tóm tắt luận án tổ chức dạy học dự án một số kiến thức thuộc chương điện học (vật lí lớp 9 trung học cơ sở) nhằm phát huy tính năng động, bồi dưỡng năng lực sáng tạo

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & TRAINING Hanoi National University of Education - - CAO THI SONG HUONG HOLDING PROJECT TEACHING ON SOME KNOWLEDGE IN CHAPTER ‘ELECTRICTITY’ (OF PHYSICS 9) IN ORDER TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ACTIVENESS, CAPACITIES OF CREATION AND COLLABORATION Major Code : Rationale and methodology of teaching Physics : 62.14.01.11 SUMMARY OF DOCTOR’S THESIS ON EDUCATIONALISM HANOI – 2014 The thesis was completed at: Team of Methodology of Teaching – Faculty of Physics - Hanoi National University of Education Instructor: Associate Professor, Doctor Do Huong Tra Debate 1: Associate Professor, Doctor Ta Tri Phuong Debate 2: Associate Professor, Doctor Ha Van Hung Debate 3: Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Manh Thao The thesis will be presented at the Committee of marking school’s thesises at Hanoi National University of Education At ….… , ………./……… /………… The thesis can be found at: - National library of Vietnam (Hanoi) - Library of Hanoi National University of Education - Library of Dong Thap University LIST OF THE AUTHOR’S WORKS Related to the thesis’s topic Cao Thi Song Huong (2009), “Developing the creativity of the students in project teaching with the use of mind map”, Education Magazine, No Special, page 15 - 16 Cao Thi Song Huong (2010), “Chapter revision of ‘Electricity’ (Physics 9) by implementing study projects”, Education Magazine, No Special, page 45 – 46 – 47 Cao Thi Song Huong (2010), Holding project teaching on some knowledge of electricity (Physics 9), Educational Equipment Magazine, No 62, page 10 – 11 – 12 Cao Thi Song Huong (2010), Holding project teaching on some knowledge of electricity (Physics 9) and the experimental results”, Journal of Nation-wide Conference of Teaching Physics, Educational Publisher, page 38 Cao Thi Song Huong (2010), Assessment in project teaching, Journal of Nation-wide Conference of Teaching Physics, Educational Publisher, page 45 Cao Thi Song Huong (2010), “Creating situations in project teaching on Physics for students and the experimental results”, Education Magazine, No 251, page 50 – 51 Cao Thi Song Huong (2011), Organizing project teaching on the topics of resistance, electrical power, electric energy, safety and economical use of electricity (Physics 9), Education Magazine, No Special, page 75 – 76 – 77 Cao Thi Song Huong (2011), Project teaching of Physics - A method of practicing soft skills for students, Education Magazine, No Special, page 67 – 68 – 69 Cao Thi Song Huong (2011), “Assessment on academic results in project teaching”, Educational Equipment Magazine, No Special, page 36 – 37 – 38- 39 10.Cao Thi Song Huong (2013), “Process of project teaching of Physics at secondary schools”, Education Magazine, No 301, page 48 – 49 – 50 INTRODUCTION Rationale for the topic One of the recent directions of innovating the methods of teaching Physics at secondary level is to increase the use of forms of open teaching in order to improve learners’ action capacities Among them is project teaching which is very attactive, because it allows learners to utilize their knowledge in solving the open problems related to their real lives (this requires their creativity), to combine theories with practice, and to produce practical results that can be displayed and introduced, making them understand the meanings of their knowledge Besides, project teaching forms and develop the students’ abilities to recognize and solve a problem, to build and carry out a plan, to coordinate, to analyze, generalize, criticize and create, etc., all of which may help them achieve certain success in their future The knowledge in the chapter of Electricity (Physics 9) is very practical in the real life and the technical jobs Therefore, it is totally suitable for holding project teaching As a result, the topic of the thesis is selected, which is “Holding project teaching on some part of Chapter ‘Electricity’ in Physics in order to develop learners’ activeness, skills of creation and cooperation” Objectives of the study The goals of holding project teaching on some knowledge in Chapter ‘Electricity’ – Physics are nurturing learners’ activeness, raising their skills of creativity and cooperation Subjects of the study - The content of chapter ‘Electricity’, Physics 9, Seconadary schools - Activitiies of teaching and studying electricity Scientific hypothesis If the argument basis of project teaching is applied to the education of electricity in Physics curriculum in order to create the situations in which the learners have chances of investigating and handling the real-life matters, their activeness, as well as their abilities to create and collaborate, is certainly fostered Duties of the study - Examine modern concepts of teaching and learning, argument basis of project teaching, and the relationship between project teaching and the enhancement of the students’ activeness, creativity and collaboration - Investigate the missions of general education, special characteristics of Physics at secondary level, the process of problem solving in scientific research, the overall process of project teaching, thereby building the process of project teaching on Physics at secondary schools - Initially examine and analyse the problems of teachers and learners in teaching and studying the knowledge of electricity mentioned in Physics curriculum, hence suggest the solutions - Study ‘Electricity’ chapter in Physics and other related scientific documents - Compile the processes of project teaching on some knowledge of electricity in Physics 9, of secodary level, in order to meet the requirements of improving the students’ activeness, creativity, and cooperation skills - Carry out pedagogical experiments according to the compiled processes, evaluate their effects on the development of the students’ activeness, creativity and cooperation, in order to examine the accuracy of the topic’s scientific hypothesis Methods of the study There are many means of examination used in this thesis, including: studying the arguments; investigating; doing pedagogic experiments; gathering experiences; using mathemetical statistics to analyse