The functioning of context-based physics instruction in higher education

The needs of the present century are associated with information and communication technologies. This century is widely referred to as a knowledge economy, which necessitates a more diverse repertoire of teaching, learning, and assessment methods than is currently common in higher education (Williams, 2008). Physics can be seen in every area of our lives and plays a great role for developing countries. But, the number of post-16 participation students taking physics courses is declining day-by-day in these countries (Gorard & See, 2008). Abstract concepts in physics courses makes it too difficult for students to comprehend the subject matter. At the same time, more often students believe physics subject matter is difficult (Saleh, 2012; Whitelegg & Parry, 1999), boring and irrelevant to their lives (Efthimiou, 2006; Lye, Fry, & Hart, 2002). So, information learned is forgetten quickly as students are unable to associate it with life in general.

In the traditional physics classroom, generally teacher-centered types of instruction actualize. Students listen to lessons, take notes, and solve problems centered on memorization and computation. Traditional teaching approache contributes to the problems of misconception and unsatisfactory conceptual understanding in introductory physics (Cahyadi, 2004). Looking at current education programs in developed countries, we see innovative instructional approaches. Studies (e.g. Redish & Steinberg 1999; Shieh, Chang, & Tang, 2010; Whitelegg, 1996; Whitelegg & Parry, 1999) show learning university physics via innovative learning environments ensure positive attitudes and a higher learning gain.

The context-based approach is one of the common innovative instructional approaches utilized as a basis for education programs in many countries such as the Netherlands, USA, Germany, UK, Canada, Australia. Also, curriculum for secondary schools in Turkey has been developed according to contextual approach. According to contextual learning theory, learning occurs only when students (learners) process new information or knowledge in such a way that it makes sense to them in their own frames of reference (their own inner worlds of memory, experience, and response) (Center for Occupational Research and Development [CORD], 1999, p. 1). This approach to learning and teaching assumes the mind naturally seeks meaning in a context that is in relation to the person’s current environment and it does so by searching for relationships that make sense and appear useful (CORD, 1999, p. 1).

Real world contexts take part in innovative projects like CHEMCOM in USA, LORST in Canada, SATIS and Salters’ Science and Chemistry in England and Wales, and PLON Physics in The Netherlands. Also the PISA assessment instrument, a profile of knowledge and skills among 15-year-olds, consists of real world contexts involving Science and Technology in 2000, 2003, 2006 (Fensham, 2009) and 2009 (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2010). In the literature there are applications of both instruction and assessment processes for context-based approach (e.g. Benckert, 2005; Cooper, Yeo, & Zadnik, 2003; Demircioğlu, 2008; Harbach & Fechner, 2011; Heller & Hollabaugh, 1992; Enghag, Gustafsson, & Jonsson, 2007, 2009; Kaschalk, 2002; Murphy, Lunn, & Jones, 2006; Park & Lee, 2004; Rayner, 2005; Rennie & Parker, 1996; Rioseco, 1995; Schwartz-Bloom & Halpin, 2003; Tekbıyık & Akdeniz, 2010; Wierstra & Wubbels, 1994). Some of them (Demircioğlu, 2008; Murphy et al. 2006; Rayner, 2005; Rioseco, 1995; Schwartz-Bloom & Halpin, 2003) show positive effects of contex-based learning in academic achievement. But some studies (Harbach & Fechner, 2011; Wierstra & Wubbels, 1994) show no change. Similar to research on the effect of context-based instruction to achievement, researches reveal a positive effect of context-based instruction on students’ attitudes and motivations to science (Barker & Millar 1999; Barker & Millar 2000; Belt, Leisvik, Hyde, & Overton, 2005; Demircioğlu, 2008; Ng & Nguyen, 2006; Ramsden, 1997). The available studies (Akpınar & Tan, 2011; Perkins, 2011) also indicate context-based instruction provides no change in students’ attitude towards physics.

