Evaluating Pupils’ Development as Learners in Physics Through Active Inquiry

Student’s Name

University’s Name

Course

Professor’s Name

Date

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 Evaluating Pupils’ Development as Learners in Physics Through Active Inquiry

introduction

The study aims to investigate how well active inquiry-based learning techniques can foster

students' conceptual knowledge and interest in physics. One definition of inquiry-based learning (IBL)

is creating knowledge from firsthand experience in real-world settings. The concept for this method

came from the writings of the founders and influential figures of constructivism. This educational

paradigm acknowledges that students learn by creating knowledge from their experiences. The main

issue is that students frequently find abstract physics topics challenging to understand, which lowers

their enthusiasm and interest.

Learning to test, which basically means learning only the so-called complex competencies—

easy to evaluate, with a clear advantage of purely informative knowledge over deeper understanding

and practical skills—are still the main focus of modern education almost everywhere in the world. Soft

competencies, such as the ability to collaborate with others, are ignored ( Bransford et al,2000). Decades

of extensive research in education, especially in scientific education, have not changed this fact.

The foundation of this kind of teaching is a message that ignores other human senses and is

only intended for the visual and aural senses. The most popular method of instruction involves having

students dictate notebook notes to confirm that they have learned the material, ideally in a literal sense

or by heart rather than necessarily with comprehension (McQuiggan et al., 2015).The theory of

multiple intelligences' originator sees a pattern of this behavior throughout the history of scholasticism

and the Middle Ages, when science was limited to memorization and repetition of a predetermined

body of information, and education was inextricably linked to religion. By using active inquiry

strategies that encourage curiosity and critical thinking, the study aims to improve student outcomes. I

strive to improve my teaching methods to help students develop a better comprehension and enjoyment

of physics.

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 When we talk about inquiry-based learning, we take into account creativity, enhancing critical

thinking and reasoning, and cultivating research skills based on learners' interest and curiosity. Students

become more autonomous learners as a result of inquiry-based learning, which is student-cantered as

opposed to traditional instruction (Oyak, 2024). Because IBL integrates critical thinking, action, and

real-world student interaction, it stimulates and reinforces all three domains of human development:

cognitive, psychomotor, and emotional. In other words, IBL promotes the development of

competences, which are thought of as a combination of topic knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Research Question

The primary research question focuses on how students' inquiry abilities are developed when

inquiry activities are consistently used in physics classes. This study's research question is:

 What effects result from regularly implementing inquiry-based learning activities in physics?

There are three primary components to the study design:

1. Creating and gathering a collection of inquiry-based exercises that are enhanced by instructional

resources

2. Pedagogical experiment

3. Evaluation of findings

The study's primary focus is to evaluate how well active inquiry works as a teaching strategy for

assisting students in becoming independent and skilled physics learners. Its specific goal is to

investigate the effects of active inquiry exercises on students' conceptual knowledge and practical

application of physics concepts.

Rationale of The Research

School Context: My school emphasizes student-centered learning and developing higher-order

thinking skills. This research aligns with our commitment to innovative teaching methods that promote

student engagement and academic achievement.

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Learners: The students I teach have diverse learning needs and varying levels of prior knowledge in

physics. Understanding how active inquiry impacts different learners will help tailor my teaching to

better support individual student growth.

Teacher Development: This research will contribute to my professional growth by providing insights

into effective teaching practices and enhancing my ability to create a dynamic learning environment.

Local/National Priorities: Active inquiry aligns with national education priorities that emphasize

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and the development of critical

thinking skills

Literature review

The quick and dynamic advancement of technology, changing social norms, and complicated

global concerns all contribute to the volatile, unpredictable, complex, and ambiguous environment that

defines the twenty-first century. People must cultivate higher-order thinking abilities to traverse

complex changes effectively. This will allow them to make wise judgments and significant

contributions as responsible members of society. Through successful pedagogical strategies, teachers in

scientific education play a critical role in developing students' higher-order thinking abilities. The

inquiry-based method, which originated from the constructivist viewpoint on education, is becoming

more widely acknowledged as a powerful technique for encouraging students to use higher-order

thinking abilities.

Inquiry learning is one approach to science education that lets students investigate a subject that

resembles scientific research. Students who are eager to learn about and engage with various facets of

scientific research may also show interest in inquiry, which can help them hone their inquiry skills

(Prince ,2004). Additionally, inquiry-based activities need to begin with a scientific topic and include

students in data analysis. Teachers take on new and different responsibilities when they ask questions,

which can help students become more involved in their education and enhance their cognitive abilities

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(Hake, 1998). However, it's possible that characterizing analytical and planning skills is more directly

related to students' inquiry skills, which involve formulating questions, creating investigations, and

doing research.

