F. Oliveira & J.A. Paixão

1. Performance of Portuguese students in Physics Olympiads: bridging the gap between theory and experiment F. Oliveira& J.A. Paixão CEMDRX, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, in Portugal E-mail: filipa.oliveira@uc.pt

2. In this communication I present just part of my PhD work. The investigation is ongoing and therefore only a few results will be presented.

3. This is the SUMMARY of my oral communication 1. MOTIVATION 2. PHYSICS OLYMPIADS 3. QUARK! PROJECT 4. EXPERIMENTAL COMPONENT

4. 1. MOTIVATION I am investigating the potential of Physics Olympiads for: • signaling young students with strong potential for Physics • identifying difficulties and problems in Physics learning and teaching • stimulating the development of experimental skills in high school students

5. 1. MOTIVATION I am investigating the potential of Physics Olympiads for: • developing new teaching resources • involving physics teachers in new methodologies • …hoping to use the results to propose new strategies for the teaching of Physics in Portugal

6. 2. PHYSICS Olympiads Why study students engaged in Physics Olympiads?

7. Because… • In general teachers choose their best students to participate in the competition. • These students are the most motivated, the most curious and eager to learn. • If these students still have difficulties in learning physics (and they do!), what to think of their colleagues who are in a lower level of learning? • Therefore, these students are a good sample to diagnose problems in physics teaching.

8. 2. PHYSICS OLYMPIADS For those not familiar with this science competition, it consists of two parts: TheoreticalPart PracticalPart

9. 2. PHYSICS OLYMPIADS • The Physics Olympiads began in Portugal in 1985. • The Physics Olympiads in Portugal are under the responsibility of the Portuguese Physical Society. Portugal began its participation in the International Physics Olympiads (IPhO) in 1994.

10. Results from Portugal in nineteen years of competition Ibero – American Physics Olympiads InternationalPhysicsOlympiads Awards in Portuguese IPhO Awards in Portuguese OIbF http://olimpiadas.spf.pt/ipho/ipho.shtml http://olimpiadas.spf.pt/oibf/oibf.shtml

11. 2. PHYSICS OLYMPIADS Portuguese students have won medals! “We can conclude that there are no genetic problems” (just kidding!) Still Portugal ranks low between most European countries…

12. 2. PHYSICS OLYMPIADS • In my research I am going to survey the teachers and students who participate in the regional and national phases of the Physics Olympiads. • One of the aims is to identify problems in the teaching-learning process. • Show only some data. The 2013 case is still not processed…

13. PHYSICS OLYMPIADS Some results of the Regional Olympiads– Opinions of Teachers • This result corresponds to the years 2011 and 2012. Missing 2013! • 301 teachers have answered Lack of time and material are the main causes identified by teachers, for the small number classes doing experimental teaching. 6 – What are the main reasons that prevent the implementation of experimental classes? Lackof time Lackof material Lackofstudentinterest Absenceof a laboratoryschool Lackofefficacyofthese classes onstudentlearning

14. PHYSICS OLYMPIADS Some results of the Regional Olympiads – Opinions of Teachers • This result corresponds to the years 2011 and 2012. Missing 2013! • 301 teachers have answered. Most teachers answered that they need training in the area of experimental teaching. Training should be continued throughout their professional carreer. The training received at the University is not enough. 15 – Do you feel the need for specific training in the area of experimental teaching? Regional Offices

15. PHYSICSOlympiads Some results of the Regional Olympiads– Opinions of Teachers • This result corresponds to the year: 2011 and 2012. Missing 2013! • 301 teachers have answered • The areas where teachers have greater difficulty are: • First: modern physics • Second: electromagnetism • Third: electricity / electronics 17 – What are the topics where you face more difficulties when teaching the experimental component? Electricity Electronic Electromagnetism Thermodynamics Modern Physics Radiation Optics Mechanics Acoustics Regional Offices

16. PHYSICSOlympiads Some results of the Olympiads Regional – Opinions of Students • This result corresponds to the years 2011 and 2012. Missing 2013! • 1034 students have answered Students have difficulty understanding abstract concepts of physics. 15 – What are the main difficulties you encounter while studying physics and chemistry? Problem solving Interpretation of questions Understanding of abstract issues Length of core matter Mathematics (algebra, trigonometry...) Establishing connections with the real world Other Recognising if a result is physical meaningful or not