the results of the compiled processes, simultaneously to assess the effects on experimental classes New contributions of the thesis - Develop the argument foundation of project teaching about the aspects as well as the forms of project teaching, and about the ways of evaluation in project teaching - Concretize the process of problem solving in project teaching - Promote the process of project teaching on Physics at secondary schools and make use of it to compile other projects of teaching some parts of chapter ‘Electricity” in Physics - Utilize cases of study to support students with the suggestions about the projects in project teaching; recommend some measures for the enhancement of learners’ activeness, creativity and cooperation skills through project teaching at secondary schools - Provide scientific data and information from the study results, enriching the source of references, which is very helpful for the teaching and doing research of secondary schools’ teachers, of Physics students at the universities, colleges of education Structure of the thesis The thesis is organized clearly with the introduction, four separate chapters, and the conclusion before ending with a list of related articles, references, and appendices Chapter 1: OVERALL HISTORY OF THE STUDIED TOPIC This section presents the foundation history of project teaching, as well as some directions of doing research on it around the world and in Vietnam It is a fact that there are a variety of studies on project teaching, including both general and specific studies, from the elementary level to university Besides, this chapter mentions the development path of the improvement of students’ capacity of creativity in teaching, the studies on this issue in teaching Physics at the same time However, there has been no work on examining and creating the process of project teaching on Physics at secondary schools, and on studying the matter of developing the learners’ activeness, abilities of creativity and collaboration through project teaching on knowledge of electricity on Physics Chapter 2: FOUNDATION OF ARGUMENTS AND REALITIES OF HOLDING PROJECT TEACHING ON PHYSICS AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS In this chapter, we consider argumentative issues such as:characteristics of mental development of secondary students; definition and distinctive features of project teaching; suggestions on the processes of project teaching on physics at secondary schools in order to foster learners’ activeness, creation and cooperation skills; evaluation of learners’ capacities through project teaching; ways of enhancing their skills in teaching Physics at secondary schools; ways of holding cases of study in project teaching In addition, we discuss the real conditions of teaching and studying some content in chapter ‘Electricity’ of Physics in Dong Thap province 2.1 Characteristics of mental development of secondary students In this part, the thesis performs features of teenagers’ intelligence, thereby pointing out the suitability between the improvement of activeness, power of creativity and coordination through project teaching on Physics theory and students at these ages 2.2 Project teaching 2.2.1 Definition of project teaching “Project teaching is an activity that learners by themselves solve open, complex problems connecting closely with the reality and containing social meanings, based on the combination between mental actions and physical ones, in order to create the products that can be displayed and introduced Hence, they acquire the knowledge and the relative capacities, maintain and raise their interest of learning.” 2.2.2 Objectives of project teaching The missions of project teaching are to educate learners for a wholly development, to facilitate them with necessary skills in their lives and their careers As a consequence, in addition to helping students acquire new knowledge, project teaching focuses on developing their soft skills (analysis, generalisation, evaluation, and creativity) and living skills 2.2.3 Foundations of philosophy and psychology in project teaching 2.2.3.1 Foundation of philosophy Educational philosophic view of John Dewey has been used widely as the philosophical foundation of project teaching by American pedagogues in the early 20th century and by contemporary authors According to Dewey, there is an organic relationship between education and personal experiences, with the latter should be considered as both means and goals of education Philosophic perceptions of project teaching are that education is a preparation step for students to handle the matters of their real lives and their work, and that the process of recognition is a unification between thinking and action, between theory and practice, and between argument and experience 2.2.3.2 Foundation of psychology Advanced psychology is the theoretical foundation for project teaching Two outstanding representatives are Piaget with theory of adaptability and Vygotsky with the theory of near development area From those: + Students’ capacity to create is only formed and enhanced through actions, shown via their products + Studying must be accompanied by solving the problems related to the real society + Teaching must be combined with personal study and team work 2.2.4 Distinctive features of project teaching Project teaching has the following special characteristics which are, however, not differential at all, but related to each other Figure 2.5 Basic special features of project teaching 2.2.5 Work form in project teaching There is a diversified combination among forms of actions in project teaching, such as working independently, working with the whole class, and working in a team Among them is the last form mainly used 2.2.6 Project teaching of Physics at secondary schools Based on the general process of project teaching for all subjects, we promote a specific process in teaching Physics at secondary schools, which includes eight phases: Phase 1: Creating cases of study – Discovery of potential problems Phase 2: Choosing the project’s topic Phase 3: Recommendation of the solutions – Initially pointing out the products Phase 4: Making a detailed plan Phase 5: Implementation of the plan Phase 6: Display and introduction of the products Phase 7: Evaluation Phase 8: Systematization of the knowledge Also, we