Additionally, using the inquiry-based learning strategy, students may enhance their learning and

conceptual knowledge. Since later learning usually builds upon this knowledge, active learning

strategies like inquiry-based learning are essential to achieving deep understandings in science

education (Hattie, 2009). Teachers frequently pose questions to their students in inquiry-based

classrooms, and this approach is commonly suggested as best practice. What is a casual inquiry is

carefully examined in the study of scientific knowledge under the inquiry framework. There are several

justifications for scientific education to shift to inquiry-based learning (Furtak et al., 2012). The

concept of many degrees of research, which students acquired by actively engaging in the inquiry

process, was initially introduced by Schwab (1958). Confirmation, organized, guided, and open

inquiries comprise the four levels of the inquiry education approach developed by researchers. There

are four stages in the model: open inquiry, where students generate questions, processes, and answers;

structured inquiry, where students get questions and processes; guided inquiry, where students receive

questions only; and confirmation inquiry, when questions, procedures, and solutions are provided.

A search of relevant literature reveals that 19 previous systematic reviews have addressed the

use of inquiry-based approaches in scientific education, which is one of the primary concerns of this

study (Alake-Tuenter et al., 2012). The majority of previous reviews have focused on the following

topics: the elements of inquiry learning, the integration of technology into inquiry learning,

comparisons between conventional and inquiry-based approaches, challenges in putting inquiry

learning into practice, and the effects of "general" inquiry approaches on students' learning. Numerous

facets of inquiry that impact how inquiry activities are conducted have been studied and are pertinent to

the current inquiry.

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 While Baumfield (2006) examined the thinking skills approach as a tool for pedagogical inquiry

and emphasized the need to reform inquiry-based teaching as a professional development strategy,

researchers reviewed the trend of recent research papers on inquiry-based learning. Similarly, Alake-

Tuenter et al. (2012) looked at educators' abilities and competencies to conduct an inquiry-based

scientific session. The evaluation by Pedaste (2015) concentrated on how students formulate their

inquiry questions and their roles during the class. Argument-based inquiry learning settings in school-

based education were evaluated by Furtak et al. (2012), and the procedures for assessing students'

abilities were covered by Ronnebeck et al. (2016). In their systematic review, other researchers

emphasized the connection between students' early engagement in inquiry-based courses and risk and

trust.

Prior studies have likewise concentrated on the application of a technology-integrated inquiry-

based methodology. Kim et al. (2022) looked at the community of inquiry framework in online

education research, while Onyema et al. (2019) and Becker et al. (2020) looked at a range of mobile

activities in inquiry-based learning for student support. One evaluation that focuses on certain

technological interventions is Radu's (2019) review, which offered suggestions on augmented reality's

use in inquiry-based learning. Prior systematic evaluations of inquiry-based methods have contrasted

traditional and inquiry-based learning models and noted their drawbacks. The difficulties of

implementing inquiry-based learning in scientific classrooms have also been covered in earlier

systematic reviews.

Inquiry-based practical work results served as the foundation for identifying teaching issues and

how they impact the elucidation of teacher abilities. Scholars have emphasized educators' views, the

problems they encounter while implementing inquiry-based learning in the classroom, and the causes

of these difficulties (Dorier et al. ,2013). Last but not least, earlier analyses of the broad inquiry-based

method sought to determine how it affected students' learning. In conclusion, a thorough examination

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of the effects of open inquiry-based education on scientific students' learning has not yet been

conducted, despite the use of various search strategies in all academic databases.

In contrast to the experiments that students frequently do in class, an open-inquiry learning

approach has been recognized as a legitimate method of scientific discovery and the most significant

level of inquiry that students should strive for since the establishment of the four levels of investigation

(Zion et al., 2007). Because of the time and resource constraints, the open inquiry method, the fourth

level of inquiry, is not a widely used pedagogical strategy in science classrooms. Therefore, it makes

sense to investigate the open inquiry literature to make it a standard for scientific instructors and

teacher educators. Many science instructors and teacher educators have overlooked inquiry-based

science, even though there are millions of books and resources on the subject.

Thus, the beneficial effects of open inquiry on students' physics learning are the main emphasis

of this study on open inquiry-based learning in scientific classrooms. The study aims to present a

thorough analysis of open inquiry using methodical and exacting approaches. Numerous studies have

identified factors contributing to student success or failure in scientific classes. According to Ndjangala

(2021), a shortage of scientific equipment impacts instruction and learning, affecting scientific

performance. Among the several explanations put out by researchers, including instructor

qualifications, students' family backgrounds, and facilities, conceptual misunderstandings significantly

affect students' performance in scientific classes.

According to some studies, students' shortcomings in science include their incapacity to recall

units at estimated numbers and their lack of a thorough comprehension of numerous ideas. Examiners

blamed students' inadequate comprehension of fundamental concepts, including boiling temperature,

sound waves, projectiles, polarization, and cathode ray tubes, for their physics deficiencies (Georgiou

et al., 2016). They said that pupils lacked computing abilities and could not connect circuits effectively.

The study supported Wittmann's (2003) assertion that students' subpar performance resulted from their

misunderstanding of physics principles. According to Daniel (2021) and Nwoye (2012), most pupils
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had different ideas about heat and temperature. Bollen et al. (2018) listed many methods that

demonstrate how hard it is for students to grasp the ideas in the following domains: (i) Force and its

consequences, (ii) Vectors, (iii) misunderstandings regarding the spectrum of light and its frequency

range. (iii) inadequate computational abilities and misunderstandings of formulae and how to use them.