17. PHYSICSOlympiads Some results of the National Olympiads– Opinions of Students • This result corresponds to the years 2011 and 2012. Missing 2013! • Question answered by 56 national Olympiads students. • The main difficulty presented by this sample of students is: • Difficulty in the use of equipment 5 – What are the aspects you think are most difficult in the experimental component? Difficulty in the use ofequipment The gap between the theory and experiment Identifying the tasks to be undertaken in the experiments Makinggraphs

18. With surveys, students and teachers have diagnosed some problems: • Deficient training in Physics of teachers • Learning of scientific content by students • Deficient organisation of the official Physics curricula • Not enough school resources to promote Physics teaching (well equipped labs, motivated staff) • Reduced number of classes devoted to experiments

19. 3. QUARK!-Project What is it? An (informal) School of Physics for pre-university (high-school) students. How does it work? Classroom teaching done at the University of Coimbra and via the Internet. From January to June each year. Only one weekend per month. Classes begin on Friday evening and end on Sunday late afternoon.

20. 3. QUARK!-Project OBJECTIVE Scout for young students with a talent for Physics. Devoted to ”top students” with a strong interest in Physics. Also trains students for the International Physics Olympiads. PROGRAM Nominated by the Olympic Committee - international syllabus of Physics Olympiads SCIENTIFIC CONTENT Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics, Waves and Optics, Modern Physics. LESSONS Taughtbyuniversityprofessors.

21. 3. QUARK!-Project E-Learning Quark! forum (http://algol.fis.uc.pt) TEACHERS’ TRAINING In parallel with classes of students, high-school teachers can also participate in training provided by the Portuguese Physics Society within this project. Other Activities Lectures by scientists, presentations by high-tech companies and Jazz-related activites(!).

22. 4. EXPERIMENTAL COMPONENT Why address specifically this issue? • Because… • In my MSc research I have shown that the experimental component is indeed very important for the understanding of some Physics concepts and the development of cognitive capabilities. • The experimental component is always present in Physics Olympiads and Portuguese students have shown poor performance at this component.

23. 4. EXPERIMENTAL COMPONENT Portuguese students in the IPhO have shown more difficulties in the experimental component than in the theoretical component! What are the causes? How to help solving this problem?

24. I'm investigating! At the end of the PhD I hope to give a good answer!

25. In the early years of the Portuguese participation in the International Physics Olympiads (between 1994 and 2000), students had better results in the experimental than in the theoretical component . And why?

26. HYPOTHESES • In the curriculum the students had a course called “Physics Laboratory Techniques”. • In this course the students just conducted physics experiments. Had a proper laboratory, time, material and a physics teacher devoted to this subject. • In Physics Olympiads Portuguese students who had attended this course managed good results in the experimental component of the Science Olympiads.

27. WE HAVE A PROBLEM… • But after a decade the picture is reversed ... • Portuguese students in the Physics Olympiads present better results in the theoretical than in the experimental component. Why this reversal? What is happening in physics teaching?

28. Portuguese Education System • In Portugal the Ministry of Education fused the disciplines of Physics and Chemistry. • Students have the same teacher to teach Physics and Chemistry to the same class. • The experimental component of physics is incorporated in the discipline of physics and chemistry.

29. Portuguese Education System • Students in Portugal have this discipline for the first time in the 7th grade at the age of 12 and up to the 11th grade at the age of 16. • Only in the 12th grade students may have the discipline of Physics alone, if they choose this discipline. • As the sciences of Physics and Chemistry are grouped in a single discipline, teachers often say that there is no time to teach physics concepts and conduct experimental classes during the school year. Here students begin to study Physics!

30. Students who participate in the Physics Olympiads must have very deep and solid knowledge of mathematics and physics. • The current curriculum of the discipline of Physical and Chemical Sciences of the Portuguese Ministry of Education does not allow a deep enough knowledge ofthe main laws of physics.

31. The Portuguese Physical Society appointed a committee of university professors who had as main objective to train students who represented Portugal in the Portuguese International Olympiads in Physics. • This training was done only a week before competitions. • So little time to prepare! • During this period the students had poor results in the theoretical component but the best results in the experimental component. These results in experimental component stemmed probably from the training in the discipline of physics laboratory techniques.

