Date of Award

11-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Curriculum & Instruction

First Advisor

Dr. Hassan Tairab

Second Advisor

Dr. Ali Khalfan Al- Naqbi

Third Advisor

Dr. Qasim Al Shannag

Abstract

Education has been affected by the advancement of technology, especially computer software. This thesis focuses on the impact of computer simulations on students’ acquisition of Physics concepts related to the topic of Uniform Circular Motion. The main purpose of this thesis is to examine to what extent can computer simulations help students of grade 11 from Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), learn factual, conceptual and procedural knowledge related to Uniform Circular Motion. It also aims to investigate how simulations affect students of different abilities in terms of their achievement in Physics. A quazi- experimental method was used, where participants were divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group was taught using computer simulations, and the control group was instructed with the help of real- life videos and animations. The main instrument was an achievement test administered before and after the intervention. The study showed a statistically significant advantage for the experimental group over the control group, especially in the procedural knowledge dimension. In addition, results showed that students of medium and low academic levels benefit from the simulations more than students of high level. Results drawn from this study provide valuable information on effective integration of technology in physics teaching, because it examines the impact of simulations on different knowledge dimensions, as well as their effect on students of different abilities. As a result, it encompasses a large spectrum of variables in terms of the effectiveness of simulations, giving room for further researches on technology integration in science education in the UAE and the Arab world context.

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