Planning

Several programs use inquiry in physics instruction created due to research in physics

education. Still, the most well-known ones are Physics by Inquiry, Tutorials in Introductory Physics,

and Investigative Science Learning Environments. These programs have also served as some of the

inspiration for our new series on forces and their effects. A series of lab-based lessons called Physics

by Inquiry helps students develop fundamental physics ideas by thoroughly examining a few chosen

elementary physical systems. Additionally, it aims to foster students' scientific thinking abilities and

expose them to the scientific method. Students' experimental research in small groups and

conversations with classmates and the lecturer serve as its foundation.

In small groups, students conduct experiments while researching, formulating theories,

concepts, and ideas regarding fundamental physics phenomena, testing them, and then debating them.

Although Forces and their effects has not been covered in inquiry-based learning, it still offers a broad

framework for helping students get a conceptual grasp of physics ideas and events and scientific

reasoning via guided inquiry. Tutorials in Introductory Physics are a collection of extra teaching

resources designed to foster students' intellectual interest in the subject matter and to help them acquire

the logic needed to formulate and apply physics ideas (Cahyadi, 2007).

Here, the main goal of the inquiry is to develop and improve functional conceptual knowledge.

With the assistance of an instructor who moves between groups and guides students in Socratic

questioning—which is meant to foster reasoning—the learning occurs in small groups. The package

offers tutorials on Forces and their effects, beginning with an examination of "Contact and non-contact

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forces," "Scalar and Vector quantity, Use of vector diagram" to demonstrate resultant forces, and

"Draw and use a free body force diagram."

Some sections of the tutorials can be customized to be used in secondary school physics instruction to

enhance students' comprehension of fundamental ideas in an engaging small-group environment,

designed for secondary school physics courses. By involving students in procedures that closely

resemble scientific activity, the Investigative Science Learning Environment aims to aid students in

their understanding of physics. Additionally, it seeks to cultivate students' physics identity, growth

mindset, and tenacity.

Ethics

However, obtaining ethical permission for the research project will be necessary before

recruiting. Ethical practices are essential, especially when human subjects are involved. Five

fundamental guidelines are outlined by the British Educational Research Association [BERA] (2018,

p.4) and have to be adhered to in any social science research:

1. To align with a democratic society, research should include a range of interests, values, funding,

methodologies, and viewpoints.

2. Individuals, groups, and communities should all have their privacy, autonomy, variety, values,

and dignity respected.

3. The most suitable techniques for the particular study goal should be used, and research should

always be carried out with integrity.

4. All social scientists should consider their societal duties when doing and sharing their research.

5. The goal of any research should be to minimize damage and maximize gain.

Therefore, several ethical procedures will be conducted before the execution of this study to

ensure that the research respects the participants, democratic principles, research quality, and academic

freedom (BERA, 2018). The researcher will be the primary recruitment source for this project, even

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though students will be the primary participants. Students and parents of pupils under sixteen will all

get information packets. (Appendix 1)

Participants will receive detailed information about what is expected of them, how it will impact them,

and what to do if they choose to participate. Additionally, they will be reminded of their guaranteed

privacy, their freedom to discontinue participation at any moment without facing repercussions, and the

researcher's contact details in case they have any questions. A permission form is included in every

information sheet. Students or their parents/guardians can opt-out. (Appendix 2).

Student or parent of a student under the age of 16 who would wish to withdraw from the study,

may do so by sending back the consent form. If kids or a parent/guardian do not return any forms, they

will be deemed to have given their approval. Discussions with other instructors led to the selection of

this technique since it is the most popular strategy and standard procedure.

Every piece of information gathered will be anonymous and unidentifiable. Where focus groups

or interviews are conducted, they will be transcribed, anonymized, and recorded. The School’s Head of

Physics Department ought to approve this work. Every group participating in the research will be given

a color, which will also serve as a pseudonym for the students’ names. Pseudonyms are often used

whenever particular pupils are named. This procedure aims to safeguard the identities of students

Data collection

Qualitative techniques of data collecting use a more subjective approach to research and gather

non-numerical data, usually through observations, interviews, and documentation (Adedoyin, 2020).

People's perspectives, understandings, and constructions of reality can be accessed through interviews.

Researchers indicate that rather than using a limited and closed format like that provided by a

questionnaire, participants must be able to express their opinions in their own style to grasp anything.

Scholars emphasize the need for qualitative approaches in educational research in particular when

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seeking comprehensive information and recognizing and comprehending changes throughout time

(Neuman, 2014).

A quantitative approach to data collecting is a technique that uses numerical data collection,

such as tests and closed questionnaires, to explain a specific occurrence (Nardi, 2018). Studies that

quantify numerical change and evaluate hypotheses are ideally suited for quantitative research, which is

seen as an objective approach to social phenomena. As such, it is acknowledged as positivistic

research's reciprocal. All-quantitative approaches are not thought to be compatible with the nature of

this study or able to fully address the necessary "how" and "why" aspects, even though the researcher

believes that they help identify the "big picture" and inform other inquiries.