consider teachers’ roles during the period of holding project teaching, fundamental activities of students, and the instructions of their teachers at a certain stage of the process Another topic discussed in this section is opinions of teaching and problem solving in project teaching 2.3 Holding different situations in teaching In this part, we present the definition of problem case, various types of cases in teaching physics, levels of recognising and solving the problems in project teaching of physics, ways of holding different circumstances in teaching physics at secondary schools, and recommendation regarding to the usage of videos and clips for the holding of study cases in project teaching 2.3.1 Holding cases of study to support learners with new ideas of the project Students, especially secondary ones, usually get into troubles with generating new project ideas in project teaching Therefore, there is a need for creating study cases closely related to the reality, in order to help them discover the problems and consequently come up with their own project ideas 2.3.2 Pedagogic ideas of using clips of study cases in project teaching Only when a problem is recognised does our mind begin thinking Hence, with a purpose of encouraging learners to think and raising their interest of studying, videos of cases study are used to transfer the duty of carrying out the project to the students 2.3.3 Process of making videos of study cases In order to making a clip of a case study, a teacher has to have a scenario before making a film and using it to hold study cases making students produce their own ideas on the project 2.3.4 Making videos of cases to support learners to have their ideas on a project of electricity in Physics We have made some clips of study cases to help our students with their ideas on the project of “Designing useful, safe and economical domestic electrical circuit systems” 2.3.4.1 Instructions for using films of cases study in teaching If there is no suggestion on the project ideas after the discussion, teachers choose to use clips of cases study for support Hence, the cases are used at the early stage of the process, which is “Creating cases of study – Discovery of potential problems” Case suggestions on project idea Details demand Problem Figure 3.21 Diagram of using films of cases study in project teaching of Physics at secondary schools The usage of films of cases study follows the rule that teachers instruct their students to generalise the problem before narrowing the scale of research relative to the students’level 2.4 Evaluation of capacity in project teaching In this part, we consider the following issues: Content and forms of evaluation in project teaching, tools of capacity evaluation in project teaching, evidences as the base of evaluation 2.5 Developing students’ activeness, capacities of creativity and collaboration in teaching Physics at secondary schools 2.5.1 Relationship between activeness and creativity For the fact that independent thinking and activeness is the roots of creativity, teachers should allow their students to have independent and active academic activities, so that they can enhance their ability to make creations Hence, we now discuss some signs of students’ activeness in project teaching of some physics knowledge, and making recommendations for its improvement 2.5.2 Nurturing students’ capacity of creation in project teaching 2.5.2.1 Special features of creation in scientific research “Creation is an action that results in renovated mental or physical products which have social meanings and their values” This definition contains two main points: renovated (different from the priors) and valuable (better than the priors) According to Lecne, there are seven specific characteristics of creation activity that are common for all scientific fields: - Independenly transfering knowledge and skills into another situation - Seeing new things from familiar situations in accordance with procedure - Figuring out new functions of familiar things - Being aware of the structure of the studied object - Finding out a number of answers to a problem, solving it in many ways and choosing the best - Combining old methods into a new one - Coming up with a special solution which is different from the old ones 2.5.2.2 Students’ creation in teaching Physics Characteristics of secondary learners’ creation in studying Physic are: - Renovating known things - Practicing creating - Practicing making creations that are relative to their knowledge - Targets of learners’s creation are not only new knowledge, new skills but also forming their capacity of creation Especially, this part also shows the signs of students’ creation in project teaching on physic knowledge, thereby considers recommendations of methods to develop their ability to create through the project 2.5.2.3 Signals of creation and ways to improve students’ capacity to create in project teaching Based on the signs of creation from scientific research, the characteristics of creation in teaching Physics and those of student’s actions in project teaching, we find 3.3.1 Content of the project planned for students Living Bed room room Project: Designing convenien t, safe, economic Duties al domesticc ircuit Design convenient circuit Safeelectricity solution Economicalelectricity solution Stairs Cup – board Experiment Firealarning Data Show- Tub er Choose: power of electric equipment, wire’s size, relay Presentation Pro-ducts Find ways to use electricity safely, first aids in electrical accidents Calculate electricity waste of conducting-wires Find ways to use electricity economically Statistic data & report Poster, leaflet, banner Videos, clips, films Performance Figure 3.2 Duties of the project “Designing a convenient, safe and economical domestic electrical circuit” 3.3.2 Orientation on suggesting the project’s ideas To orient students toward the implementation of the project, we allow them to discuss on a general topic “The role of electricity in human’s life” Then they are oriented to foscus on solving the project’s problem which is “How to design a domestic electrical circuit that is not only useful, safe but economical as well” 3.3.3 Anticipation of needed supports One of the criteria to evaluate the project that are consented with the students before carrying out the project is to