geometrical optics and particularly in geometric construction whose origins are attributed to the misrepresentations and low prerequisites among students as well as a break in the curriculum and teaching methods during the transition from secondary to higher education.

Laboratory activity is closely related and yet is essential in the process of science teaching-learning. The hands-on laboratory experiment is the one normally used in school. Particularly with the state of online schooling, it is quite challenging to perform a hands-on laboratory activity. The combination of inquiry-based learning with virtual lab activity can be an alternative to developing a more alluring yet meaningful learning process within online learning. This research aims to analyze virtual lab activity with inquiry-based learning on students' scientific literacy in light and optics topics. Participants were taken from junior high school students in the 8th-grade in Bandung, Indonesia. It includes 40 students with 14 males and 26 females with ages range 13-14 years old who have not yet studied light and optics. A pre-experimental research method with a one-group pre- the post-test design was used. The finding indicates that students' scientific literacy was significantly increased with a medium category (N-Gain score 0.441). Based on this research, virtual-lab activity with inquiry-based learning could be considered an alternative to conducting a meaningful online learning activity, especially in science education.

This article reports the development and validation of a test instrument to assess secondary school students' declarative quantum optics knowledge. With that, we respond to modern developments from physics education research: Numerous researchers propose quantum optics-based introductory courses in quantum physics, focusing on experiments with heralded photons. Our test instrument's development is based on test development standards from the literature, and we follow a contemporary conception of validity. We present results from three studies to test various assumptions that, taken together, justify a valid test score interpretation, and we provide a psychometric characterization of the instrument. The instrument is shown to enable a reliable ([alpha] = 0.78) and valid survey of declarative knowledge of quantum optics focusing on experiments with heralded photons with three empirically separable subscales.

A smartphone is a powerful learning aid in the hands of a large section of students around the world. The camera of the phone can be used for several learning purposes apart from its obvious purpose of photographing. If the focal length of the lens of the camera can be determined, several experiments in optics can be performed with it. In some recent works, the method for determination of the focal length has been discussed. When a real image of an object is formed by a lens of known focal length, one can determine either the distance or the transverse magnification of the object if the other is known. In this work, we have shown that we can determine both the transverse size and the distance of an object, by photographing it from two positions, separated by a distance along the line of sight of the camera. In a few other works, the smartphone camera has been used for conducting experiments in optics.

K-12 students need to become familiar with engineering because 21st-century careers integrate engineering practices across all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. While the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasize learning real science and engineering practices, further work is needed to authenticate engineering for K-12 education. The NGSS are presented in a way that merges a single general practice with a core disciplinary idea and cross-cutting concept. Based on this framing and underlying epistemology, NGSS engineering practices are often implemented as overgeneralized, isolated, and largely context-neutral. Yet, in the STEM workplace, practices are rarely done in isolation from one another. Research is needed to better understand the integrated use of NGSS practices in STEM workplaces in order to make these practices more visible and accessible for use in K-12 classrooms. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 entry-level employees and managers in STEM-intensive workplaces. Using emergent and a priori coding, we identified how NGSS practices and contextual features are situated and connected in the STEM workplace. Our findings suggest that by adding rich contextual features, practices become more interconnected and reflective of authentic engineering in the STEM workplace. This process will enable educators to interpret K-12 engineering standards in an authentic way that supports deep engagement in learning engineering.

Driving at an inappropriate speed is a major accident cause in the EU. Understanding the underlying sensory mechanisms can help to reduce speed and increase traffic safety. The present study investigated the effect of visuospatial stimuli on speed perception using an adaptive countermeasure to speeding based on a manipulation of optic flow. We added red lights on both sides of a simulated road. We expected speed to be perceived as faster when lights moved toward drivers due to increased optic flow, whereas we expected static light stimuli to not alter the optic flow and thus not influence speed perception. Two experiments applied the method of constant stimuli. To this end, participants encountered several trials of two video sequences on a straight road. A reference sequence showed the same traveling speed while test sequences varied around different traveling speeds. Participants indicated which sequence they perceived as faster, leading to the calculation of the point of subjective equality (PSE). A lower PSE indicates that the speed in this experimental condition is perceived as faster than in another experimental condition. Experiment 1A did not show a difference between PSEs of static and oncoming lights. Because participants had counted reflector posts for speed estimation, we removed these reflector posts in Experiment 1B and found a lower PSE for oncoming lights. Thus, such light stimuli may have an effect only in situations without other competing visual stimuli supporting speed perception. Future research should investigate whether speed perception is indeed a primarily visuospatial control task or whether other sensory information such as auditory factors can have an influence as well.