The current study favors the qualitative approach. The reasoning for this choice is based on two

primary considerations. For starters, it provides a way to integrate two distinct paradigms that can

overcome the shortcomings of the other techniques. Consequently, the research will offer a more

comprehensive comprehension of the topic under investigation. Therefore, acquiring knowledge of

school settings and enhancing the interpretations via reflexivity on experiences is beneficial when the

researcher fully engages in the study context and gathers information from various sources.

The researcher will create a semi-structured interview to learn more about students' opinions,

experiences, and difficulties with inquiry-based learning and its advantages. To validate an interview

questionnaire for qualitative research, the semi-structured interview is subjected to an expert review to

confirm alignment with study objectives, pilot testing to identify ambiguities, and cognitive interviews

to enhance question clarity and consistency. Feedback from these methods is used to develop and

amend the questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the study findings are increased by the

questionnaire's ability to gather reliable and valid qualitative data through a methodical methodology.

Data will be collected by conducting individual interviews. One-on-one interviews with students will

last between twenty to thirty minutes each.

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 Additionally, the researcher conducts observations in the classroom to watch how students

behave, engage, and participate in inquiry-based learning activities. This approach allows researchers

to gather real-time data on students' participation, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. To

understand students' experiences and learning development, various documents, including worksheets,

teacher-provided learning resources, and students' reflective notebooks will be gathered and examined.

The researcher will frequently triangulate data from several sources, including observations,

interviews, and document analysis, to prove the study's validity. This will contribute to establishing the

findings' legitimacy and dependability. To further guarantee the correctness of the interpretations,

member-checking must be carried out by asking participants for their opinions on the initial results.

The process of gathering data takes around three weeks. Consent will be obtained and an interview

questionnaire will be developed in the first week. In the second week, respondent interviews and

routine classroom observations will be conducted (Appendix 3).

Data analysis

Only thematic analysis of classroom observation data and the open-ended, qualitative interview

questions will be used for preliminary qualitative analysis. The act of identifying, analyzing, and

discovering data patterns pertinent to the issue under study is known as thematic analysis (Joffe, 2011).

Nonetheless, there is disagreement among academics over the precise application of the technique. The

findings will inform the thematic analysis's semi-structured students’ interviews and student focus

groups. Since this study is inductive, themes will be developed from unprocessed data rather than

deductively using an established theory; as a result, they will be data-driven rather than theory-driven.

For this step of analysis, data will be merged rather than divided by case or group since the approach

focuses on broad learning experiences in the classroom to inform the overall evaluation framework.

Thematic analysis will be performed when each observation from both case studies has been finalized.

Thematic Examination of Observational Information

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 Every observation and sentence will be separated and printed out, and the group researcher will

color-coordinate all observation data. After laying out each of these observations, the researcher will

start reviewing them, classifying them into various categories before integrating them into more general

themes and patterns in the data. This manual thematic analysis is considered superior to using software

because it enables the researcher to observe all the data simultaneously, making it more straightforward

to link data and find correlations. Any observation data that must be reviewed will be done for a

specific group. However, integrating data from other groups and instances will be part of the theme

analysis.

As a result, this will enable more introspection and scenario interpretation, as well as the

detection of behaviors, communication and implementation methods, and interactions between and

among students in groups. Thematic analysis will be reviewed several times, much like observational

records. After finding all of the apparent themes in the observations, the researcher will document these

themes together with the pertinent observations. The thematic process will begin over a few days or a

week later. This is done for the researcher to go over all of the data again and investigate any trends not

previously found. To find further situations and scenarios where comparable observations have been

made and interpretations have been reached, the researcher then looks to the literature to investigate

qualitative research on classroom behaviour, communication, and involvement.

Content Analysis

Unanswered queries Open-ended interview questions will be subjected to content analysis. In

contrast to thematic analysis, content analysis focuses on classifying data rather than interpreting its

themes (Neuendorf, 2018). In addition to asking the students what they liked and disliked most about

their regular physics lessons, the open-ended questions also ask them about the whole exercise. The

remaining open-ended questions elicit feedback from the students about the approach and potential

ways to enhance the exercise. Since many of the answers to the open questions may be group-specific,

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they will also be categorized by case. Since there is far less data available, the content analysis in this

case will be far simpler than the theme analysis of classroom observations. The findings will be

documented in tables that summarize the themes found in each student's replies.

The researcher could think it's crucial first to examine the data gathered using paradigms. An

overview of the study's events and the students' opinions of their experiences studying in both the

initiative lesson and regular physics classes is given by the analysis of the qualitative data. Some of the

underlying classroom themes and trends not always covered in the interview's closed-ended questions

may be seen in the data from classroom observations. As expected, the researcher's inductive technique

will provide significant data, mainly observational data, as evidenced by preliminary theme analysis.

Nevertheless, the reader must comprehend the contextual aspects of each implementation group to

improve the transferability of such material. Therefore, to better understand the differences between

students' learning experiences, the assessment framework synthesizes all the data and connects such

information with its pertinent context. Thus, every information is entered into the assessment

framework to improve the quality of the evidence and thoroughly answer the research questions.

