58403 - Laboratory Of Physics Education

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will know: a) the main results obtained by Research in Physics Education and History of Physics, regarding the role of lab activities in teaching/learning Physics; b) methods and practical examples of the use of laboratory in teaching/learning Physics; c) the role of technologies in the teaching laboratory and the comparison with reconstructions of historical apparatus, through some key experiments from a conceptual and historical point of view The student will be able to: i) design and implement lab activities, discuss their general and specific objectives, experimental results and implications for teaching; ii) apply innovative educational methods and technologies to designing teaching proposals and lab activities concerning the teaching and learning of upper secondary school physics topics (e.g.: Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Modern Physics).

Course contents

The Laboratory of Physics Education is a core course in the curriculum “Didactics, History and Epistemology of Physics”. As a laboratory course, it requires mandatory attendance (minimum 70%).

The course is structured in two complementary modules, offering two distinct but interconnected perspectives and approaches to the physics laboratory:

• a perspective centred on the didactic reconstruction of experiments and the role of modelling (Module 1 – Giulia Tasquier);
• a historical-epistemological perspective aimed at reconstructing and reinterpreting significant historical experiments (Module 2 – Eugenio Bertozzi).

 

 

Module 1 – (Giulia Tasquier)

This module focuses on the concept of modelling in physics, with particular attention to the use of simulations and visual representations as educational tools. It aims to explore the broader role of modelling in teaching and learning physics.
The discussion will revolve around the following experiments:

1. Boyle’s Law Experiment – To explore students’ conceptual difficulties related to thermodynamics and how a simple experiment can be used to challenge and problematise them.
2. Radiation–Matter Interaction (Cylinders) – To revisit fundamental physics concepts that underpin the explanation of the greenhouse effect.
3. Greenhouse Effect Experiment – To understand the modelling assumptions behind the phenomenon.
4. Photoelectric Effect Experiment – To explore a boundary case between classical and modern physics, with an eye toward its technological implications.

 

Module 2 – (Eugenio Bertozzi)

This module is a monographic course on the laboratory from the historical perspective of physics.
It focuses on significant historical experiments in the development of physics and examines how a didactic-laboratory approach can support their comprehension and reinterpretation.
Special attention is given to how seemingly “incomplete” descriptions of experiments (such as those by Galileo Galilei) presuppose a tacit laboratory know-how—often implicit for scientists but made explicit through an educational lens.

The discussion will centre on the following experiments:

1. Eratosthenes’ Measurement of the Earth’s Circumference – To explore experimental interpretation and the completion of ancient historical sources.
2. Galileo’s Inclined Plane – To address the relationship between theory and experiment, and the issue of replicability in physics.
3. 19th-Century Physics Experiments – To introduce the didactic reconstruction of historical experiments as a tool for education.

 

 

Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of professional, disciplinary, pedagogical and epistemological competences, relevant not only for teaching physics in secondary education, but also for other professional contexts where the ability to design educational activities, communicate complex scientific concepts, promote scientific literacy, and reflect critically on the nature of science is required.

These include:

Didactic Design Competences

• Designing structured laboratory activities, with clear general and specific learning goals, hypotheses, experimental procedures and evaluation tools.
• Planning educational sequences that integrate theory, experience and modelling, taking into account school curricula and students’ conceptual difficulties.

Competences in Using the Laboratory as a Learning Resource

• Using the laboratory not merely as a place of verification, but as a space for exploration, meaning-making and the development of critical thinking.
• Recognising and leveraging the educational potential of historical experiments, highlighting their epistemological and narrative dimensions.

Competences in Educational Technologies

• Critically using digital tools for data collection and analysis (e.g. LoggerPro, sensor apps, simulations).
• Integrating simulations and visual representations into teaching, while reflecting on their cognitive value and the distinction between models and reality.

Epistemological and Historical Competences

• Understanding the role of modelling in the construction of scientific knowledge.
• Valuing the educational potential of the history of science, developing a critical reading of sources and the implicit assumptions in scientific texts and practices.

Collaborative and Communicative Competences

• Working effectively in teams, taking on roles, sharing responsibilities and contributing to collective project development.
• Communicating the outcomes of an educational activity clearly and coherently, both orally (in final seminars) and in written form (reports and teaching materials).