As quantum information science and technology (QIST) is becoming more prevalent and occurring not only in research labs but also in industry, many educators are considering how best to incorporate learning about quantum mechanics into various levels of education. Although much of the focus has been on quantum concepts in nonlab courses, current work in QIST has a substantial experimental component. Many instructors of undergraduate lab courses want to provide their students the opportunity to work with quantum experiments. One common way this is done is through a sequence of quantum optics experiments often referred to as the "single-photon experiments." These experiments demonstrate fundamental quantum phenomena with equipment common to research labs; however, they are resource intensive and cannot be afforded by all institutions. It is therefore imperative to know what unique affordances these experiments provide to students. As a starting point, we surveyed and interviewed instructors who use the single-photon experiments in undergraduate courses, asking how and why they use the experiments. We describe the most commonly used experiments in both quantum and beyond-first-year lab courses, the prevalence of actions the students perform, and the learning goals, ranging from conceptual knowledge to lab skills to student affect. Finally, we present some strategies from these data demonstrating how instructors have addressed the common challenges of preparing students to work with conceptually and technically complex experiments and balancing the practice of technical skills with the completion of the experiments.

Problem-solving is an essential part of teaching, learning, and assessment of physics and mathematics. The continuing educational reforms have a deep impact on everyday teaching as well as working with talented students. In the Macedonian educational system, the curricula do not explicitly point out the connection between mathematics and physics, but findings show that if the students do not understand the connection, they have problems adopting the knowledge. The gap that appears in applying geometry subsists even among talented students. When solving problems of geometrical optics, besides physics, it is inevitable that students use the standard geometrical apparatus. Even when the basics of physics are well known, possible mathematical mistakes often lead to wrong results in the given problems in physics. Here we demonstrate such an example of a selected problem from Macedonian state competitions in physics. The case study investigates two samples of students, 18 primary school students and 67 high school students, involved in State physics competitions in the year 2016. The selected problems have similar demands.

Demonstration interviews with 27 high school students (18-19 years old) were conducted in Zagreb, Croatia, using several standard experiments on interference and diffraction of light. Students were asked for their predictions, observations, and explanations of the experiments. In this process, many student difficulties were identified, both regarding their understanding of interference and diffraction of light, but also regarding their skills of systematic observation and description of experimental patterns. The observed difficulties were analyzed in the resource-based model, suggesting the activation of some p prims, as well as other cognitive resources in the process of students' attempts to predict, describe, and explain the interference and diffraction patterns.

Physics is directly related to various professions since it is a fundamental science. Opticianry is one of such physics related professions. In this study, it was aimed to determine the conceptual understanding levels of opticians related to the concepts of light and optics which are directly related to their professions. In the study, which was conducted via mixed method, the participants were determined with the convenient sampling method. A total of 203 opticians attended the study. Data were collected with the help of Light and Optics Conceptual Evaluation Test in addition to the Open-Ended Questions and Concept Cartoons selected from the literature. As a result of the study, it was reached that the conceptual understanding levels of opticians were low with several misconceptions and insufficiencies related to the light and optics concepts. In the light of the findings, the importance of physics education for opticianry was implied.