Through more experience and classroom exposure, the researcher also explores a more helpful

division of goals into smaller ones which can help teachers implement and differentiate their lessons.

For example, several progressive objectives can be set. In that case, the instructor may have had

difficulty modifying their implementation method to suit the needs of the various kids in their class.

Conclusion

According to the findings, secondary school students' conceptual grasp of Forces and their

effects will be improved more by the innovative inquiry-based teaching sequence on Forces and their

effects than by the conventional lecture-based method of instruction. This shows that students' general

comprehension of physics concepts and the results of secondary school physics learning may both be

enhanced by inquiry-based teaching. The difficulty still lies in figuring out how to accommodate it

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within the time limits and rather broad physics curriculum and how to address equipment issues in

some institutions.

Despite being brief, the instructional intervention may greatly the students' conceptual

knowledge of Forces and their effects. If inquiry-based instruction were implemented methodically and

consistently across secondary schools, we can only speculate on its impact on students' general

comprehension of physics. It is unclear, though, how the intervention might work in less ideal

conditions because the study's student body was not typical, and the teachers appeared to be highly

motivated.

The researchers’ experiences were quite good, even though physics teachers frequently question

whether students would be willing to participate in the experimental research and reasoning necessary

for inquiry-based education. Students ' attitudes and perceptions were largely favorable based on their

work and behavior throughout the intervention and responses to the questionnaire. The subject of how

kids in other kinds of schools or other social settings might react to this or comparable instructional

methods needs more research, though. Furthermore, based on our observations throughout the study,

significant assistance may be required to assist teachers in making the shift from traditional lecture-

based instruction to inquiry-based instruction.

While inquiry-based learning may first seem complicated, less teacher-controlled, and prone to

unexpected turns, traditional lecturing may appeal to educators as a teaching approach that gives them

greater control and is familiar to them. From employing various interactive-engagement teaching

techniques to organizing the course and directing students' explorations to encourage inquiry, inquiry-

based teaching has many facets that may be challenging for teachers initially. Since not all of the

teachers in our research were equally adept at employing these techniques, the final factor was one of

the biggest challenges. In conclusion, educators should get excellent assistance from researchers,

educational authorities, and educational specialists to choose the best action for implementing inquiry-

based teaching.
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 This strategy may be substantially aided by the use of inquiry-based, research-based teaching

resources. In this study, we provided teachers with detailed lesson plans, experimental resources, and

training on inquiry-based learning in general, along with the specific physics content and related

student difficulties. We also gave instructors experience teaching the new sequence with their peers and

showed them how to do it. It is crucial to stress that, in spite of all the procedural constraints, every

instructor in this research was able to use the inquiry-based method to enhance students' learning over

their previous lecture-based instruction. Even if the participating instructors' level of inquiry-based

teaching performance still differed from one another, this is a very important lesson from our

experiment.

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APPENDIX 1

Research Ethics Committee

Note to Applicants: It is important for you to include all relevant information about your research in this
application form as your ethical approval will be based on this form. Therefore anything not included will
not be part of any ethical approval.

You are advised to read the Guidance for Applicants when completing this form.

Application For Ethical Review: Low Risk

Are you applying for an urgent accelerated review? Yes No

If yes, please state your reasons below. Note: Accelerated reviews are for exceptional
circumstances only and need to be justified in detail.

Is this application for a continuation of a research project that already Yes

has ethical approval? For example, a preliminary/pilot study has been
completed and is this an application for a follow-up project?
No
If yes, provide brief details (see guidelines) including the title and ethics id number for the
previous study:

Section A: Application details

1 Title of Project
2 Proposed data collection start date
3 Proposed data collection end date
4 Project Ethics Identification Number
5 Principal Investigator
(*for student projects, your supervisor

20
 should be identified as the PI)

6 Position held
7 Faculty/Department
9 Contact Details
Email:
Telephone:

10 Provide details of other Co-Investigators/Partners/Collaborators who will work on

the project.
Note: This includes those with access to the data such as transcribers.
Name: Name:
Position held: Position held:
Faculty/Department: Faculty/Department:
Location (UCL/overseas/other UK Location (UCL/overseas/other UK institution):
institution):
Email:
Email:
If you do not know the names of all collaborators, please write their roles in the research.

1 If the project is funded (this includes non-monetary awards such as laboratory

1 facilities)
Name of Funder
Is the funding confirmed?

1 Name of Sponsor
2
The Sponsor is the organisation taking responsibility for the project, which will usually be UCL.
If the Sponsor is not UCL, please state the name of the sponsor.

1 If this is a student project

3
Name
Faculty/Department
Position Held (please Undergraduate/Bachelor project (if so, provide
tick) course title/number: ______________________

21
 Master’s project (if so, provide course title/number:
_____________________
PhD
staff led research project which may involve one or
more students
Contact details

Section B: Project details

The following questions relate to the objectives, methods, methodology and location of the study. Please
ensure that you answer each question in lay language.