use wasted, cheap and abundant materials for the design, minimizing the consumption of new materials or tools This puts the highest priorities on the tools, accessories made use of from available materials If totally necessary, only cheap ones are bought new As a consequence, a lot of difficulties are expected to exist when the students are designing with those constraints a) Supports to guess the solutions to designing a fire-alarming electrical circuit pattern The potential difficulty of pupils is to design heat-conducting relays to close the circuit Teachers provide their support with the following instructing questions: + What is the condition of the circuit in the normal situation? (Open circuit) + What is the circuit’s state in case of fire? (Close circuit) + What are the changes in the surroundings in case of fire? We intend to make the following designs of an electric relay for a fire-alarming electrical circuit, using wasted and cheap materials, in order to help students design if necessary a) c) b) hooter Node Metal piece Figure 3.3 Anticipated designs of teachers for a fire-alarming electrical vessel b) Supports to find out the solutions to design a vessel pattern in a bathroom Students may get into trouble with designing and installing electric relays of a circuit pattern Hence, their teachers can use the following instructing questions: + What are the characteristics of a bathroom’s electrical circuit system? (as turning off the close circuit, and turning on the open circuit) + Which part of the bathroom has the function of disconnecting the circuit? (the door) The following figure shows our planned designs of a bathroom’s circuit to support students as carrying out the project (if necessary) Spring a) Seft-made relay Node Push-button relay Pushing key a) b) Figure 3.4 Teachers’ intended designs of bathroom’s electrical vessel pattern c) Supports to guess the solutions to design a vessel pattern in a cupboard Students may encounter difficulties in designing and installing the electric relays Therefore, they can use the following questions for support: + What are the characteristics of a cupboard’s relays? (as turning off the open circuit, or turning on the close circuit) + Which part of a cupboard has the function of disconnecting the circuit? (its door) We have had two plans of design and installation of the electric relay for the cupboard’s electrical circuit to help our students with their project electrode a) Node b) Pushing key Door Close circuit-pen door Opposite-pushbutton relay Open circuit-close door Figure 3.5 Teachers’ intended designs for a cupboard’s electrical circuit d) Supports to guess the solutions to the design of an electrical circuit pattern in a bedroom The students may have difficulties in finding out conducting-wires with suitable electrical resistivity and size in their lives to make rheostats as well as in arranging them for safety and beauty Hence, the teachers prepare some conducting-wires with high electrical resistivity at the laboratory or ignition cables of old electric cooking fires to support the pupils Besides, we intend to makes designs of circuits that are convenient for directing the students to perform their project K a) b) Figure 3.6 Teachers’ planned designs of circuits of bright – dim lights e) Supports to guess the solutions to design an electrical circuit pattern on stairs In this case, students may face troubles in drawing the diagram of an electrical circuit, and in finding the electric relays proper with the circuit’s functions We have designed a pattern with relays and another with relays, and simultaneously found the supply of relays in stair’s circuits if supports are needed K1 K1 K2 a) K3 K2 Hai vị trí K b) Figure 3.7 Teachers’ anticipated designs for an electrical circuit of stairs f) Supports to guess the solutions to design electrical circuit patterns in living rooms The potential difficulties with designing this type of pattern that students may have are either to draw the diagram or to select on-off relays suitable with the circuit’s functions Therefore, teachers have planned circuit patterns, diagrams of design and installation of the patterns, and the supplies of four-pole extremity relays to support their pupils if necessary g) Supports to guess the solutions to design a circuit pattern signaling the water level in high tubs Students might have difficulties in finding the intermediary that can get information of water level in a tub via electrical signs, which is a lever using water force Other challenges are to select effective signals for the circuit (based on the level of light’s brightness, amperage or voltage of the vessel), and to design the solutions to experiments to identify the relationship between electrical signals and the water level in a tub Hence, teachers support the students by allowing them to discuss on some topics such as: Which signal is used to show the water level? How to change that signal? Which part has the function of adjusting the changes of signals (indicating the changes of water level in the tub) Also, they have planned patterns for any support if necessary h) Supports to identify the level of electricity consumption of conducting-wires in an electrical circuit Students may encounter some difficulties in drawing an electrical vessel pattern, and in realizing that resistance of the pieces of conducting-wires connecting electric equipments should be considered as a DC resistance indirectly connected with other equipment in the circuit Based on the fact that the students are aware that the electrical circuits in their houses is parallel, and that the voltage of domestic electricity networks is 220V, teachers orient their pupils’ mind by requiring them to discuss on how the resistance of the conducting-wires in convenient circuit diagrams are installed, indirectly or parallel with electric equipments in the circuit According to this, the students draw again the diagrams with the existence of resistance of the conducting-wires used to calculate the electricity consumption of the wires 3.3.4 Process of holding project teaching Based on the promoted project and the created films of study cases, we design a process of holding project teaching on some content of chapter ‘Electricity’, following the phases of project teaching on Physics at secondary schools as shown in