Research in physics education shows that students have difficulties, often related to common sense experience, which hinder the formation of scientific concepts, and lead to acritical memorization of laws which the students considers valid only in the context of exercises. Other difficulties are related to the connection between the mathematical model and physical concepts, and, in particular in the study of kinematics, to the relationship of graphic representations with physical reality on the one hand, and mathematical formalism on the other. Inquiry-based laboratories can play a fundamental role in overcoming learning difficulties, by involving students in a guided investigation experience, also through reflection questions followed by comparison with experimental results (predict-observe-explain approach), which aim at juxtaposing naive ideas and scientific knowledge, stimulating metacognitive reflection. Since the 80s of the twentieth century laboratories based on real-time sensors (usually ultrasound) have been used in kinematic labs for the purpose above. Such laboratories, which enable the student to observe the formation of position-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs simultaneously with the motion event, can play a key role in overcoming, in particular, the difficulties related to graphical representations. These instruments are also relatively common in school laboratories, but the high cost prevents their further diffusion in schools and replacement when necessary. The fact that, in general, these instruments can operate only if coupled to a PC on which proprietary software is installed, further aggravates the situation, given the state of the computer equipment of the school laboratories. In this work we present the design of a low-cost instrumental apparatus, based on the Arduino board, capable of carrying out all the data collection, representation and analysis operations necessary for the organization of a typical kinematics laboratory with real-time sensors. The proposed device operates in a more complete and functional way if combined with a PC for data representation and analysis, but if necessary it can also be used in a completely autonomous configuration. In the first part of the thesis, I present an overview of the literature on the difficulties of students in the field of kinematics, and frame historically the development of the laboratory with real-time sensors. The second chapter offers a review, taken from the research literature, of physics laboratory experiences based on the Arduino board. The third chapter presents the actual realization of the experimental apparatus based on the Arduino board, complete with software for visualizing and processing data, possible both via PC or on a mini-monitor connected to the board. In the fourth chapter we report on the results of following the typical structure of a kinematics laboratory with real-time sensors using our instrumentation, and propose other possible didactic experiences.
Dalla ricerca in didattica della fisica emerge che gli studenti hanno difficoltà, spesso legate all’esperienza di senso comune, che impediscono la formazione di concetti scientifici, e portano ad una acquisizione mnemonica di leggi che si considerano valide solo nell'ambito degli esercizi. Altre difficoltà sono relative al collegamento tra il modello matematico e i concetti fisici, e, in particolare nello studio della cinematica, alla relazione delle rappresentazioni grafiche con la realtà fisica da un parte e il formalismo matematico dall’altra. Il laboratorio di investigazione (inquiry) può giocare un ruolo fondamentale nel superare le difficoltà di apprendimento, coinvolgendo gli studenti in un'esperienza di indagine guidata, anche mediante domande di riflessione seguite dal confronto con il risultato sperimentale (approccio previsione-osservazione-confronto), che hanno lo scopo di giustapporre le idee ingenue e la conoscenza scientifica, stimolando la riflessione metacognitiva. Dagli anni ’80 del XX secolo nella didattica della cinematica vengono usati a questo fine laboratori con sensori real-time, solitamente ad ultrasuoni, i quali, mettendo lo studente in grado di osservare la formazione dei grafici posizione-tempo, velocità-tempo, e accelerazione-tempo contemporaneamente all’evento del moto, possono giocare un ruolo chiave nel superare, in particolare, le difficoltà relative alle rappresentazioni grafiche. Queste strumentazioni sono relativamente comuni anche nei laboratori scolastici, ma il costo spesso elevato ne impedisce l’ulteriore diffusione nelle scuole e la sostituzione quando necessaria. Il fatto che, in generale, queste strumentazioni possano operare solo se accoppiate ad un PC sul quale è installato un software proprietario aggrava ulteriormente la situazione, dato lo stato della dotazione informatica dei laboratori scolastici. In questo lavoro si propone la realizzazione di un apparato strumentale a basso costo, basato sulla scheda Arduino, capace di effettuare tutte le operazioni di raccolta, rappresentazione e analisi dati necessarie per l’organizzazione di un tipico laboratorio di cinematica con sensori real-time. L’apparato proposto opera in modo più completo e funzionale se abbinato ad un PC per la rappresentazione ed analisi dei dati, ma in caso di necessità può anche essere utilizzato in configurazione completamente autonoma. Nella prima parte dell'elaborato si presenta una panoramica della letteratura sulle difficoltà degli studenti nell'ambito della cinematica, e si inquadra storicamente lo sviluppo del laboratorio con sensori real-time. Nel secondo capitolo viene invece proposta una rassegna tratta dalla letteratura di ricerca di esperienze di laboratorio di fisica basate sulla scheda Arduino. Nel terzo capitolo viene presentata la realizzazione dell'apparato sperimentale basato sulla scheda Arduino, completa di software per la visualizzazione e l’elaborazione dei dati, possibile sia tramite PC sia su mini-monitor collegato alla scheda. Nel quarto capitolo si ripercorre tramite la nostra strumentazione lo svolgimento di una tipica scheda di laboratorio di cinematica con sensori real-time, e si propongono altre possibili esperienze didattiche.
Laboratori di cinematica con sensori real-time basati su scheda Arduino: sviluppo e realizzazione di una strumentazione didattica.
CECCHETTI, ANDREA
2020/2021
Abstract
Research in physics education shows that students have difficulties, often related to common sense experience, which hinder the formation of scientific concepts, and lead to acritical memorization of laws which the students considers valid only in the context of exercises. Other difficulties are related to the connection between the mathematical model and physical concepts, and, in particular in the study of kinematics, to the relationship of graphic representations with physical reality on the one hand, and mathematical formalism on the other. Inquiry-based laboratories can play a fundamental role in overcoming learning difficulties, by involving students in a guided investigation experience, also through reflection questions followed by comparison with experimental results (predict-observe-explain approach), which aim at juxtaposing naive ideas and scientific knowledge, stimulating metacognitive reflection. Since the 80s of the twentieth century laboratories based on real-time sensors (usually ultrasound) have been used in kinematic labs for the purpose above. Such laboratories, which enable the student to observe the formation of position-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs simultaneously with the motion event, can play a key role in overcoming, in particular, the difficulties related to graphical representations. These instruments are also relatively common in school laboratories, but the high cost prevents their further diffusion in schools and replacement when necessary. The fact that, in general, these instruments can operate only if coupled to a PC on which proprietary software is installed, further aggravates the situation, given the state of the computer equipment of the school laboratories. In this work we present the design of a low-cost instrumental apparatus, based on the Arduino board, capable of carrying out all the data collection, representation and analysis operations necessary for the organization of a typical kinematics laboratory with real-time sensors. The proposed device operates in a more complete and functional way if combined with a PC for data representation and analysis, but if necessary it can also be used in a completely autonomous configuration. In the first part of the thesis, I present an overview of the literature on the difficulties of students in the field of kinematics, and frame historically the development of the laboratory with real-time sensors. The second chapter offers a review, taken from the research literature, of physics laboratory experiences based on the Arduino board. The third chapter presents the actual realization of the experimental apparatus based on the Arduino board, complete with software for visualizing and processing data, possible both via PC or on a mini-monitor connected to the board. In the fourth chapter we report on the results of following the typical structure of a kinematics laboratory with real-time sensors using our instrumentation, and propose other possible didactic experiences.È consentito all'utente scaricare e condividere i documenti disponibili a testo pieno in UNITESI UNIPV nel rispetto della licenza Creative Commons del tipo CC BY NC ND.
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/14587