1 Provide a brief (300 words max) background to the project, including its intended
4 aims.

15 Methodology & Methods (tick all that apply)

Interviews* Collection/use of sensor or locational
data
Focus groups*
Controlled Trial
Questionnaires (including oral
questions)* Intervention study (including
changing environments)
Action Research
Systematic review
Observation
Secondary data analysis – (See
Participant Observation
Section D)
Documentary analysis (including use of
Advisory/consultation groups
personal records)
Other, give details:
Audio/visual recordings (including
photographs)
*Attach copies to application (see below).
16a Provide – in lay person’s language - an overview of the project; focusing on your
methodology and including information on what data/samples will be taken (including a
description of the topics/questions to be asked), how data collection will occur and
what (if relevant) participants will be asked to do. This should include a justification for
the methods chosen. (500 words max)
Please do not attach or copy and paste a research proposal or case for support.

16b Attachments
If applicable, please attach a copy of any interview questions/workshop topic
22
 guides/questionnaires/test (such as psychometric), etc and state whether they are in
final or draft form.

1 Please state which code of ethics (see Guidelines) will be adhered to for this
7 research (for example, BERA, BPS, etc).

Location of Research
1 Please indicate where this research is taking place.
8
UK only (Skip to ‘location of fieldwork’)
Overseas only
UK & overseas
1 If the research includes work outside the UK, is ethical approval in the host country
9 (local ethical approval) required? (See Guidelines.)
Yes No
If no, please explain why local ethical approval is not necessary.
If yes, provide details below including whether the ethical approval has been received.
Note: Full UCL ethical approval will not be granted until local ethical approval (if required)
has been evidenced.

2 If you (or any members of your research team) are travelling overseas in person are
0 there any concerns based on governmental travel advice ([Link]) for the
region of travel? Yes No

Note: Check [Link] and submit a travel insurance form to UCL Finance (see
application guidelines for more details). This can be accessed here:
[Link] (You will need your UCL
login details.)

2 State the location(s) where the research will be conducted and data collected. For
1 example public spaces, schools, private company, using online methods, postal
mail or telephone communications.

2 Does the research location require any additional permissions (e.g. obtaining
2 access to schools, hospitals, private property, non-disclosure agreements, access
to biodiversity permits (CBD), etc.)?
Yes No

23
 If yes, please state the permissions required.

2 Have the above approvals been obtained? Yes No

3
If yes, please attach a copy of the approval correspondence.
If not, confirm they will be obtained prior to data collection. Yes No

Section C: Details of Participants

In this form ‘participants’ means human participants and their data (including sensor/locational data,
observational notes/images, tissue and blood samples, as well as DNA).
2 Does the project involve the recruitment of participants?
4
Yes Complete all parts of this Section.
No Move to Section D.

Participant Details
25 Approximate maximum number of participants required:
Approximate upper age limit: Lower age limit:
Justification for the age range and sample size:

Recruitment/Sampling
26 Describe how potential participants will be recruited into the study.
Note: This should include reference to how you will identify and approach participants.
For example, will participants self-identify themselves by responding to an advert for the
study or will you approach them directly (such as in person or via email)?

Informed Consent
27a Describe the process you will use when seeking to obtain consent.
Note: This should include reference to what participants are being asked to consent to,
such as whether their contribution will be identifiable/anonymous, limits to confidentiality
and whether their data can be withdrawn at a later date.
(An annotated template information sheet and consent form have been provided for your
use.)

27 Attachments Please list them below:

b
Ensure that a copy of all recruitment documentation (recruitment emails/posters,
information sheet/s, consent form/s) have been attached to the application.

24
27c If you are not intending to seek consent from participants, clarify why below:

2 How will the results be disseminated (including communication of results with

8 participants)?

Section D: Accessing/Using Pre-collected Data

Access to data
2 If you are using data or information held by third party, please explain how you will obtain
9 this. You should confirm that the information has been obtained in accordance with the
General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

Accessing pre-collected data

3 Does your study involve the use of previously collected data?
0
No Move to Section E.
Yes Complete all parts of this Section. Note: If you ticked any boxes with an
asterisk (*),ensure further details are provided in Section E: Ethical Issues.

3 Name of dataset/s:
1
3 Owner of dataset/s (if applicable):
2
3 Is the data in the public domain? Yes No
3
If not, do you have the owner’s permission/license? Yes No*

3 Is the data anonymised? Yes No

3
If not:
i. Do you plan to anonymise the data? Yes No*
ii. Do you plan to use individual level data? Yes* No
iii. Will you be linking data to individuals? Yes* No

3 Is the data sensitive? Yes*

4 No

25
 3 Will you be conducting analysis within the remit it was originally Yes
5 collected for? No*

3 If not, was consent gained from participants for Yes

6 subsequent/future analysis? No*

Section E: Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues
3 Please address clearly any ethical issues that may arise in the course of this research
7 and how they will be addressed. Further information and advice can be found in the
guidelines.
Note: All ethical issues should be addressed - do not leave this section blank. All
projects give rise to ethical issues. If you think there are no ethical issues, you need to
provide an explanation as to why.