Taasoobshirazi and Carr (2008) examined existing reresearch on context-based physics. They identified three major limitations of these studies. The first limitation is difficulty to implement context-based physics instruction. A second limitation is the dearth of research examining the effects of this instructional method on students’ achievement in physics compared to traditional physics instruction. The third limitation is significant methodological problems in the research. One of the methodological flaws they defined is studies integrating group work, making it difficult to determine whether improved strategy use was the result of materials on context-based or the use of group work. Also, they noted there is insufficient research to support the recommendation that teachers should use context-based instruction. This study considers these critiques of research on the context-based approach in physics and examines the effects of context-based physics instruction on students’ achievement compared to traditional physics instruction for topics of potential energy, kinetic energy, and kinetic energy of rotation. Energy is one of the fundamental and complex concept in science and students from all grades have difficulties in scientific understanding of it (Liu & McKeough, 2005). The central role of energy in life has attracted much attention to its teaching in science education. And research findings suggest alternative instructional approaches for functional conceptual understanding of energy (Brook, & Wells, 1988; Fry, Dimeo, Wilson, Sadler, & Fawns, 2003; Heuvelen, & Zou, 2001; Huis, & Berg, 1993; Papadouris, Constantinou, & Kyratsi, 2008; Solbes, Guisasola, & Tarin, 2009;Trumper, 1990,1991).

Additionally curriculum, instructional strategies, prior physics knowledge and grade level variables, students’ attitude toward physics is also related to their physics achievement (Lawrenz, Wood, Kirchhoff, Kim, & Eisenkraft, 2009). The present study also determines the effect of context-based physics instruction about students’ attitudes towards physics. And, it investigates what students think they have gained with context-based physics instruction.

Reviewing Studies Related to Context-Based Physics Instruction

In looking for the context-based physics studies, the author entered the keywords ‘context-based’, ‘contextual learning’, ‘physics and context’, ‘physics and context-based’, context-based project’, and ‘context-based program’ in the following databases: Academic Search Complete, Education Research Complete, Education Resources Information Center: ERIC, Springer LINK Contemporary, Taylor and Francis Journals, Wiley InterScience Journals, ScienceDirect Journals, Cambridge Journals Online, PROQUEST Dissertations and Theses Full Text, Emerald Journals, Oxford Journals Online, Google Scholar, Social Science Research Network. In the review process, the criteria for inclusion included studies that had implemented context-based physics instruction in classrooms. Context-based physics projects or programs have been implemented in different countries (e.g. SLIPP in UK, piko in Germany, PLON in the Netherlands, VCE in Australia, LCP in Canada, ECL in Brazil and UK, Applications-Led Approach in Scotland, see Table 1). For example, The Supported Learning in Physics Project (SLIPP) is an Open University-led curriculum directed by Elizabeth Whitelegg. It provides a text-based learning program for post-16 students and contains real-life contexts of interest to students when teaching physics concepts. The main purpose of the project is to increase students’ motivation for learning physics. The project consists of eight units and each unit means the context defines physics content. The titles of the units are: “Physics, Jazz, and Pop,” “Physics on the Move,” “Physics for Sport,” “Physics of Food,” “Physics of Space,” “Physics of Fields,” “Physics in the Environment,” and “Physics of Flow.” Assessment is achieved through short simple questions that relate directly to the proceding text with longer self-assessment questions that require more detailed answers and serve the function of checking physics understanding (Whitelegg, 1996; Whitelegg & Parry, 1999).

**Table 1. A Summary of the Context-Based Physics Projects or Programs**
Context-based physics projects/programs	Aim/description	Age/level	Country
Supported Learning in Physics Project (SLIPP) Physics Curriculum Development Project (PLON) Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Event-Centered Learning (ECL) Large Context Problem (LCP) Applications-Led Approach Physik im Kontext (piko)	· To increase students’ motivation for learning physics (Whitelegg, 1996, p.291) · Preparing students for further education and/or future employment and for coping with their (future) life roles as a consumer and citizen in a technologically developing, democratic society (Kortland, 2005, p.75-76) · Use of physics as one of the tools for (more) thoughtful decision making at a personal and societal level (Kortland, 2005, p.76) · Making physics more relevant to students (Hart, 1995; Hart & Boydell, 1988) · A particular event, occurence or set of circumstances drawn from real life and used as the basis for modules in the teaching of science (Watts, Alsop, & Zylbersztajn, 1997, p. 341) · LCPs are contextual settings that generate questions and problems that seem inherently more interesting than similar problems presented in traditional textbooks (Wilkinson, 1999) · Applications-led approach is concerned with physics in action; it attempts to integrate pure and applied physics, to show the relevance of physics to society and to develop practical problem solving and technological skills (Wilkinson, 1999) · Developing a new (constructivist) culture of teaching and learning (Duit, Mikelskis-Seifert, & Wodzinski, p. 121) · Improving students’ competencies of thinking and working like scientists and to use physical knowledge in everyday life contexts (Duit et al., p. 121) · Integrating topics of modern physics and technologies (Duit et al., p. 121)	Post-16 students Secondary Year 11 and 12 · Undergraduate physics students in Brazil · Student teachers and pupils in secondary schools in the UK Secondary Secondary Secondary	UK The Netherlands Australia Brazil and UK Canada Scotland Germany

