arXiv subjects

Micol Alemani

Publications and source records attributed to Micol Alemani.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Students' reasoning in choosing measurement instruments in an introductory physics laboratory course

The aim of this study is to investigate the decisions and reasoning of undergraduate students when choosing simple measurement instruments in an introductory physics laboratory course. For this study, we have developed a questionnaire and implemented it in a pre-/post-test manner to analyze the influence of lab instruction on both students' decisions and reasoning. To characterize students' justifications, we have inductively developed a coding manual that captures the nuances of students' reasoning when choosing an instrument. It shows that students consider different aspects for their decisions, such as data quality, practical and personal considerations. We have also found that laboratory instruction influenced both students' decisions and justifications, leading to a stronger emphasis on data quality. In fact, after instruction, the majority of students choose the instrument with lower uncertainty and base their justifications mainly on the aim of reducing uncertainties, avoiding systematic effects or mistakes in the instrument reading, and less often than before instruction on personal experience and intuition. These findings suggest that dedicating specific laboratory instruction sessions on measurements and data quality, and having students choose between different instrumentation and provide a justification for their decision, can positively impact students' habits in the laboratory and encourage them to base their choices on evidence rather than intuition.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Development of a global landscape of undergraduate physics laboratory courses

Physics Education Research (PER) is a global endeavour, with a wealth of work performed at a variety of institutions worldwide. However, results from research into undergraduate physics laboratory courses is often difficult to compare due to the broad variations in courses. We have created a survey to help classify these courses to compare and contrast them, which will be useful in two key endeavours: comparisons between PER studies and providing useful data for individual instructors hoping to improve their courses, thus providing information relevant to both researchers and instructors. While we are still in the process of collecting sufficient data to create a full taxonomy of laboratory courses, we present here details of the survey creation itself, as well as a first look at the data collected, which includes a broad landscape of lab courses in 41 countries. We used both quantitative and qualitative methods in analyzing the data collected. Some of these results include similarities between courses, such as students often using pre-constructed apparatuses and that instructors hope for students to learn technical skills. We also find differences in courses, such as in the number and types of goals of the course, as well as the activities students participate in.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Using Jupyter Notebooks to foster computational skills and professional practice in an introductory physics lab course

In this paper, we detail the integration of Python data analysis into a first-year physics laboratory course, a task accomplished without significant alterations to the existing course structure. We introduced tailored laboratory computational learning goals and designed activities to address them. We emphasise the development and application of Jupyter Notebooks, tailored with exercises and physics application examples, to facilitate students' mastery of data analysis programming within the laboratory setting. These Notebooks serve as a crucial tool in guiding students through the core principles of data handling and analysis in Python, while working on simple experimental tasks. The results of the evaluation of this intervention offer insights into the advantages and challenges associated with early integration of computational skills in laboratory courses, providing valuable information for educators in the field of physics education. This study demonstrates a practical and effective way of embedding computational skills into the physics curriculum, and contributes to the ongoing efforts of the physics education research community.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2023

Integrating Python data analysis in an existing introductory laboratory course

In this article we describe how we successfully incorporated data analysis in Python in a first-year laboratory course without significantly altering the course structure and without overburdening students. We show how we created and used carefully designed Jupyter Notebooks with exercises and physics application examples that allow students to master data analysis programming in the laboratory course. We use these Notebooks to guide students through the fundamentals of data handling and analysis in Python while performing simple experiments. We present our teaching approach and the developed materials. We discuss the effectiveness of our intervention based on the results from pre- and post- course questionnaires and students' group work. The results presented give insights about advantages and challenges of introducing computation at the early stage of the curriculum in a laboratory course setting and are informative for other instructors and the physics education research community.

physics.ed-ph↗