Chapter 3.3.5 Buiding evaluation criteria In accordance with the goals of teaching and the characteristics of the projects, teachers make a set of criteria to evaluate academic results, students’ knowledge and capacities, including those proposed by the students These criteria are used to create rubrics of assessment by sticking each with quality levels in a descending order The criteria are grouped according to the subject of an assessment action, including teachers’ evaluation, collaboration assessment (students of different groups evaluate each other), in-group assessment (students in one group evaluate each other), and seft-assessment Based on the set of bechmarks, we construct four forms of evalution, namely: 1)Teachers’ form of evaluation (Form 1) 2)Form of collaboration assessment (Form 2) 3)Form of in-group assessment (Form 3) 4) Form of self-assessment (Form 4) Chapter 4: PEDAGOGIC EXPERIMENTS 4.1 Organizing pedagogic experiments 4.1.1 Goals of pedagogic experiments The target of pedagogic experiments is to examine the thesis’s scientific hypothesis which is whether students’ activeness, capacities of creation and coordination are improved or not through project teaching on some knowledge in chapter ‘Electricity’ (Physics 9) 4.1.2 Content of pedagogic experiments To organize for the students to perform the project on studying chapter ‘Electricity’ (Physics 9) according to the designed process of project teaching 4.1.3 Duties of pedagogic experiments - Experimentally teaching the compiled process of project teaching on chapter ‘Electricity’ (Physic 9) - Collecting data related to learning activities as well as students’ attitudes and interest of learning - Assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of the composed process in developing students’ activeness, creation and collaboration in accordance with the given criteria 4.1.4 Objects of pedagogic experiments - Under the scale of this research, we consider the organization of project teaching to foster students’ activeness, abilities to create and cooperate in learning Physics at secondary schools in Dong Thap during years which is equivalent to cycles of experiments.the first experiment’s results are used as the experience to adjust and complete the second cycle - Selecting schools for experiments: In order for the study to objectively reflect the feasibility of the compiled process, we perform experimental teaching at two schools including one in Cao Lanh’s city centre (Nguyen Thi Luu Secondary School) and the other in the suburbs of the city (Nguyen Chi Thanh Secondary School), both of which are not specialized 4.1.5 Process of pedagogic experiments The experiments are carried out in combination with on-class studying program Their process is described as follows: Process of pedagogic experiment 1) Instructing both teachers and learners on teaching and studying according to the project - Instructing teachers on the experimental teaching of characteristics and process of project teaching, on ways of executing the composed process - Training learners on making mindmaps and creating KWL.table, on how to use the internet to search information and use the powerpoint software for the report - Letting students see the process of their project “Greeting – cards for Women’s day 8/3” to help them brainstorm ways of carrying out the project 2) Preparing teaching facilities and equipments Contacting the technical room and the laboratory Preparing papers and pens for mindmap drawing, funds for students to perform the project (in the first round) and build “school factory (in the second round) Contacting the main hall, preparing music for the presentation of the project and the product introduction Inviting teachers and students to the presentation Preparing cameras to record the student’s studying activities Preparing cameras to take photos of the students’ products 3) Implementing project teaching as planned Participating all on-class lessons and make records, using them as data for analysis and assessment of the teaching and studying 4) Evaluating and getting experiences from the classes After the classes, discussing, evaluating and getting experiences Also, talking with the students to compare their opinions with the teachers’ comments on the class 4.2 Results of pedagogic experiments There were two sets of experiments done during 2010 and 2011, specifically: + Round 1: September 10th 2010 – November 12th 2010 + Round 2: September 19th 2011 – November 11th 2011 4.2.1 Analysing the process of pedagogic experiment 4.2.1.1.Students’ learning in the process of project teaching On analysis of the process implementation, similar manifestations of activeness, creation and collaboration are seen in all groups To be more specific: * Activeness: Assigning duties among group members suitable with the conditions and capacities of each personnel, choosing proper place and time to carry out the project (classrooms, functional rooms, large houses that are near all members’ houses), finishing the project on time, well handling unexpected troubles, introducing the products, adjusting the plan to the real conditions, using available and plentiful wasted tools and materials * Creativity: Drawing electrical circuit patterns and technical structures satisfying the given standards, selecting the proper electric relays, designing practical physical patterns * Cooperativeness: most of the students in all groups show their interest in team work, group discussions, listen and absorb the others’ opinions, develop their friends’ ideas, work with the common target of doing the project well, deal with disagreemments politely and properly They attend all of the group’s meetings on time, encourage each other to their jobs in their common free time, well coordinate in team work Each member does their job responsibly They consider their project success as of all group’s effort In addition, each group has it own manifestations of activeness, creativity which are shown below: Table 4.7 Manifestations of students’ activeness and creativity as performing the project Firealarming electrical circuit patterns Activeness Proposing to use bells or both bells and lights for the firealarming system; making use of wasted materials such as musicplaying part of children’s old lanterns, turning signal indicatiors of old motobikes; changing from