32. After attending classes at the Quark!-School the students participating in the Olympiads began to get better results in the theoretical component. • The students now have more time to prepare! • Up to now this school was unable to promote practical lessons aimed at developing experimental skills.

33. At Quark!-school the priority is to teach the theoretical concepts and the mathematical tools that are required by the olympic committee. • There are many concepts of physics and mathematics that students wishing to participate in the Physics Olympiads do not learn in school teaching. • For example, the calculation of integrals is taught only in Portugal at higher education level...

34. I Quark!-school • I am preparing a kit of low-cost experiments made of simple and easy accessible materials for students and teachers. • Most experimental activities have a structure similar to those presented in the Olympic competitions. • These kits aim at developing a diversified range of experimental skills.

35. I Quark!-school • At each session of Quark! I give students a document with two experimental activities: • an activity which has an experimental protocol • another experimental activity which has only one sentence that presents the challenge. In this second experimental activity students are led to develop their creativity. They are stimulated to think and establish a strategy to experimentally solve the experimental challenge.

36. I Quark! in school! • I ask students to do experiments at home or in school with the teacher's help. • The students deliver the solutions of experimental activities in the next session of the school Quark! • In parallel a document is also given to students with theoretical problems having different degrees of difficulty.

37. I Quark in school! • At the same session of the School Quark! Teachers accompanying 20 Olympiads students are invited to attend some theoretical lessons. • The participation of teachers in school Quark! is promoted by the Portuguese Physics Society. • These teachers seek to train the Olympic level. • I ask students and teachers to point out the main conceptual difficulties, operational and data analysis when carrying out experimental activities.

38. I Quark in school! • Experimental activities which are given to students are also made available to teachers in each session of Quark! • Teachers do experimental activities in groups of two. • After performing the activities, they deal with the data and discuss the results. • After the conclusions I provide a document with methodological suggestions. • In carrying out experimental activities, teachers are guided by university professors.

39. Experimental activities @ Quark!-2013

40. Experimental activities with protocol • Estimate the thickness of a trace of pencil to show that the trace consists of an extremely thin layer of graphite (order of magnitude of nanometer). • Measuring “g” using an improvised swing. • Influence of the mass of a spring on the oscillation period of a suspended staple.

41. Experimental activities with protocol • Study the relationship between the power emitted radiation by an incandescent lamp and its temperature. • Study of the optical characteristics of a magnifying glass.

42. The data treatment and the manual dexterity were the main difficulties signaled in the experimental activities. • Students have difficulties • in the calculation of errors • in the estimation of the uncertainties • in the linearization of the data • in the implementation of graphics on graph paper • in the use of multimeters, etc ...

43. All such skills are required for students participating in International Olympiads in Physics. • Portuguese students use far too often a calculatorand/or a computer to do data analysis. Thisprobably leads to a blockingofcognitivecompetencesand know-how. • These difficulties were confirmed by the teachers who act as “team-leaders” of the Portuguese delegation and who have access to the students write-ups and marks.

44. To test the competences of physics students who attend Quark!-school a theoretical pre-test is handed in January, before classes start, and a post-test is handed at the last meeting in June. • The goal is to determine the impact of the attendance of the Quark!-school in student’s learning.

45. The theory test questions only surveyed Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electricity and Electromagnetism because students in school, in the discipline of Physical and Chemical Sciences, had not learned scientific concepts from other areas of physics. • After 6 sessions of the School Quark!, in June, and having taught deeper concepts of Mechanics, Kinematics, Thermodynamics, Electricity and Electromagnetism the same theory test was presented because it was not corrected in January and the students did not have access to the correction.

46. All students performed better in the pos-test. • In the post-test students had greater skill in mathematical calculation, reasoning and understanding the laws of physics.

47. In short • I have much work to do... • It is important to identify problems in the teaching and learning of physics. • It is challenging to find a strategy to solve the problems. • Test and evaluate new teaching methodologies which will be later tested also in some Portuguese schools. • After proposing changes in the education system maybe there will be more students in Portugal motivated and interested to study Physics.

48. Thank you for your attention! If you have questions, please post by e-mail. filipa.oliveira@uc.pt