Reflective and Metacognitive Competences

• Reflecting critically on one’s learning process and the didactic approaches adopted.
• Documenting, evaluating and improving one’s work through peer, tutor and instructor feedback.

These competences are valuable for various professional figures operating in science education and communication, including teacher training, science outreach, instructional design, science mediation, and research in physics education.

 

Readings/Bibliography

The study materials consist of selected book chapters and research articles, which will be made available to students through the Virtuale platform and the Teams classroom.
All materials will be clearly listed and organised according to the modules and topics covered in the course.

Teaching methods

The course adopts a highly interactive approach, combining lectures with extensive active learning and laboratory-based activities.

Teaching strategies include:

• group work focused on the analysis and discussion of research articles and educational materials;
• peer-to-peer activities and co-design sessions, aimed at developing educational tools and teaching sequences;
• execution and analysis of experiments in the lab, including data collection and interpretation;
• seminars and collaborative reflection sessions.

Throughout the course, students engage in reading and interpreting scientific texts, studying scientific instruments, performing laboratory activities, and critically analysing the results obtained.

In the final phase of the course, students will work in small groups to design and implement an experimental teaching activity, which will be presented and discussed in a final seminar.

 

Laboratory activities will include:

• designing and implementing educational experiments;
• discussing and analysing experimental data;
• critically reflecting on the conceptual and didactic relevance of the experiments carried out.

 

Mandatory Safety Training

Due to the laboratory-based nature of the course, all students are required to:

• complete Modules 1 and 2 on general safety in study environments (e-learning format):
  👉 Safety in Study and Training Environments – University of Bologna
• attend Module 3, which covers specific safety procedures for laboratory activities.

Details on dates and access procedures are available on the programme’s website.

Assessment methods

The course includes ongoing formative assessment, through the presentation and discussion of group work carried out during the course. Attendance is mandatory: students must attend at least 70% of the course. Students will work in fixed groups and will take turns presenting the results of their work.

The final exam consists of two components.

1. Educational project and seminar (group assessment)

• Students will work in groups to design and present an educational project on a physics topic of their choice, which must include at least one original laboratory activity.
• At least one of the experiments must be described in detail (whether carried out or simulated), with particular attention to the setup, instruments used, and data collection/analysis.
• The project may include simulations, provided they are meaningfully connected to the experimental activity.
• The work will be presented in a final seminar, through a group presentation (15–17 minutes, approximately 10–12 slides).
• Each member of the group must participate actively in the presentation and clearly show their individual contribution.

Project evaluation criteria (graded out of 30):

• Coherence between objectives, activities, and experiments
• Clarity, effectiveness, and structure of the presentation
• Quality of pedagogical and epistemological reflection
• Originality and educational relevance of the laboratory activity
• Explicitness and significance of individual contributions

2. Oral exam (individual assessment)

The oral exam consists of an individual interview designed to verify the student’s understanding of the course content, the methodological choices adopted, and the reflections developed through group work.
It assesses the critical and personal development of the student in relation to the course’s learning objectives. The oral exam will be graded on a 30-point scale (30/30).

 

Final evaluation

The final grade (out of 30) is based on both the group project assessment and the individual oral exam. Honours (cum laude) may be awarded in the case of outstanding performance in both components.

 

 

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or with temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the University’s Inclusion Office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en). Requests for accommodations must be submitted at least 15 days in advance and will be evaluated in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

A variety of teaching tools will be used throughout the course to support learning, both in face-to-face and online settings.

• Teaching materials: slides, articles, and supplementary resources presented during the lessons will be made available in electronic format via the Virtuale platform and the course’s Teams space.
  Access is restricted to students enrolled at the University of Bologna via institutional credentials.

• Laboratory equipment and software: for laboratory activities, the necessary tools and software will be provided to carry out experiments and analyse the collected data.

• Multimedia resources: the course will include the use of videos, interactive applets, audio recordings, and footage of educational experiments carried out in real classrooms (secondary schools), as well as podcasts and contributions from experts.

• Interactive tools: digital tools such as Wooclap will be used to support live interaction during class sessions.

 

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or disabilities (temporary or permanent) are encouraged to contact the University Inclusion Office as early as possible to request any necessary resources or specific support and to coordinate with instructors for their implementation throughout the course.

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Tasquier

See the website of Eugenio Bertozzi