This thesis describes three studies designed to help students learn physics better and instructors teach physics more effectively in local circumstances. The first study investigated the effects of teaching approaches consisting of interactive engagement activities in two institutions. The teaching elements in the experimental classes were reading quizzes, interactive lecture demonstrations and student discussions. The control classes were taught in traditional style dominated by an instructor lecturing on concepts and problem solving examples. The cognitive improvement was measured by a standardized test and exam grades. The students in the experimental classes showed significant improvement in conceptual understanding and problem solving skills compared to the students in the control classes. While the experimental groups welcomed the modified instruction, they still held the view that the lecturer should play the dominant role of presenting the material. In the second study interviews with lecturers, teaching assistants and students revealed their perceptions of the utility of real-life materials in instruction. The students asserted that activities using real-life materials were interesting and useful. However, they still considered that elements of traditional instruction were very important in good teaching. The lack of knowledge of innovative teaching approaches may explain why the instructors were sceptical about the effectiveness of real-life materials in improving their students' understanding. To raise the instructors' awareness of issues in learning physics and to improve their knowledge of effective instruction, the third study discussed a department-based professional development course. The course incorporated interactive engagement activities and made connections to teaching and learning experiences. The course evaluation suggested that the participants became more open to new ideas and intended to implement what they had learned in the present and future academic career. The studies in this thesis have impacted on first year courses and raised the instructors' awareness of physics education issues. The emphasis of educational enterprises should be shifted from classroom changes to educating the instructors. Instead of simply modifying teaching practice, instructors should also undergo a transformation in beliefs and knowledge in pedagogy. It is only when all instructors are willing to undergo such a transformation that a significant achievement in teaching and learning will be realized.

This thesis describes three studies designed to help students learn physics better and instructors teach physics more effectively in local circumstances. The first study investigated the effects of teaching approaches consisting of interactive engagement activities in two institutions. The teaching elements in the experimental classes were reading quizzes, interactive lecture demonstrations and student discussions. The control classes were taught in traditional style dominated by an instructor lecturing on concepts and problem solving examples. The cognitive improvement was measured by a standardized test and exam grades. The students in the experimental classes showed significant improvement in conceptual understanding and problem solving skills compared to the students in the control classes. While the experimental groups welcomed the modified instruction, they still held the view that the lecturer should play the dominant role of presenting the material. In the second study interviews with lecturers, teaching assistants and students revealed their perceptions of the utility of real-life materials in instruction. The students asserted that activities using real-life materials were interesting and useful. However, they still considered that elements of traditional instruction were very important in good teaching. The lack of knowledge of innovative teaching approaches may explain why the instructors were sceptical about the effectiveness of real-life materials in improving their students' understanding. To raise the instructors' awareness of issues in learning physics and to improve their knowledge of effective instruction, the third study discussed a department-based professional development course. The course incorporated interactive engagement activities and made connections to teaching and learning experiences. The course evaluation suggested that the participants became more open to new ideas and intended to implement what they had learned in the present and future academic career. The studies in this thesis have impacted on first year courses and raised the instructors' awareness of physics education issues. The emphasis of educational enterprises should be shifted from classroom changes to educating the instructors. Instead of simply modifying teaching practice, instructors should also undergo a transformation in beliefs and knowledge in pedagogy. It is only when all instructors are willing to undergo such a transformation that a significant achievement in teaching and learning will be realized.

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This thesis explores the integration of digital technologies and active learning methodologies in physics education, focusing on both high school and introductory undergraduate laboratory courses. The research is motivated by the need to move away from traditional, teacher-centered approaches and embrace methods that actively engage students in the learning process. The first part of the thesis details the implementation of the E-CLASS (Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics) survey in Italian undergraduate courses. This survey provided insights into students' attitudes towards experimental physics, guiding curriculum refinement to enhance learning outcomes. By analysing pre- and post-course data, we identified areas for improvement and adjusted teaching practices accordingly. The second part of the research focuses on the introduction of Jupyter Notebooks with Python in laboratory courses. We defined and introduced a set of laboratory computational learning goals that were incorporated into the course to foster students' abilities to write Python codes for data manipulation, analysis, and visualization, as well as to effectively communicate their work using Jupyter Notebooks. This approach aimed to lower the entry barrier to programming, enhancing students' computational skills, which are fundamental for modern scientific methodologies, and self-efficacy in a manner more aligned with professional physics practices. The effectiveness of the approach is described on the basis of multi-step assessments aligned with the defined learning goals. The third part of this research focuses on the implementation of the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach in high school physics courses using iOLab devices. ISLE is an inquiry-based methodology where students learn physics by practicing it, mirroring the activities of professional physicists. This approach involves students working in groups in generating and testing their own explanations for observed phenomena through hands-on experimentation. The ISLE methodology fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration, essential for learning scientific practices. Initial results from the implementation show that students were highly engaged and appreciated the use of technology and group work in their learning process, although longer interventions are needed to significantly impact students' habits. In addition, a teaching module on introducing the FFT spectrum as a graphical representation to explore sound phenomena was presented using Jupyter Notebooks and smartphone sensors, further integrating computational elements into the curriculum. In conclusion, this thesis shows the potential of digital technologies and active learning methodologies in improving student learning. By fostering critical thinking, data analysis skills and scientific inquiry, these approaches significantly enhance the educational experience and prepare students for the complexities of 21st- century world.