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Education Sciences
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Reach for the Stars: Enhancing Pedagogy and Technology in Physics...
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Reach for the Stars: Enhancing Pedagogy and Technology in Physics and Astronomy Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1632

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Alison Voice

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
Interests: active learning techniques; competences in physics; student belonging and engagement; language and cultural factors for supporting physics learning with international students

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the increasing prevalence of AI and other new technologies and reflecting on what we have learned about pedagogy during the pandemic, the time is ripe to gather our collective experience and excitement for the future education of students in Physics and Astronomy. 

In this Special Issue focussing on Physics and Astronomy education we invite original research articles and reviews pertaining to all aspects of student education in these disciplines. This encompasses novel modes of delivery and engagement to aid students in their understanding of complex theories and concepts; development of experimental, investigation and observational skills; use of modelling, coding and simulations; assessment in the age of AI; support and inclusion of minorities; and development of career aspirations to suit our diverse student populations. This list is not exhaustive, and any aspect related to Physics and Astronomy education is very welcome. In terms of minorities, those of particular relevance to Physics and Astronomy are women and neurodivergent students, and novel ways to support and build confidence in these students are particularly welcome.   

This is an exciting opportunity to share our research studies and findings across the international community, to inspire a truly modern curriculum to meet the technological challenges of such rapidly changing times.

Prof. Dr. Alison Voice
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • student engagement in learning
  • laboratory and observational skills
  • modelling and coding
  • technology-enhanced pedagogy
  • assessment in the age of AI
  • minorities and equality

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 601 KiB  
Article
“It’s Like a Nice Atmosphere”—Understanding Physics Students’ Experiences of a Flipped Classroom Through the Lens of Transactional Distance Theory
by Anna K. Wood
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(7), 921; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15070921 - 18 Jul 2025
Viewed by 372
Abstract
In this paper, physics students’ experiences of a flipped, active learning physics class are explored through the lens of transactional distance theory (TDT). Transactional distance (TD) is the psychological and communicative distance that may arise between students and their teacher in learning environments [...] Read more.
In this paper, physics students’ experiences of a flipped, active learning physics class are explored through the lens of transactional distance theory (TDT). Transactional distance (TD) is the psychological and communicative distance that may arise between students and their teacher in learning environments such as large classes. TD has been shown to have a negative impact on students’ satisfaction, engagement, and learning outcomes, yet there is lack of research on how pedagogical approaches, such as the flipped classroom and active learning, may ameliorate the impacts of TD. In this paper, I use a qualitative methodology to gain an in-depth understanding of the ways in which a flipped class can impact the experience of transactional distance for first year physics students. Eleven students took part in semi-structured interviews about their experience of the class, from which three themes were developed: (a) creating connections; (b) stimulating engagement; and (c) supporting responsiveness. These themes are interpreted through the lens of TDT to understand the ways in which the flipped class and active learning pedagogics reduced students’ experience of TD. This gives new insights into students’ experiences of small group discussions, pre-class quizzes, and in-class ‘clicker’ questions. The implications for the pedagogical design of flipped classes will be discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reach for the Stars: Enhancing Pedagogy and Technology in Physics and Astronomy Education)
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15 pages, 442 KiB  
Article
An Intervention Addressing Impostor Phenomenon in Undergraduate Physics and Astronomy
by Ewan Bottomley, Paula Miles, Antje Kohnle, Vivienne Wild and Kenneth I. Mavor
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(4), 498; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15040498 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 640
Abstract
The experience of the impostor phenomenon, when a person doubts themselves and believes that they are underqualified and do not belong in a position as a result, can be a challenge for undergraduate physics students. In a small-scale interview study, we found that [...] Read more.
The experience of the impostor phenomenon, when a person doubts themselves and believes that they are underqualified and do not belong in a position as a result, can be a challenge for undergraduate physics students. In a small-scale interview study, we found that the impostor phenomenon was frequently reported by physics undergraduates. On this basis, we developed an intervention to target the impostor phenomenon. The intervention had three phases. In the first phase, we introduced key concepts to students, giving them labels for their experiences. In the second phase, we gave students passages which depicted stories of higher-level students who had experienced the impostor phenomenon. We prompted conversation between students on the passages to normalize the discussion around the impostor phenomenon. Finally, in the third phase we asked students to reflect on what advice they would give future students who struggled with the impostor phenomenon. This was to encourage students to think about their own strategies when it comes to dealing with the impostor phenomenon. The intervention was run in class with 279 undergraduate students. The evaluation of the intervention via follow-up interviews was positive. The students spoke about the need for such an intervention and suggested adaptations. This intervention could be a step towards promoting a culture in educational settings where impostor feelings can be discussed openly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reach for the Stars: Enhancing Pedagogy and Technology in Physics and Astronomy Education)
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