In many introductory physics classes, diffraction of light is introduced first, then more advanced diffraction topics such as x-ray diffraction, Bragg's law, and crystallography are covered. Since using x-rays raises safety concerns and atomic spacing in a crystal is not easy to change, microwaves with macroscopic crystals have been used to study Bragg's law in the undergraduate laboratory. A number of scientific supply companies, including PASCO and 3B Scientific, sell 10-GHz microwave optics systems. However, using these systems within the parameters of the manufacturer's procedure for a Bragg diffraction lab poses some challenges. First, the receiver and transmitter must be manually positioned, making the data collection process slow. Second, the microwaves should be plane waves and the receiver should be located beyond the far-field limit. These 10-GHz microwave optics systems are low power, making them safe for lab use, but this limits the crystal size and working distance between the transmitter and receiver to under 1000 mm. The experimental setup suggested by the manufacturer separates the transmitter and receiver by about 10 wavelengths from the center of rotation. While the bells on the transmitter and receiver help with producing plane waves, it is expected that ideal conditions for Bragg's law are not completely fulfilled. Indeed, the experiment guide warns of errors up to 15% and unexplained peaks in the data.

We demonstrated that an optimally designed pinhole camera can be used as an astronomical tool to observe the libration and apparent diameter change of the Moon at night. The libration and apparent diameter change of the Moon were observed using a handmade pinhole camera with a diameter of 0.65 mm and a focal length of 400 mm. It was found that the lunar mare with its characteristic pattern can be observed using this pinhole camera with a resolution of 2.5 arcmin. It was also found that the apparent diameter change of the Moon of about 10% can be observed with this pinhole camera. The pinhole camera used in this experiment is very useful as a handmade scientific educational material for learning the principles of optics and the movement of the Moon.

Refraction is a foundational concept within introductory physics. Physics students need a deep understanding of refraction, including Snell's Law, in order to progress towards more complex optics topics such as lenses and images. Unfortunately, many physics students obtain only a superficial understanding of refraction. Although many students can use Snell's Law to perform basic calculations, the mathematical relationship is often divorced from students' conceptual knowledge, which often harbours misconceptions. In this article, we describe a sequence of instructional activities that we have used in an introductory optics course that aims to address common issues of students' learning of optics. Instead of leading with Snell's Law and emphasising calculations, the instructional sequence places conceptual understanding in the foreground. Mathematical representations are introduced only after students have developed a conceptual foundation; in this way, mathematics becomes integrated with students' conceptual understanding rather than existing apart from it. After describing the instructional sequence, we present the impacts of instruction on student thinking and also suggest potential applications of the instructional principles that guided our decision-making.

Diffraction refers to a kind of optical phenomena which occurs when light approaches an element (object or aperture) whose features are in the range of the illuminating wavelength (small apertures, sharp edges). It can be explained by means of the undulatory nature of light or also geometrically by using simple ray optics. Diffraction phenomena are impressive and not intuitive, so it makes them very interesting to bring examples to the classroom. The most popular diffraction experiments show effects in Fraunhofer regime, that is to be said, far from the diffractive object. Common examples are the single or double slit experiments. In this manuscript, we propose and show a less common diffractive effect that occurs in the Fresnel regime, near to the diffractive object. It is the Talbot effect or self-imaging phenomenon, which appears by illuminating a diffraction grating with a collimated monochromatic beam. It consists of the apparition of replicas (self-images) of the grating intensity pattern at periodic distances, multiples of the so-called Talbot distance. We show how this effect may be shown into the classroom with cheap and easy to find elements. In addition, we take advantage of its dependence on the coherence degree of the source to introduce the concept of optical coherence and show its effect on the contrast of the Talbot self-images. These experiments could be appropriate for undergraduate students or introductory physics courses.

In the current day and age, innovation is the fodder that keeps companies and institutions running, and universities play an important role. During the crisis and in the post-crisis period, financial support for research and development have undergone significant changes especially at universities. The aim of this research is to conduct a patent focus analysis of the public and state universities in the Czech Republic and to analyze the development in patenting focus structure and to identify perspective and suitable research area. Hierarchical clustering was chosen for its clustering overview clarity and due to the relatively small sample size. Ward's method was chosen as the clustering algorithm with squared Euclidean distance as the system of measurement. Each cluster was characterized by five dominant IPC subsections to describe the patent focus. The patent focus segmentation of 115 public and state universities identified five main groups: medical/pharmacological, material, organic, construction and mixed measuring and material processing. Universities today are centers of knowledge. In addition, they support the innovation that spurs economic activity in a society. Universities have the potential to spur industrial activity with innovation and then pass information on to private firms.

