New Perspectives in Science Education

Modern methods of measurement and techniques of instrumentation contribute to the advancement of science and to its applications. It is thus natural to include work in a well-equipped but simple laboratory in teaching fundamental principles, processes and laws of Waves and Optics. Inspired by previous success with conceptual laboratories and with a starting point of the ideas on so called Interactive Lecture Demonstrations as developed by David Sokoloff, Ronald Thornton and co-workers, this study aims to design and develop Interactive Lecture Demonstration and Experiments using low- cost optics kit and to evaluate its effectiveness towards improving Physics performance of high school students.

The respondents in this study involved 30 students for both control and experimental groups and were given 50-items teacher-made assessment test validated by experts. The Pre-Test and Post-Test Experimental design was utilized to compare the effectiveness of Interactive Lecture Demonstration and the usual way of demonstrating and teaching waves and optics. Attitudinal questionnaire was also used to determine if this type of demonstration could increase interest of students towards learning such area of Physics. Results were tabulated and computed, analyzed and interpreted using the arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and t-test as statistical tool.

         Findings revealed that Low-Cost Interactive Learning demonstrations and experiments show significant result as compared to the control group. Students were able to analyze the situation in the demonstration and experiment through actively engaging their hands and minds which also help the students stimulate their problem solving skills.

The researchers further recommend the use of Interactive Lecture Demonstration using low- cost optics kit and should also be sustained through seminars or peer to peer training among Physics teachers. It is also recommended that the interactive lecture demonstration and experiments using low cost materials be done not only in the field of optics but also in mechanics, sound, thermodynamics, electricity, electronics and magnetism.