Relevant initiatives

Physics multimedia textbook for primary schools, lower grades of secondary schools, and high schools

KVANT, s.r.o.

2011

National

No

Online course, Teaching Methodology, Didactical resource

Physics

Slovak

Teachers, Students

Physics multimedia textbook for elementary and secondary schools includes a complete cross-section of physics curriculum for elementary schools, as well as the entire content of the curriculum for physics at the high school level.
The physics curriculum is processed fully graphically, in the form of PowerPoint presentations. This tutorial software is designed in accordance with applicable curriculum for primary and secondary schools. Educational presentations for promoting the teaching of physics are beneficial for both teachers and pupils. They represent an ideal tool for them.
Primary and secondary school students receive a unique opportunity of working with multimedia physics at home on their computers. The same presentation that has been seen in the classroom is available in the comfort of their homes. Thanks to this, pupils can learn the studied topic by a varied multimedia form that is close to them. They have the opportunity to replay the experiments and model physical phenomena observed in the same form as they were communicated in the classroom. The teacher is freed from writing or drawing on the board and gains time for other interesting activities such as experiments, observation model phenomena etc. With this software physics teachers do not have to spend long hours over the creation of presentations as the physics multimedia textbook includes all materials and information that a teacher can wish for. In conjunction with the interactive whiteboard he achieves full attention of his students.

Each presentation covers one lesson. All topics are enriched by a number of animations, videos, sketches, and photographs that are supplemented by interesting facts from the history. Animated graphical models, videos and pictures help in easier remembering of the subject-matter.
Subject matter is handled in a comprehensible form. This software serves the information to the students gradually in short simple definitions. Thus there is an effort to eliminate congesting the students with an incomprehensible amount of information.
Topics are clearly arranged and logically follow each other. Filed problematic tasks force students to actively implement the acquired knowledge and realize the interdependence of the facts. They also give teachers the opportunity to control the attention of students.
Final tests are aimed at summarizing and repeating the curriculum. They encourage independent thinking.

From this multimedia textbook of physics it is possible to get on the related projects such as National Project: Support for professional orientation of primary school pupils for vocational education and training through the development of polytechnic education aimed at developing working skills and work with talent, available at http://www.zsodborne.sk/index.php/o-projekte/o-projekte and www.skola.sk ,www.infopen.sk which are portals where you can purchase modern learning tools for science subjects.

Using multimedia teaching physics textbook is very visual, attractive and certainly more interesting and modern. Multimedia textbook makes the learning process more effective.

The benefits:
• relieving the teacher of numerous drawing and writing on the blackboard and the creation of time available for other interesting activities on the lesson, for example experimentation,
• the possibility of activating students (applying the independent thinking of students) on the basis of observed phenomena modelled through animated models, video, animation, pictures, images, graphics, text - definitions, relations between the physical quantities and so on.
• there is a constructive discussion between students and teachers - active verbs watch, suggest what you expect, say, observe what is happening, etc. Teacher encourages students to active participation within the learning process - the benefit of returning animation, video - anytime stop (use at all stages of the learning process - motivation, exposure, fixation, application)
• After finding the right solution, it is confirmed in presentation in graphical and written form. The student not only hears the correct solution which was worked out during the active operation, but then also sees it in written statement. (Two impressions)
• Curriculum (topics) is arranged in a logical structure based on mutual relation of facts - the basis of permanent knowledge
• for the feedback and checking of students’ comprehension and for repetition and confirmation of the topic at the end of the lesson, the presentation contains tests for repetition with multiple choice questions and also possibility to return to any part of the presentation.
• improves the clarity, understanding and adoption of covered topics
Using multimedia textbook Physics lessons became more dynamic.

• I use multimedia textbook in teaching Physics very often.
• We purchased an alternative multimedia physics textbook for high school students – I choose complying presentation, because the subject matter is sometimes explained in more detail with respect to a specified number of teaching hours per week.

Strengths:
• Clarity
• Pragmatism
• Clearness - better memorability of curriculum through pictorial, animation ..... Two senses - hear and see.
• makes teacher´s work easier - the possibility of getting back to the storyline, or problem.
• lessons are more interesting for students
Weaknesses:
• The student is not able to use it at home – students can´t afford it