An essential goal for physics and optical science instructors is to encourage students to find excitement and beauty in physical and optical phenomena while helping them learn the theoretical concepts and conducting experiments that can test the validity of the concepts. Such motivation largely relies on realistic hands-on lab opportunities where students can interact with physics-based phenomena as well as their corresponding laws and principles. Virtual simulation and modeling tools provide a great alternative to deliver interactive experiences when participating in physical lab environments is limited or unavailable (i.e., during distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The use of computer-based simulations can improve students' ability to make predictions and explain the phenomena practiced in the experiments. The educational value of virtual labs has been extensively investigated and reported, showing that students who use simulated equipment outperformed their peers.

It is often necessary to enrich the teaching environment in order for students to learn optics in depth and to interpret the real optical situations with the information they have learned. In this study, a virtual teaching environment was developed using by Algodoo, a 2D simulation software. An eye model was created in order to explain the formation of the image in the eye in the teaching environment. Also, a cactus type light source model has also been developed to demonstrate that the image can be created in optics by using rays other than special rays. In order to show the success of the virtual teaching environment in modelling, previously known situations that the students had difficulty in understanding were simulated. Finally, some suggestions were made about the use of the virtual teaching environment.

The Arduino board and its communication with several sensors are becoming more and more popular in the physical science community. They offer inspiring possibilities for learning different physical concepts. In this article, we focused on creating a very practical educational system for experimenting with diffraction of laser light and graphically visualizing the distribution of light intensity in space, which is impossible to perform it with the devices available in the educational laboratories of physics. The main elements of this configuration are the Arduino UNO microcontroller board, the BH1750 sensor and the NEMA17 motor and its A4990 driver. The results' graph is displayed in real time on the computer using the Data Streamer add-in. We see that the abbreviated curve corresponds well to the theory. In addition, feedback from the participants in the test activity of the device showed that they were satisfied with its operation and its contribution to the understanding of diffraction. Therefore, we believe that the device presented can play a very important role in the diffraction phenomenon learning because of its high precision and reliability in the measurements.

Science teaching in general and physics teaching in particular often fail to meet the challenges of motivating and engaging learners. Consequently, students do not adequately understand concepts, leading to the poor acquisition of expected practical skills. In response to this need, we conducted a study to document physics teachers' instructional practices and students' learning environments in Rwandan secondary schools. We used the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM to collect data. For three months, we observed 34 geometric optics lessons for nine Senior-4 Physics teachers and 28 physical optics lessons for seven senior-5 Physics teachers. The results indicate that learner-learner active engagement during group work takes 19% of a 2 min time interval. In comparison, learner-teacher active engagement during teacher guide and questioning take 36.8% and 46.5% of a 2 min time interval, respectively. How teachers and students spend time on each classroom activity was analysed, and recommendations for student engagement were also discussed.

Why does a raindrop on a window pane show an image of the environment that is turned upside-down? And why does vision go blurry underwater, but is perfectly clear with diving goggles? Our everyday life is rich in optical phenomena. Unfortunately, these phenomena often play a subordinate role in Optics teaching, compared to ray constructions or mechanistic light models. In our new teaching-learning sequence designed for introductory physics courses at secondary schools, the observation of the phenomena assumes a more prominent position and the observer's sense of sight becomes the starting point of learning about Optics. The centrepiece of our concept is the use of students' self-made Optics inventory including liquid lenses in various experiments.

Students are introduced to the term wavelength in optics at school level. In this paper, we present an inexpensive and simple method to measure the wavelength of the light of a light emitting diode using a light depending resistor. This experimental set-up is developed at Science Laboratory, Nehru Planetarium (Mumbai), India. It is useful as an experimental tool to teach the concepts of light in a simpler way.

