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The aim of this study was to predict the Physics grades of North Vancouver Senior Secondary Physics 91 students in Physics 101 courses at the grade XIII and the university level, and in Physics 200, and Physics 155 and 156 at the university level. The prediction variables used were the intelligence quotient rated by Otis Self-Administering Tests of Mental Ability, Higher Examination: Form C, together with the grades in Physics 91 and Mathematics 91. These variables were used to predict the grades for Physics 100, 200 and Physics 155 and 156. The intelligence quotient and the grades in Physics 101, and Mathematics 101 were used to predict the grades for Physics 200 and Physics 155 and 156. The study was undertaken to determine whether the intelligence quotient and the standard of achievement in prerequisite courses provide a basis for prediction of success in the advanced physics courses. Such a prediction would be of value in offering academic guidance. Because of the multivariate nature of the predictors, the predicted grade was equated to the prediction variables by a multiple regression equation. When the coefficient of correlation was significant beyond the one per cent level, the null hypothesis was rejected and the prediction equation which resulted was assumed to be significantly predictive within the statistical limits stated. The accuracy of these predictions was tested by calculating the correlations between sets of actual grades in Physics 101, Physics 200, and Physics 155 and 156 for students who graduated from 1957 to 1961 from North Vancouver Senior Secondary School, and the corresponding sets of predicted grades for students who graduated from 1947 to 1957. Physics 101 grades as given by the Department of Education or the University of British Columbia showed correlation coefficients that were significant with both final course grade predictors as given by the classroom teacher and university entrance examination grade predictors. Physics 101 grades yielded higher correlation coefficients with university entrance grade predictors than with letter grade predictors. Physics 155 and 156 grades showed correlation coefficients that were significant with both letter grade predictors assigned by the high school teachers, with the Physics 101 grades and Mathematics 101 grades assigned by the University of British Columbia, and with the grades assigned by the Department of Education. Physics 200 grades showed correlation coefficients that were significant with both letter grade predictors assigned by the high school teachers and with the Physics 101 grades and Mathematics 101 grades assigned by the University of British Columbia and the grades assigned by the Department of Education. Physics 155 and 156 and Physics 200 grades had higher multiple correlation coefficients with University grade predictors than with letter grade predictors. Actual grades for Grade XIII Physics 101 and University Physics 101 correlated significantly with corresponding predicted grades. Actual grades for Physics 155 and 156 and Physics 200 correlated with predicted grades. The coefficients of correlation using University grade predictors to predict Physics 155 and 156 and Physics 200 grades, were both significant. The coefficient of correlation, using letter grade predictors to predict Physics 155 and 156, was significant. The results of the study Indicated that it is possible to predict Physics 101 grades for North Vancouver Senior Secondary Physics 91 students. University entrance grade predictors give equations with higher coefficients of correlation than letter grade predictors. The results also indicated that it is possible to predict the grades of Physics 155 and 156 and Physics 200 with letter grade predictors and University grade predictors. These results, made available to the counsellor, would enable him to advise students as to their probability of success, if they were to enroll in Physics 101, Physics 155 and 156 and Physics 200. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

A study of the attitudes of students toward physics laboratory programs was hypothesized to be one method of determining the relative probability with which these laboratory programs could succeed in fulfilling two primary objectives: (1) providing a knowledge of some basic concepts and experimantal techniques in physics, and (2) developing a high degree of interest in physics. This supposition was based upon the positive correlation between attitude toward a learning situation and achievement and interest in the situation, reported to have been found in previous studies investigating attitudes and their relationship to learning. To measure the attitudes of students toward the physics laboratory, an attitude scale was developed through sound methods of scale construction. Studies were completed .investigating attitudes as measured by this scale and their relationship with achievement in the laboratory and interest in physics. The results of these studies not only supported the hypothesis that the predicted relationship did exist, but also furnished evidence that the scale possessed construct validity. The function of the attitude scale in this study was to determine which of two physics 110 laboratory programs at the University of British Columbia was more favorably rated by students. One program was patterned upon traditional laboratory design (control program), while the other was based upon recent trends in laboratory philosophy and design (experimental program). Students worked in these programs for three months. The attitude scale was administered before these programs commenced, and at their completion. The results of these administrations disclosed that the experimental program was rated by students to be significantly more favorable than the control program, which in view of the relationship found to exist between attitude as measured by the attitude scale, and achievement in the laboratory and interest in physics, suggested that the experimental program was more capable of providing a knowledge of some basic concepts and experimental techniques in physics, as well as developing a higher degree of interest in physics. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