Risks & Benefits

3 Please state any benefits to participants in taking part in the study (this includes
8 feedback, access to services or incentives),

3 Do you intend to offer incentives or compensation, including access to free services)?

9
Yes No
If yes, specify the amount to be paid and/or service to be offered as well as a
justification for this.

4 Please state any risks to participants and how these risks will be managed.
0

4 Please state any risks to you or your research team and how these risks will be managed.
1

26
 Section F: Appropriate Safeguards, Data Storage & Security
Please ensure that you answer each question and include all hard and electronic data.
4 Will the research involve the collection and/or use of personal data?
2
Yes No

Personal data is data which relates to a living individual who can be identified from that
data OR from the data and other information that is either currently held, or will be held
by the data controller (the researcher).

This includes:
 any expression of opinion about the individual and any intentions of the data
controller or any other person toward the individual.
 sensor, location or visual data which may reveal information that enables the
identification of a face, address, etc (some postcodes cover only one property).
 combinations of data which may reveal identifiable data, such as names,
email/postal addresses, date of birth, ethnicity, descriptions of health diagnosis
or conditions, computer IP address (if relating to a device with a single user).

If you do not have a registration number from Legal Services, please clarify why not:

4 Is the research collecting or using

3
 special category data as defined by the General Data Protection Regulation
and/or
 data which might be considered sensitive in some countries, cultures or contexts.
If yes, state whether explicit consent will be sought for its use and what data
management measures are in place to adequately manage and protect the data.

4 All research projects using personal data must be registered with Legal Services
4 before the data is collected, please provide the Data Protection Registration
Number:
If you do not have a registration number from Legal Services, please clarify why not:

During the project (including the write up and dissemination period)

4 State what types of data will be generated from this project (i.e. transcripts, videos,
5 photos, audio tapes, field notes, etc).

How will data be stored, including where and for how long? This includes all hard
copy and electronic data on laptops, share drives, usb/mobile devices.

27
 Who will have access to the data, including advisory groups and during
transcription?

4 Do you confirm that all personal data will be stored and processed in compliance
6 with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR 2018).
Yes No
If not, please clarify why.

4 Will personal data be processed or be sent outside of the European Economic Area
7 (EEA)?*
Yes No
If yes, please confirm that there are adequate levels of protection in compliance with the
GDPR 2018 and state what the arrangements are below.

After the project

4 What data will be stored and how will you keep it secure?
8

Where will the data be stored and who will have access?

Will the data be securely deleted? Yes No

If yes, please state when this will occur:

4 Will the data be archived for use by other researchers? Yes No

9
If yes, please provide further details including whether researchers outside the European
Economic Area will be given access.

Section G: Declaration to be Signed by the Principal Researcher

I confirm that the information in this form is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
For staff project:
Signature

Date

For student project:

28
I have met with and advised the student on the ethical aspects of this
project design.

Signature

Date:

Signature of your Head of Department (or Chair of your Departmental Ethics

Committee or Departmental Ethics Lead)

Part A
I have read the ‘criteria of minimal risk’ as defined on page 3 of the Guidelines
([Link] and I recommend that this application be
considered by the Chair of the UCL REC.

Yes No

Part B
I have discussed this project with the principal researcher who is suitably qualified to
carry out this research and I approve it. I am satisfied that** (highlight as appropriate):

1. Data Protection registration:

 has been satisfactorily completed
 has been initiated
 is not required

2. A risk assessment:
 has been satisfactorily completed
 has been initiated

3. Appropriate insurance arrangements are in place and appropriate sponsorship

[funding] has been approved and is in place to complete the study.

Yes No

4. A Disclosure and Barring Service check(s):

 has been satisfactorily completed

29
  has been initiated
 is not required

Note: Links to details of UCL's policies on the above can be found at:
[Link]

**If any of the above checks are not required please clarify why below.

Name:

Signature:

Date:

Updated March

APPENDIX 2

Sample Consent Form

This consent form is designed with qualitative research in mind. Where quantitative methods are
used, issues such as quotations and audio-recording do not arise.

I………………………………………agree to participate in [name]’s research study.

The purpose and nature of the study has been explained to me in writing.

I am participating voluntarily.

I give permission for my interview with [name] to be audio-recorded.

30
I understand that I can withdraw from the study, without repercussions, at any time, whether before it
starts or while I am participating.

I understand that I can withdraw permission to use the data within two weeks of the interview, in which
case the material will be deleted.

I understand that anonymity will be ensured in the write-up by disguising my identity.

I understand that disguised extracts from my interview may be quoted in the thesis and any
subsequent publications if I give permission below:

(Please tick one box:)

I agree to quotation/publication of extracts from my interview 

I do not agree to quotation/publication of extracts from my interview 

Signed: ……………………………………. Date: ………………..

PRINT NAME: …………………………………….