using thermal relays (because of failure) into using double-play tapes Electrical circuit patterns signaling water level in high tubs Using available and wasted materials: plastic bottles, old electric wires, bamboo chopsticks, aluminium pipes of old antenna, wasted cellcular sheets Electrical circuit patterns in bathroom Making use of cartons, bamboo sticks, old electric wires to design, using bamboo rims to stabilize door-frames and doors of the bathroom Electrical circuit Using available and wasted materials such as paper boxes, Creativity Drawing two patterns of firealarming electrical circuits: the first circuit using doubleplay tapes and the other using the elasticity of a piece of metal, then choosing the better one to install; making double-play tapes from beer cans and the piece of steel clamped with on-wall calenda books; using old turning signal hooters as alert Recommending the ways to find out the relationship between amperage of the circuit and the tub’s water level Using ignition cables of old electric cookers to make rheostats; designing a lever of water force to adjust the rheostat; using plastic bottles containing sand to make reels of rheostats; using 2-sided stickers to twine on the plastic bottles in order to locate the rheostat’s wire when twining; increasing the weight by sticking a piece of metal on to it to make it operate stably Designing an electric relay that is always on, made of plastic bottles (creating force of elasticity like a spring) with electricity-insulated parts; using rips of pill packs to make electrodes Using pins to make resistances; using transparent patterns in rips of transparent plastic boxes nylon to make doors so that cupboard of sugar-preserved fruit, beer the audience can see the lights cans in bathroom; designing slided relays with two touching points Electrical Using wasted materials for the Recommending two circuit design such as cartons, ignition structures of a rheostat with patterns in cables of old electric cookers, slider and choosing the bedroom bamboo chopsticks simpler one; putting the rips (bright or of pen brushes out of ignition dim light cables to make sliders of vessels) rheostats Electrical Making use of wastes such as Making thick cellcular sheets circuit cartons, secondhand led lights; in a staired shape for a nice patterns on receiving the others’ opinions pattern of stairs stairs of decoration and completion of the pattern Electrical Making use of wastes: cartons, Advising other applications of circuit cellular sheets, wasted plastic electrical circuits (used as patterns in things; choosing pushing four – turning signal indicators of living electrode relays to lower the motobikes) and different ways room (light costs to install key K to open two vessels on lights at the same time – off K automatical K1 ly) K2 Economica Exploiting useful data from a l usage of variety of sources: textbooks, electricity internet; giving out diversified project products such as powerpoint presentation, posters to propagate economical use of electricity Safe usage Using diversified sources of of information, including electricity textbooks, internet, books, magazines, documents on propagating safe use of electricity, experts; making Using crossword puzzles to introduce the project’s topic, mindmaps and term 5W1H to present the poster; performing the presentation with “Q&A” form Presenting the reasons for the group name: instructor is the one who guides the others Besides, because the group wants to instruct their friends to use electricity safely, they plans as reserve: borrowing a name their group as computer to make powerpoint “Instructors”; practicing acts presentation, if not, presenting of first aids in case of by posters electrical accidents 4.2.1.2.Academic results of the students in experimental classes *Method of marking a group Step 1: Calculate Đ1 Đ1  P1  P2 P1: Form 1’s mark P2: Form 2’s mark Step 2: Calculate the average score of collaboration assessment N 1 Đ2  a i N 1 With: is the score of collaboration assessed by group i N is the number of groups in the class Step 3: Calculate group’s score ĐN ĐN  Đ2  Đ1  * Assessment score for each personnel Step 1: Calculate the average score AX of member X in Form of assessment n 1 AX  a i n 1 : score of member X marked by the ith member n : the number of the group members Step 2: Calculate score of in-group assessment, Đ3X, of member X Đ3 X  ĐN  n n A AX i With: DN is the group’s score n is the number of group members AX is the average score of member X in Form assessment n  A is i the sum of average scores in Form assessment of all group members Step 3: Calculate member X’s score X= Đ3 X  Đ4 X In which: Đ3X is the form assessment mark of member X Đ4X is the score teachers gives member X, including the score of selfassessment (in Form 4) and the score of “Project diary” Academic results of the students are given in the following table: Table 4.8 Groups’ scores Group’s name Project’s name Teacher Teacher Student Group’s (Form1) (Form 2) (Form 2) score Age 15 Smart electrical 9,92 9,35 9,07 9,45 vessel Lucky Stars Convenient 7,55 8,48 8,49 8,17 bathroom Fire Fire-alarming 9,50 7,50 8,76 8,59 bell Belief Magic cupboard 7,81 7,55 8,80 8,05 White pigeon Always fresh 9,90 8,76 8,69 9,12 Future Convenience Electricity For a happy world 2-in-1 light Electrical vessel on stairs Economize electricity Safety with electricity 7,86 9,43 7,05 8,67 7,48 7,68 7,46 8,60 6,74 7,50 8,33 7,52 5,72 8,96 7,60 7,43 Table 4.9 Scores of each member in a group Group’s name Score for each member Age 15 8,97 9,23 9,13 8,50 Lucky Stars 8,32 8,08 7,85 7,49 Group of Fire 8,76 8,59 7,94 Belief 7,68 7,56 8,43 7,63 Group of White pigeon 9,03 8,62 8,03 Future 7,84 7,47 7,30 7,19 Convenience 8,39 9,18 7,65 8,26 Electricity 7,14 7,58 7,61 7,13 For a happy world 6,52 7,08 7,34 6,72 4.2.2 Quantitative analysis of students’ improvement in project teaching By collecting, analyzing and comparing the entrance exam and the graduation exam, we evaluate the awareness advancement of the students in experimental classess during the process of project teaching 4.2.2.1.Objectives of the exams While analysing and evaluating students’ academic activities, we hold them a 45 – minute test at the end of each pedagogic experiment This exam is to assess the effectiveness of the compiled process of project teaching