Contribution: A roadmap is provided for building a quantum engineering education program to satisfy U.S. national and international workforce needs. Background: The rapidly growing quantum information science and engineering (QISE) industry will require both quantum-aware and quantum-proficient engineers at the bachelor's level. Research Question: What is the best way to provide a flexible framework that can be tailored for the full academic ecosystem? Methodology: A workshop of 480 QISE researchers from across academia, government, industry, and national laboratories was convened to draw on best practices; representative authors developed this roadmap. Findings: 1) For quantum-aware engineers, design of a first quantum engineering course, accessible to all STEM students, is described; 2) for the education and training of quantum-proficient engineers, both a quantum engineering minor accessible to all STEM majors, and a quantum track directly integrated into individual engineering majors are detailed, requiring only three to four newly developed courses complementing existing STEM classes; 3) a conceptual QISE course for implementation at any postsecondary institution, including community colleges and military schools, is delineated; 4) QISE presents extraordinary opportunities to work toward rectifying issues of inclusivity and equity that continue to be pervasive within engineering. A plan to do so is presented, as well as how quantum engineering education offers an excellent set of education research opportunities; and 5) a hands-on training plan on quantum hardware is outlined, a key component of any quantum engineering program, with a variety of technologies, including optics, atoms and ions, cryogenic and solid-state technologies, nanofabrication, and control and readout electronics.

Animations are widely used in today's science classrooms. Therefore it is very important to explore under which conditions animations are most effective. In earlier studies it has been generally shown that the effectiveness of instruction largely depends on management of cognitive load. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of Physlet animations, printed sequences of selected animation frames and traditionally presented static pictures on understanding about lenses and levels of cognitive load. According to the results of a quasi-experiment that included forty nine high-school students, Physlet-based teaching generally leads to higher germane load and consequently to more effective learning than the traditional approach. Particularly high levels of germane load have been found for Physlet-based problems. These findings can be accounted for by the interactivity feature of Physlets.

Multilingual skills tend to be an integral part of modern society because a specialist able to speak, read and write in multi-languages is able to meet competition. Given that all the latest discoveries and achievements in the field of natural science have been published in English, in accordance with the theme of our study, Physics teaching in English becomes one of the topical issues. However, experience has proven that a few students realize the importance of language integrated learning (LIL) that was confirmed by statistical data from questionnaire made among students of specialties 5?060400 and 5?011000-Physics, the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University. Realizing the value of gained knowledge is directly related to the motivation and result of learning process. It is assumed that the solution to this problem lies in the competitive organization of language integrated learning in teaching namely in appropriate choice of teaching methods. This is valuable in the context of modern practice-oriented understanding of learning. These technologies include the ICT and case study method which help to change the students' meaning of how the foreign language important from the point of view of their proficiency that was confirmed by statistical data. Some methodological aspects of the use of ICT and case-study in language integrated teaching as well as mechanisms of interdisciplinary coordination and cooperation between English teachers and Physics teachers that both contributed to the ICT and case-study integration in language integrated teaching as well as it is valuable for further research in this area. The staff of the Chair of Physics at the Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University creates close ties worldwide and conducts extensive work in this direction. The theoretical and experimental studies that were carried out convincingly prove the need introduce into the educational process an innovative methods in the educational process as a case study and ICT for the formation of creativity of University students.

This research aims to investigate the effect of guided inquiry laboratory activity with video embedded on students' understanding and students' motivation in learning lights and optics topic. The method used in this research was pre-experiment. The sampling technique used in this research was convenience sampling, and the samples were taken from grade 8 in one of junior high school in Bandung. The sample was 20 students. The class implemented guided inquiry laboratory activity with video embedded in learning light and optics. The students' understanding was measured using test given at pretest and post-test while students' motivation was calculated using software ministeps (RASCH Model). The t-test paired sample also was performed on the average level of 95% to identify the significant difference of students' understanding before and after the implementation of guided inquiry laboratory activity with video embedded. The results of this research show that the use of guided inquiry laboratory with video integrated gives an improvement of students understanding. Even though the value of n-gain is 0,264 (categorized as low level), the statistical test shows that there is a significant difference between students understanding before and after the implementation of guided inquiry laboratory activity with video embedded. There are 15 students from 20 students who are motivated in learning light and optics by using guided inquiry laboratory activity with video embedded. Students are motivated by the implementation of guided inquiry laboratory activity with video embedded.