Addition to theoretical studies on context-based physics instruction or assessment, many studies (e.g. Astin, Fisher, & Taylor, 2002; Colicchia, 2005, 2007; Colicchia, Waltner, Hopf, & Wiesner, 2009; Kaschalk, 2002; King & Kennett, 2002 a,b,c; Rayner, 2005; Waltner, Wiesner, & Rachel, 2007; Wierstra & Wubbels, 1994; Testa, Lombardi, Monroy, & Sassi, 2011) in this area focused on devoloping contexts to apply in physics. However, looking at these studies researchers generally don’t examine the effect of these developed contexts in their classrooms. There are limited number of studies (e.g. Cooper et al., 2003; Finkelstein, 2005; Murphy et al., 2006; Peşman & Özdemir, 2012) exploring the effectiveness of context-based physics instruction especially included a pre-posttest design. For example, Waltner et al. (2007) developed contexts relating to locomotion of fish and sperm in a way which can be used to teach in physics classes. But, there is no finding on applying these contexts in physics class and about examining their effects on academic achievement related to subject. Similarly, Colicchia (2005) developed a model providing a biomechanical basis to estimate loadings on the cervical discs under various postures. The model shows forces and torques involved to maintain static posture in the cervical spine. He stated that it is useful to discuss the concepts force and torque in a simplified neck model for students who do not have a mathematics and physics background. King and Kennett (2002) developed Earth contexts in physics for 11-16- year old students as introductory science curricula around the world contains little or no Earth science. The areas of physics for 11-14- year old pupils are “Electricity and magnetism,” “Forces and motion,” “Light and sound,” “The Earth and beyond,” and “Energy resources and energy transfer.” For 14-16-year old pupils the areas of physics are “Electricity,” “Waves,” “Earth and beyond,” “Energy resources and energy transfer,” and “Radioactivity.” Astin, Fisher, and Taylor (2002) provided a local visit to motivate and help students use their physics in a real, working context. In the study their experiences from visits and value of visits to teach physics effectively are shared.

All of above studies are related to only developing physics contexts. They do not include a comparison to determine whether the context-based physics instruction resulted in better learning than traditional physics instruction. A study includes pre-posttest design was conducted by Finkelstein (2005). He examined graduate students’ understanding of the basic concepts in electricity and magnetism within the framework of the physics course in context. The mean pre-test and post-test scores were, respectively, 54 and 74%. The average for individual student gains was 51%. Similarly, Cooper, Yeo, and Zadnik (2003) investigated the conceptual understandings of 78 16-year old Australian high school students and their knowledge about several issues related to nuclear energy. A context-based instruction was implemented for nuclear technology that consisted of about 25 hours. Seventy-eight students in three schools responded to both a pre-test and post-test of nuclear physics concepts. At the end of the instruction, students’ understandings or beliefs about some of the issues changed. No comparison group from a traditional physics course was included in these studies so it cannot be concluded that context-based physics instruction produces better learning than traditional one.

Importance of the Study

Examining above studies, we see they refer activities about context-based physics instruction but generally they don’t focus on its effects on both students’ academic achievements and their attitudes towards physics. This study considers above critiques of research on the context-based approach in physics as Taasoobshirazi and Carr (2008) stated and examines both effects of context-based physics instruction on university students’ academic achievement compared to traditional physics instruction and their attitudes towards physics. So, this research will make a significiant contribution to the literature on this field.

Research Questions

The following questions are the frame for this study.

Are there any effects of context-based physics instruction on undergraduate students’ achievement for potential energy, kinetic energy, and rotational kinetic energy topics?
Are there any effects of context-based physics instruction on undergraduate students’ attitude towards physics?
How do the students assess context-based physics instruction application about gains?