A1 Journal article (refereed)
Impact of traditional physics lab instruction on students’ critical thinking skills in a Finnish context (2023)

Pirinen, P., Lehtinen, A., & Holmes, N. (2023). Impact of traditional physics lab instruction on students’ critical thinking skills in a Finnish context. European Journal of Physics, 44(3), Article 035702. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/acc143

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Pirinen, Pekka; Lehtinen, Antti; Holmes, Natasha

Journal or series: European Journal of Physics

ISSN: 0143-0807

eISSN: 1361-6404

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 03/03/2023

Volume: 44

Issue number: 3

Article number: 035702

Publisher: IOP Publishing

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/acc143

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/85905

Abstract

Recent studies have given incentive to physics departments around the world to revise the learning goals of their lab courses to emphasize experimentation skills over reinforcing lecture content. Evaluation instruments have been developed to measure the achievement of learning goals, and one such instrument is the PLIC (Physics Lab Inventory of Critical thinking). The PLIC measures respondents' ability to evaluate models, evaluate methods, and to suggest next steps for an investigation. In the present work we give consideration to the validity of our Finnish translation of the PLIC and we show results from our baseline study of first-year introductory lab courses with labs mixing content- and skills-related learning goals. We observed no statistically significant change in students' critical thinking skills over the period of our study.

Keywords: physics; laboratory work; learning objectives; critical thinking; scientific thought; learning results; evaluation; evaluation methods

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Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

JUFO rating: 1