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American Journal of Physics
A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect
written by Sam B. McKagan, Ward Handley, Katherine Perkins, and Carl E. Wieman
Physics faculty consider the photoelectric effect important, but many erroneously believe it is easy for students to understand. We have developed curriculum on this topic including an interactive computer simulation, interactive lectures with peer instruction, and conceptual and mathematical homework problems. Our curriculum addresses established student difficulties and is designed to achieve two learning goals, for students to be able to (1) correctly predict the results of photoelectric effect experiments, and (2) describe how these results lead to the photon model of light. We designed two exam questions to test these learning goals. Our instruction leads to better student mastery of the first goal than either traditional instruction or previous reformed instruction, with approximately 85% of students correctly predicting the results of changes to the experimental conditions. On the question designed to test the second goal, most students are able to correctly state both the observations made in the photoelectric effect experiment and the inferences that can be made from these observations, but are less successful in drawing a clear logical connection between the observations and inferences. This is likely a symptom of a more general lack of the reasoning skills to logically draw inferences from observations.
American Journal of Physics: Volume 77, Issue 1, Pages 87-94
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education - Applied Research
- Active Learning
= Peer Instruction
- Curriculum Development
- Instructional Material Design
= Simulation
General Physics
- Curriculum
- Physics Education Research
Modern Physics
- Condensed Matter
Optics
- Modern Optics
- Upper Undergraduate
- Lower Undergraduate
- Instructional Material
= Curriculum
= Instructor Guide/Manual
- Reference Material
= Article
= Research study
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Formats:
application/pdf
non-digital
text/html
Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2978181
Access Rights:
Limited free access and
Available for purchase
A preprint of the article is available for personal use. A final updated version of the article is available in the January 2009 issue of the American Journal of Physics.
Restriction:
© 2009 American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/1.2978181
PACSs:
01.40.Fk
01.40.G-
01.40.gb
01.50.ht
Keywords:
interactive computer simulation, interactive lectures, peer instruction, photoelectric effect
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created July 18, 2010 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
November 16, 2022 by Sam McKagan
Last Update
when Cataloged:
January 1, 2009
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link
AIP Format
S. McKagan, W. Handley, K. Perkins, and C. Wieman, , Am. J. Phys. 77 (1), 87 (2009), WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10275&DocID=1778).
AJP/PRST-PER
S. McKagan, W. Handley, K. Perkins, and C. Wieman, A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect, Am. J. Phys. 77 (1), 87 (2009), <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10275&DocID=1778>.
APA Format
McKagan, S., Handley, W., Perkins, K., & Wieman, C. (2009, January 1). A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect. Am. J. Phys., 77(1), 87-94. Retrieved December 7, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10275&DocID=1778
Chicago Format
McKagan, S, W. Handley, K. Perkins, and C. Wieman. "A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect." Am. J. Phys. 77, no. 1, (January 1, 2009): 87-94, https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10275&DocID=1778 (accessed 7 December 2024).
MLA Format
McKagan, Sam, Ward Handley, Katherine Perkins, and Carl Wieman. "A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect." Am. J. Phys. 77.1 (2009): 87-94. 7 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10275&DocID=1778>.
BibTeX Export Format
@article{ Author = "Sam McKagan and Ward Handley and Katherine Perkins and Carl Wieman", Title = {A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect}, Journal = {Am. J. Phys.}, Volume = {77}, Number = {1}, Pages = {87-94}, Month = {January}, Year = {2009} }
Refer Export Format

%A Sam McKagan %A Ward Handley %A Katherine Perkins %A Carl Wieman %T A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect %J Am. J. Phys. %V 77 %N 1 %D January 1, 2009 %P 87-94 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10275&DocID=1778 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Journal Article %A McKagan, Sam %A Handley, Ward %A Perkins, Katherine %A Wieman, Carl %D January 1, 2009 %T A Research-based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect %J Am. J. Phys. %V 77 %N 1 %P 87-94 %8 January 1, 2009 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10275&DocID=1778


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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles.

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