TEACHING MECHANICAL OSCILLATIONS USING AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM

A set of teaching materials dealing with harmonic oscillations was dev eloped as part of a research project investigating the influence of di fferent pedagogical tools on physics learning. The materials incorpora te simulation software and laboratory activities associated with Teach er and Student Units. The project involved research groups at seven It alian universities and the materials have been trialled in high school s nation-wide. This paper describes the experimental protocol for the use of these materials in pilot classes and the evaluation of student learning and teacher training results. The intervention was found to i mprove physics education at school praxis level and to promote underst anding of the content area as well as appreciation of the role of expe riments and simulations in the construction of scientific knowledge.