The effects of laboratory inquire-based experiments and computer simulations on high school students‘ performance and cognitive load in physics teaching

Abstract

The main goal of this study was to examine the extent to which different teaching instructions focused on the application of laboratory inquire-based experiments (LIBEs) and interactive computer based simulations (ICBSs) improved understanding of physical contents in high school students, compared to traditional teaching approach. Additionally, the study examined how the applied instructions influenced students’ assessment of invested cognitive load. A convenience sample of this research included 187 high school students. A multiple-choice test of knowledge was used as a measuring instrument for the students’ performance. Each task in the test was followed by the five-point Likert-type scale for the evaluation of invested cognitive load. In addition to descriptive statistics, determination of significant differences in performance and cognitive load as well as the calculation of instructional efficiency of applied instructional design, computed one-factor analysis of variance and Tukey’s post-hoc test. The findings indicate that teaching instructions based on the use of LIBEs and ICBSs equally contribute to an increase in students’ performance and the reduction of cognitive load unlike traditional teaching of Physics. The results obtained by the students from the LIBEs and ICBSs groups for calculated instructional efficiency suggest that the applied teaching strategies represent effective teaching instructions. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179010: The Quality of Education System in Serbia from European Perspective]

Keywords

• Physics teaching
• computer based simulations
• laboratory inquire-based experiments
• students’ performance
• cognitive load