In some school, teacher-centered is commonly found in the learning process. The learning process itself is still in the form of direct transfer of knowledge from teacher to students. Actually, students will learn better if they are engaged in a meaningful learning activity. STEM project-based learning is one of the alternative teaching strategies that engaged students in meaningful learning. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of STEM project-based learning on students' creativity in the topics of light and optics. The study used qualitative research with the narrative design. Data collection technique that used is observation. The population is eight grade students in one of Junior Secondary School that is located in Bandung, Indonesia. The sample consists of 25 students that chosen based on purposive sampling technique. The data is obtained through Creativity Product Analysis Matrix (CPAM). There are three creativity dimensions that used in this study which are resolution, elaboration and novelty dimension. Students' creativity is obtained as much 76% which categorized as good. Based on the result, STEM project-based learning give a good impact on students' creativity. STEM project-based learning can be used as alternative teaching strategies in Junior Secondary School.

This study was conducted in order to analyze the relation between analytical thinking skill and scientific argumentation in physics learning. The study was conducted with the interactive CK 12 simulation about optics. The sample of the study consists of 28 randomly selected students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The data was collected using pre and post-test after learning in the class. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistic instruments along with t-test, MANOVA test and Correlation Analysis. Research findings show that analytical thinking skill and scientific argumentation of the students are rather low. Problem based learning with web based simulation can enhance student's scientific argumentation and analytical thinking skill. Also, the correlation analysis conducted to determine the relationship between analyses analytical thinking skill and scientific argumentation. The results indicate that there is a statistical significant relationship between the analytical thinking skill and scientific argumentation.

Physics as a school subject is in general very unpopular. This fact is especially true for the situation in Austria. PISA results show that motivation, interest and self-efficacy of Austrian highschool students are significantly lower than the OECD average. In addition, a significant gender-gap in disadvantage for girls was shown. In general, one reason for low interest which was identified by previous research is that physics instruction is frequently decontextualized and students can hardly see any relevance of understanding physics for their lives. On the contrary, science and technology play a crucial and increasingly important role in our lives and in our globalized society. At the same time, edutainment focusing on science topics is booming. Interest studies like the ROSE-study may give reasons for this discrepancy: the choice of contexts does often not meet students' interests. This contribution reports the development of a context-oriented learning environment on light pollution to stimulate learning processes and at the same time interest in introductory optics. [Paper presented at GIREP-MPTL (2018).]

Quantum computing was once regarded as a mere theoretical possibility, but recent advances in engineering and materials science have brought practical quantum computers closer to reality. Currently, representatives from industry, academia, and governments across the world are working to build the educational structures needed to produce the quantum workforce of the future. Less attention has been paid to growing quantum computing capacity at the high school level. This article details work at The University of Texas at Austin to develop and pilot the first full-year high school quantum computing class. Over the course of two years, researchers and practitioners involved with the project learned several pedagogical and practical lessons that can be helpful for quantum computing course design and implementation at the secondary level. In particular, we find that the use of classical optics provides a clear and accessible avenue for representing quantum states and gate operators and facilitates both learning and the transfer of knowledge to other Science, Technology, and Engineering (STEM) skills. Furthermore, students found that exploring quantum optical phenomena prior to the introduction of mathematical models helped in the understanding and mastery of the material.

In this work, we report the development of a low-cost Arduino-controlled device for didactic activities in light polarization. The main body of the prototype was designed and produced using laser-cut medium density fibreboard parts, including gears and pulleys. As a light source and detector, a 532 nm laser pointer and a light dependent resistor were used, respectively. The moving parts (light source and detector) are controlled using a stepper motor (28BYJ-48) with the ULN2003 driver. The apparatus was tested with glass and plastic (polystyrene) slides. The results show that the prototype can distinguish between parallel and perpendicular polarization (to the plane of incidence). In addition, it is demonstrated that the prototype can be satisfactorily applied to determine the Brewster's angle, even for solids with close refractive indexes.

The article describes a methodology for studying Fresnel diffraction with the active involvement of students in discussing the results of a demonstration experiment. To create a clearly visible model of Fresnel zones, a centimeter radio wave range was chosen, in which the first zone is about 10 cm in size. This makes visible the created combinations of open and closed sections of the wavefront and allows students to predict the results of demonstrations. To maintain the cognitive activity of students, the method of creating and resolving educational contradictions, problem situations is used.

