Observation #8 – Measurements in Physics

Teacher: Sami Suhonen

Course: Physics

This observation was regarding integration between teachers to create a course that could merge some concepts from different areas as physics, mathematics and reporting. In this approach, teacher first have explained us how could a course planning be thought.

The idea is to join different concepts from different subjects to plane a course integrating them, in a student-centered learning environment. In this kind of courses teachers from different areas plane and work together to define the best way to teach students how to do things ant think in a systemic way. Could be observed the multidisciplinary way that a student-centered approach needs.

Teacher Sami explained us how they could do this integration in a practical way. The class was about physics measurements. First of all, he have shown us the equipment that students could work with. Then he explained how students constructed their knowledge in an “learning by doing” approach and how the measurements could be reported by students. In this specific case, teachers from different areas have a coach role to teach students. Physics teacher help students in their aspects and a teacher from communication and linguistics help them with the reporting at the same time that a math teacher help them to solve the equations regarding measurements. This is a very good example of integration of subjects.

Environment: physics equipment in a classroom and in laboratory. The students must use equipment to measure things in a physic course. Teachers from some areas gave them some triggers to experience the artifacts, calculate the mass and other physics aspects and report the results.

Social environment: it could be observed the interaction between students and their groups and also with equipment. Teacher from different areas were present in class to support students in different aspects.

Psychological environment: teacher gave some initial explanation about the measurements and how do the equipment function. Students have worked in groups to construct knowledge and socialize it by measuring, calculate and reporting results. A practical learning by doing could be observed.

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