There was recently introduced into the secondary schools of British Columbia a course in physics based primarily upon the work of the Physical Science Study Committee. At the end of the course a study is made of atomic physics. A fundamental concept involved in the study of atomic physics is that of the quantum of light energy. A photocell experiment suitable for use in secondary schools has been developed which is intended to help the student to come to major conclusions regarding the photoelectric effect and the nature of light. In developing this experiment investigations were made to determine the suitability of available apparatus and methods. Among the aspects investigated were photocells, light sources, filters, methods of measuring small currents, and methods of investigating the photoelectric effect. The experiment which evolved was then performed under conditions more suitable than exist in secondary schools. The results of the experiment agreed with the major points of the theory and yielded a value for Planck's constant within ten per cent of accepted value. It was concluded that a photocell experiment can be performed in secondary schools which will yield results which agree with the theory. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

This study explores the introduction of a new applied physics course into a British Columbia high school during the 1994-1995 school year. The course was part of a provincial effort aimed at making science and technology education more responsive to the workplace. Data collection took place during the first year the applied physics course was being piloted at the school and focused on the pilot teacher and the applied physics classes, but also involved others inside and outside the school who had a connection to the course. A variety of methods were used in data collection including interviews, observation, and document analysis. Using actor-network theory and sociocultural theory, the focus of the research is on the networks that were constructed at the pilot school and at the provincial level where the course was conceptualized and developed. The research describes how the teacher and other network builders attempted to enroll various human and nonhuman actors into the networks they were constructing in support of the course. They did this by convincing the actors that the course was compatible with their interests. The types of actors that were enrolled, the sociocultural communities they belonged to, and what it took to convince them to support the course are shown to shape the way that the course was enacted in the classroom. In addition, it is demonstrated that the network that was constructed at the provincial level had only a minor connection to the one the teacher was constructing at the school level. The lack of contact between the two networks meant that the interests of those who were involved in organizing the applied physics pilots at the provincial level were seldom taken into account in the course at the school. Fourteen conclusions are drawn about the networks that were constructed and the network building process at both the school and provincial levels. These conclusions have implications for policy in educational change initiatives and for addressing problems that emerge when cross-subject courses are introduced. The research also develops a new theoretical approach that will contribute to advancing research on educational change. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Knowledge of how different vocation-oriented groups of students respond to the classroom environment is a serious concern of an instructor in a first year college physics course -- especially those who accept the responsibility of facilitating the resolution of vocational choice determination. Knowledge about the nature of the instructor's class -- in terms of how they respond to various aspects of the teaching-learning situation -- has interpretative value in making decisions about special instructional provisions for the groups. This thesis was an attempt to provide information about the nature of the differences between vocation-oriented groups of students, in terms of selected dependent variables, important to the instructor of a first year college physics course. The data for the study was gathered from one class of a Physics 110 course offered at the University of British Columbia. Students in the class were divided into three groups based on vocational choice. Each of these groups were further subdivided in terms of the amount of high-school physics experience. Nineteen dependent variables were classified into three categories: (a) Antecedent -- Variables which provided information on a student's general academic ability, and his competence in Science subjects at the high-school level, (b) Cognitive -- Variables which provided information on student achievement during the year in Physics 110, and (c) Affective -- Variables providing information about a student's attitude towards concepts related to science in general and physics in particular. The data gathered was analysed first by a one-way multivariate analysis of variance. This analysis showed that there was a statistical significant difference between vocation-oriented group centroids on the dependent variables taken all at a time. The analysis was carried further to determine the nature of these group differences through a discriminant analysis. The discriminant analysis produced two significant discriminant functions which provided information on the variables that contributed most to differentiating between the groups along each function. The overall conclusion that was suggested is that only those students who were required to take just one year of college physics were clearly distinguished from the other vocation oriented groups. The major distinction between these groups being academic ability. Years of schooling in a subject area was also an important distinguishing factor for instructional purposes, but this factor did not discriminate between the various vocation-oriented groups. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

A RESEARCH REPORT submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in the SCHOOL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION of the UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND / This study was designed to investigate beliefs of Physics Teachers, in Lesotho, about Physics and Physics teaching and their awareness of students' alternative conceptions. The study used three questionnaires as its research tools. The first questionnaire investigated beliefs of teachers about Physics concepts, particularly electromagnetism, and the teaching of those concepts. An 'index of agreement' was calculated to determine the tendency of responses. The second queatlonnalre investigated teachers' awareness of students' alternative conceptions, while the third investigated Students' alternative conceptlons. Teachers' predictions are compared with the students' answers. The study shows some teachers having beliefs which can be grouped into two categories, namely constructlvlsts and empiricists. There is however no clear separation between the two categories. The study also shows that some teachers are not aware of students' alternative conceptlons, while some teachers had the same alternative conceptions as students, / Andrew Chakane 2019