toward developing students’ learning quality, enhancing their abilities to create and apply their theoretical knowledge into the reality 4.2.2.2.The exam’s matrix to classify the levels of awareness Based on Bloom’s reduced range of awareness, we design questions for levels: understanding, utilizing, and creating The rates of awareness levels in the tests are listed below Table 4.12 Matrix of the test at the end of the experimental term Content Levels of test Understanding Utilizing Creating Total Designing and installing TL 4TL vessels Resistance – rheostat 3Tr.N, 1Tr.N 1TL Electric energy – electrical 1Tr.N, power 1TL Using fuses to protect 1Tr.N, electrical network 1TL Economizing electricity 2Tr.N Tr.N Safety with electricity 3Tr.N Ohm law TL Total score 1,25/10 3,75/10 5,0/10 22 4.2.2.3.Collecting and processing data With the two sets of exams of the experimental class, we calculate parameters specific for each set and then perform statistic calculations Table 4.13 Specific parameters of the entrance exam and the graduation exam of the experimental class Test Mean Mode Median Standard deviation Entrance 6,00 ± 0,01 6 1.24 Graduation 7,61 ± 0,01 8 1.35 Mean of the first test is 1.61 higher than mean of the other However, is this difference caused by project teaching or just a random result? If project teaching has an effect on the improvement of students’ test score, is this effect great or not? For any answer, we perform paired T-tests to identify the level of the effect and the correlation between the two sets of exams before and after the effect The statistic data is given in the following table, in which O1 is the set of entrance exam’s score, and O2 is the set of the other exam’s score, and X is the level of project’s effect Table 4.14 Statistics on academic results of experimental class before and after the effect Test Effect Test after Paired TSMD r before affected test affected Experimental p = 5,3.10-17 1,29 -0,12 O1 X O2 class It can be inferred from the results that: - The p-value of the paired T- test equivalent to 5,3.10-17 (less than 0.05) demontrates the increase in scrores of the two exams is meaningful That indicates positive effects of project teaching on the results of students’ tests which are designed closely related to the reality According to Cohen’s standards, SMD value of 1.29 (over 1) illustrates significant effects of project teaching on the improvement of students’ test results - Negative value of correlation coefficient, r, shows the negative relationship between students’s results of the entrance exam and those of the gradutation exam This means those who the former test well are not likely to well in the latter despite this small correlation (r = - 0.12) It can be also inferred that the students that are good in their traditional classes may not have proper ways of studying in the classes of project teaching In conclusion, the organization of project teaching on some part of chapter ‘Electricity’ increases students’ consciousness as well as their ability to apply their knowledge into solving the problems related to their real lives Moreover, these effects of project teaching are of a high level Based on this and the qualitative analysis on the process of project teaching, we can assert that our topic’s scientific hypothesis is right: holding project teaching on some content in chapter ‘Electricity’ (Physics 9) enhances students’ activeness, creation and coordination 4.3 Feedback of teachers and students on project teaching after the experiments In order to know the opinions of the teachers and the students after participating in the project, we did a survey on the latter group with questionnairs and direct interviews for more information to evaluate the feasibility of the compiled process and the potential of development of project teaching in the current conditions The survey’s results indicate that students are interested in project teaching on physics because it contributes to their improved capacities, especially their creation ability The application of project teaching into the teaching at secondary schools is feasible and practical because it meets learners’ requirements of utilising their knowledge in their lives, creates useful realistic things, and reduces the boredom of studying impractical theories, especially studying Physics, which contains a lot of applications in our lives and productions GERNERAL CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Results of the thesis Referring to the purpose and mission of the research, the thesis has achieved some results as below: 1) Research theory basis of project teaching in terms of: philosophy, psychology and teaching theory Showing consistency of project teaching with a strategy of innovating teaching method and physics teaching practices in secondary school 2) Build project teaching progress appropriate to problem solving in physics teaching Especially, make separately and clearly activity of teacher and pupils in every single progress 3) Understand teaching condition in general and physics teaching of 9th grade classes in particular of some junior high schools in Dong Thap province Analyze reasons of the condition to find out advantages and disadvantages of applying project teaching in teaching practices On the basis, propose methods of applying project teaching into physics teaching in secondary schools 4) Analyze the feature of creative activities in science research, in physics study in junior high schools and characteristics of project teaching, thus propose recommendations to promote activity, creativity and collaboration of pupils in project teaching of physics in junior grade 5) Analyze knowledge feature and content of Chapter “Electricity”, physics of 9th grade, thus find out problems when teaching the knowledge and recommend solutions 6) Make video clips of situations to support pupils and propose ideas to apply the project in chapter “Electricity” of the Physics for grade 7) Design organizing process of project teaching some knowledge in chapter “Electricity” in mentioned physics teaching 8) Build evaluation process in project teaching, design rubrics of study progress and results of pupils in process of applying project in chapter “ Electricity” 9) Conduct pedagogical experiments of teaching progresses that have been compiled in two secondary