Quantum technology is an emerging field of physics and engineering and important applications are expected in quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum cryptography, quantum simulation, and quantum metrology. Thus the need for education in this field is increasing, while still remaining challenging. While the need for basic education in quantum physics is accepted in many countries, the possibilities still are limited. Concerning fundamental topics such as the superposition principle and complementarity, on the one hand, a large variety of simulations and animations are available. However, single-photon experiments are still beyond reach for any school, due to costs and technical difficulties. A promising approach seems to be a combination of cheap, easy-to-use and modular experimental kits for school which allow for wave optical experiments, in combination with quantum optical simulations. In the present article, we focus on the modularity and accessibility of an experimental kit based on 3D-printed 'Optic Cubes', which allow for a large variety of experiments in high school.

Space telescopes are some of the most precise and complicated machines ever built. Not only must they survive the harshness of space travel, but they also need to be incredibly accurate: misalignments by fractions of a millimetre can have huge effects on the quality of the images they capture. In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope became the first "large" telescope launched into space, and it immediately changed our view of the entire universe. However, in that time imaging technology has come a long way, and with Hubble's on-board cameras degrading because of cosmic radiation, it is time for a replacement. Enter the James Webb Space Telescope, or Webb for short. Webb offers a myriad of improvements over Hubble and is also tuned slightly differently in order to build on the discoveries Hubble made. The authors bring some of the physics behind the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope to the primary classroom.

The refractive index (RI) is probably the single most important parameter in optical systems. Chromatic dispersion, on the other hand, indicates how the RI depends on the wavelength and is central in, e.g., optical communication systems. Chromatic dispersion also plays an important role when teaching optics due to the captivating natural phenomenon of the rainbow and the white light decomposition with a prism. In this work, we propose and explore a method to characterize the refractive index of transparent liquids in the visible range without any dedicated equipment or device (such as prisms, goniometer, laser, detector, etc.).

Even though many physics teachers take their students on a calculation adventure through circular motion and Newton's universal law of gravity to determine Earth's velocity, most of us leave it at that. We present the final result and say, "Look, Earth is moving around the Sun at about 107,000 km/hr (66,000 mph), yet we can't feel the motion at all!" Well, thanks to an NSF-funded Research Experience for Teachers, some eager participants, a simply built radio horn telescope pointed at the center of the Milky Way, and the addition of Doppler effect considerations, we can verify our calculations through observation…science!

Spin crossover (SCO) materials that switch between two different spin states, that is, the high spin (HS) and the low spin (LS) state, with very different optical, magnetic, and structural properties offer a unique platform to understand the consequences induced by the different electronic configurations of transition metal complexes. Due to the significant changes associated with the spin transition, it can be followed by different techniques such as UV-vis and IR optical spectroscopy, magnetism, crystallography, calorimetric analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, etc. Hence, a practical experiment for laboratory classes dedicated to the topic of SCO focused on the thermal transition, that is, the transition triggered by temperature, results in a simple yet attractive way to understand not only fundamental concepts of inorganic and physical chemistry but also to get acquainted with the synthesis of nanoparticles and the characterization of inorganic solid samples.

While the multimodal nature of the languages of science is now broadly recognised, the role of affect and aesthetics in these languages, and the potential for this aesthetic focus to add to these languages, has tended to be ignored. Research into these languages has mainly focused on a codification of their functions, an approach to which aesthetics study would seem not broadly suited because of its ephemeral, complex, relatively unpredictable and affective nature. However, there is a growing awareness of its importance in learning. In this paper, we analyse a case study of art-science integration on the topic of optics to (a) put a case for the value of an explicit focus on aesthetics in science learning and (b) to clarify how teachers might integrate conceptual learning and aesthetic experiences into a broadened account of the languages of science. We argue that this focus on aesthetic responses needs to be included in accounts of productive science classroom discourse because such responses (a) enhance student motivation to learn, (b) enact generative sign-making in this discourse, (c) enrich student habits of perception in inquiry-based-learning and (d) licence more creative learning processes and outcomes. These effects are consistent with widespread policy advocacy of the need for students to find learning in science more meaningful.