Active learning strategies play a crucial role in utilizing PhET simulations (Physics Education Technology) effectively for teaching and learning. PhET simulations are interactive virtual environments that enable students to explore scientific concepts and phenomena. Several active learning strategies can be employed when incorporating PhET sims into the teaching and learning process.

Guided Inquiry, Collaborative Learning, Conceptual Modeling, Formative Assessment, and Problem-Based Learning

When applying these active learning strategies, it is important for teachers to provide guidance, facilitate discussions, and encourage reflection. The flexibility and interactivity of PhET sims allow for personalized and student-centered learning experiences, enabling learners to actively construct their understanding of scientific concepts through exploration and experimentation.

Prof. Sarraf Rajesh Kumar

Thank you so much for your post relating PhET sims & Active Learning Strategies. I apologize for the late reply.

Kind Regards.

Active Learning Strategies play a crucial role in the use of the PhET sims, and provide innovative ways to teach and to actively learn STEM sciences.

• Whole Class Inquiry
• Interactive lecture Demos
• Concept Questions

Please visit the site of the PhET sims for more information:

https://phet.colorado.edu/

KInd Regards.

PhET simulation strategies, based on the students' prior knowledge and construction of concepts, are based on the learning process, allowing through the student's free play with the simulation, to ask predictive or challenge-based questions, which allows the student to check his conjectures and increase the level of awareness of his learning process.

Thank you so much for your interesting answer, Dear Prof. Wilmer Lopez

sims are learning by inquiry based applications. Develop interest and intuition from students and instructors and also help to predict nature behavior by varying the parameters in the sims without having the equations.

Muchas Gracias.

The use of "Inquiry Learning & PhET Sims" helps to gain intuition & to be important, when students develop their understanding in STEM subjects.

Thus, we can say that guided inquiry is crucial in STEM subjects.

On the subject of inquiry learning, please check:

• https://phet.colorado.edu/

Kind Regards

I have used a combination of predictions in the pre-lab or beginning of class. Then free play with the simulator, then challenge learning and closing the class with an overall conclusion

In these days I have applied the combination of strategies and I am about to analyze the results to write a research article comparing this type of classes with traditional classes and see how the use of simulations stimulates or promotes learning in a previous stage before starting with abstract calculus applying equations

Dear Prof. Wilmer Lopez

Thank you so much for your insightful posts to this thread describing in practice your approach to the topic.

The discussion is open for all STEM instructors since the topic of using sims in teaching ând learning is quite useful.

About writing a manuscript is interesting, I have used it for some terms to teach the statistical physics subject to physics majors.

Kind Regards.

Dear readers & followers to this thread:

The link of inquiry learning & PhET sims is a powerful tool in STEM education.

Please check the following web link:

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/teaching-resources/activity-guide

Best Regards to All.

Dear Readers & Followers,

An excellent introduction with worked examples of the use of PhET sims in STEM subjects in the Spanish Language is given in the following publication

Conference Paper Visiones convergentes: Caso de éxito promoviendo el aprendiz...

Best Regards

Dear Doctor

Go To

Student engagement and learning with PhET interactive simulations

W. K. Adams

IL NUOVO CIMENTO

DOI 10.1393/ncc/i2010-10623-0

"Summary. — There is considerable evidence that PhET interactive simulations can be powerful tools for achieving student learning of science. Recent research conducted with PhET Interactive simulations has focused on the specific aspects of simulations that help students build a conceptual understanding of the science; specifically the value of showing the invisible, the use of analogy and effective levels of guidance with simulations. Educators have found that use of heavily guided activities does not elicit deep thinking and learning from students; while other studies have found that with pure discovery learning students are not able to “discover” the science for themselves. Recent studies reveal that appropriate scaffolding of the material is needed to help students build a mental framework about concepts. Then students can construct their own understanding within this framework. Our work has focused on understanding how students use simulations to construct this mental framework and the effect levels of guidance have on students’ use of simulations. Hundreds of individual student interviews have been conducted during which the students describe what they were thinking as they interact with simulations. Careful analysis reveals that showing the invisible and use of analogy both facilitate students’ construction of their understanding; while the nature of guidance influences the amount of student engagement."

Dear Prof. Sundus F Hantoosh

Thank you so much for your post, pointing new literature related to this thread.

Best Regards

Dear Doctor

Go To

Improving concept understanding and motivation of learners through Phet simulation word

A Gani , M Syukri , K Khairunnisak , M Nazar , and R P Sari

Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1567 (2020) 042013 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1567/4/042013

[One of the virtual laboratories can be used to improve the concept understanding and motivation for learners is physic education technology (PhET). The PhET simulation is one of effective ways to instruct many physic concepts and function as alternative of traditional method such as laboratory activity and textbook [6]. The learning by using PhET would make learners more active, more interested learning uses PhET simulation due to learners can use PhET software animation and also can give a learning experience as well as playing [7,8]. PhET virtual media can train process skill to get the result of product cognitive and positive response of learners by using student’s worksheet (LKS) as supporting source [9,10,11]. Furthermore, the learning based virtual laboratory can increase the mastery of concepts [2]. The learning media by using computer simulation program to enhance the understanding of concept for learners fulfills validity and reliability criteria [12,13]. The using of PhET can evoke learners’ motivation in learning [14,15]. The learners will be easier to understand the materials if their motivation could be firstly evoked. The advantage of PhET simulation can be an approach of learning which requires engagement and interaction with learners, educate learners so that they have constructivism paradigm, where learners can combine the initial knowledge with the virtual findings of the executed simulation, make more interested learning because the learners can study even though playing for it, and visualize the concepts of science as a model.

Conclusion Based on the result of research and discussion can be concluded that the improvement of understanding of concept or motivation for learners happen after applying PhET simulation in learning about vibration and wave.]

Thank you so much for your contribution to this thread, Prof. Sundus F Hantoosh

I can tell you that the simulations PhET from the University of Colorado Boulder are great useful tools that includes active learning, inquiry and challenge prompts as a pivotal learning tools for students in elementary, middle, high schools and colleges & universities.

I strongly recommend their use, following the tips & advices from the PhET Team!