schools (one in urban area, one in nearby area) in two school years 20092010 and 2010-2011, in Dong Thap province 10) Analyze results of pedagogical experiments to confirm that scientific hypothesis of the thesis is correct: Project teaching of some knowledge about Electricity in physics program of grade 9, junior high school has promoted activity and contributed creativity and collaboration of students Limitations of the thesis Besides the results mentioned above, the thesis still has some limitations below: –Scope of pedagogical experiments is very limited (only with secondary schools) – The subject relevance of the projects designed is not strong enough (only with coordination of some subjects: Physics, technology, information technology and art) – No collaboration of social classes in project teaching process (such as no professionals, agencies, organizations are voluntary to support pupils to conduct the project) The above limitation of the thesis can be some recommendations for the next writer to research project teaching in physics teaching in secondary schools, such as: - Need to extend scope of pedagogical experiments for project teaching process in more schools and regions - Need to conduct more projects that have better subject relevance and organize pupils of classes, schools to collaborate to implement project -Need to socialization of education in terms of assistance, information consultant for pupil from reputed professionals in society as well as organization, agencies in school area that organizes projects teaching Conclusion From analyzing theory and practice basis of project teaching, we find out that: – Project teaching is a positive teaching method, meeting innovation needs of current teaching methods in popular schools It not only meets the goal of the project but also develops capacity of students, such as creativity and collaboration Create condition for pupils to self study, self research, and promote necessary life skills - Project teaching is the way for learner to apply the knowledge into life, implement practical activities Improve the one-way-imparted teaching and far- from-practice condition in contents of text books due to a lack of life and society meaning exercises - Project teaching is relevant with psychological characteristics of teenagers and teaching conditions of junior high schools in urban and rural area, bringing pupil study interest, happiness and success pride - Digital media and information technology should be only support tools to implement projects of pupils, not determinants in project teaching If there is no computer, the presentation of the pupils can be done on big sized paper If there is no internet, pupils can search for information in books, newspapers or asking information from professionals; no camera, pupils can sketch the images in paper… - Project teaching require from teacher a investment in time and ideas to select, conduct project topics as well as imitate as professionals, consultant to guide project implementation process of pupils Need to select project topics that are updated, close to real life to create study interest and motivation for students Create safe and friendly study environment, always encourage students to make questions, criticize and propose ideas Do not criticize ideas that are not correct, not interesting of students but motivate and encourage them to think further to raise more appropriate ideas Teachers only advise when students have tried hard but still can not overcome the difficulties - In teaching practices in junior high school now, besides project teaching in primary learning hours, teachers can organize project teaching in optional learning hours, curricular activities, science clubs,… - Because of open feature and practical orientation, project teaching can not be applied for all the knowledge, but only relevant for some knowledge that has many applications in practices and some practical knowledge Recommendations The study results indicate that project teaching allows learners to apply their knowledge into solving the problems of their real lives, thereby, expanding their mind, which is certainly useful in human life and in the society It also increases students’ activeness as well as their capacities of creation, collaboration, realizing and solving a problem, and time management, which contributes to their success in higher educations and in their future career Moreover, project teaching raises students’ interest of learning Physics, making them more seft-confident and happier with their success Therefore,we have following recommendations: - Because project teaching is very beneficial and diversifies the group of positive teaching methods, it is necessary that it should be universalized in the teaching at junior high school in general and at secondary schools in particular - Increasing the use of study results of post-graduates in holding project teaching on specific topics as realistic examples of project teaching when training junior high schools’ teachers, helping them easily imagine and apply it into their teaching - Giving specific rules on the application of project teaching into the teaching at junior high schools regarding to the length of time, topic, etc in order for teachers and educational organizations to implement legally - Supporting on-class teachers to get theoretical and practical knowledge of project teaching directly from researchers and experts of project teaching, in order to reduce the phenominon of copying too much - Having a connection among teachers in one school and of different schools in order to hold project teaching in larger scale, and the coordination among students of different classes and of different schools to carry out the project ... (Form 2) score Age 15 Smart electrical 9, 92 9, 35 9, 07 9, 45 vessel Lucky Stars Convenient 7,55 8,48 8, 49 8,17 bathroom Fire Fire-alarming 9, 50 7,50 8,76 8, 59 bell Belief Magic cupboard 7,81 7,55... 5,72 8 ,96 7,60 7,43 Table 4 .9 Scores of each member in a group Group’s name Score for each member Age 15 8 ,97 9, 23 9, 13 8,50 Lucky Stars 8,32 8,08 7,85 7, 49 Group of Fire 8,76 8, 59 7 ,94 Belief... pigeon Always fresh 9, 90 8,76 8, 69 9,12 Future Convenience Electricity For a happy world 2-in-1 light Electrical vessel on stairs Economize electricity Safety with electricity 7,86 9, 43 7,05 8,67