31
Appendix 3
Sample Physics students Quistionaire

32
33
34
Appendix 4 Sample worksheet
35
Balanced and unbalanced Forces Worksheet

Name: _______________________________ Year 6 ___ Date:_______________

1. Name the following:

2. A force that tries to slow things down when two things rub together . …………………..

3. A force from water that pushes things up…………………..

4. A force that tries to slow things that are moving through air…………………

5. Not moving………………
6. When two forces working in opposite directions are not the same strength…………………..

7. The amount of force on something from gravity .It is measured in Newtons…………………………….

8. The unit of force(N)……………………….

9. The force of attraction between two objects. The Earth has a large force of gravity which pulls things
towards it……………

10. A push or a pull………………………….

11. A piece of equipment containing a spring that is used to measure forces……………………..

12. They can attract and repel each other. They also attract things made of iron………………………..

2. Circle the best answer:

A. The forces shown above are PUSHING / PULLING forces.

B. The forces shown above are WORKING TOGETHER / OPPOSITE FORCES.
C. The forces are EQUAL / NOT EQUAL.
D. The forces DO / DO NOT balance each other.
E. The resultant force is 1000 N TO THE RIGHT / 1000 N TO THE LEFT /ZERO.
1
F. There IS / IS NO motion.

36
A. The forces shown above are PUSHING / PULLING forces.
B. The forces shown above are WORKING TOGETHER / OPPOSITE FORCES.
C. The forces are EQUAL / NOT EQUAL.
D. The forces DO / DO NOT balance each other.
E. The stronger force is pulling to the RIGHT / LEFT.
F. The weaker force is pulling to the RIGHT / LEFT.
G. Motion is to the RIGHT / LEFT.
Circle the best answer on the line provided.
i. If an object starts to accelerate, ______________.
a. a balanced force is acting on it c. velocity is acting on it
b. gravity is acting on it d. an unbalanced force is acting on it
ii. When forces are balanced, the total force ____.
a. is greater than the sum of the forces b. c. is negative
is zero d. is equal to the largest force
iii. A force is which one of these?
a. a push b. a push or pull c. a pull d. none of these
iv. Force is measured in which units?
a. kilograms b. newtons c. degrees d. m/s2

[Link] two examples of a pushing force AND two examples of a pulling force:
Pushing Force Pulling Force
1-________________________ 1-________________________

37
2-________________________ 2-________________________
3. Jack is going skiing. Does he need high or low friction between his skis and
the snow? Explain your answer. ………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Jill is climbing. Where does she need high friction?
Explain your answer……………………………………………………………………………………..…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………..
6. The drawing shows Samir riding his mountain bike.
a) Draw a circle around the places on the drawing where
there should be a lot of friction.
b) Explain why there should be a lot of friction in these places.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) Draw a square around a place where friction should be low.
c) Explain why there should be low friction in these places.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
v) How can Samir make sure the friction is as low as possible in these places.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7.i) Label the forces .
Select the correct answer.
* What two forces affect you when you
float?
(Weight and upthrust OR Mass and push)

* When an object floats, the two forces

are (the same size OR different sizes)
[Link] force that stops the cyclist from skidding is called……………………….….
Two forces are trying to make the cyclist slow down. They are
…………………………….. , …………………………….. , …………………………………………
3

38
4. Label the forces on this Kayak.
Use the letters next to each phrase.

5. Forward force from the paddle

6. Water resistance
7. gravity
8. Up thrust

10. a. What SD can friction do to moving objects?.................................... ……………………………

b. What WA can friction do to things like brake pads?....................................
c. What H and N can friction produce?.................................... ……………………………
d. What E is something that can be stretched but goes back to its original shape………………………………
e. What G is a force that pulls things down to Earth?...........................
f. What W is the amount of force with which gravity is pulling down on something?
11. Decide whether each picture/statement below indicates more friction or less friction.

12. Name the forces:

A force which pulls you down………………………………………..
This force helps to hold things on fridge doors………………………………..
a) This force rubs things away……………………..
This force helps a ship float……………………………….
This type of force needs to touch something to affect it……………………..
7. A force that slows down things moving through air………………………………….
4

39
13. Write the forces below to show whether they are Contact or Non-Contact forces:

14.
Josh is learning to dive.
He is seen floating in the water. Label the two forces.

Josh picked up a rock from the sea bed.

It was easy to lift.
It felt much heavier when he carried it up the beach.
Why did the stone feel lighter when it was under the
water ?

15. Look at the pictures. Write the names of the forces next to the arrows.

40
16. i) What force or forces are acting on the falling climber in picture B? ……………………………
ii) What forces are acting on the climber in C?...............................................
Are the forces balanced or unbalanced ? ………………………………..
What will happen to the falling speed of the climber? ……………………………………
Are the forces balanced or unbalanced in D? ………………………………….
b) If two forces are the same size and are in the opposite directions, they are …………………………
Cross out the words that are wrong. Cross out the words that are wrong.

The forces on the balloon are balanced/ unbalanced

The forces on the balloon are balanced/ unbalanced The balloon will start to move up / stay where it is /
The balloon will start to move up / stay where it is / start to move down.
start to move down.

18. The girl is kicking the football.

The arrows show the direction of two forces on the ball. Draw TWO arrows on
each of these pictures to show two forces on each football.
8. Moving to the right through the air.

(b) Not moving, on the ground.

41
9. Matilda and Ravi carried out an experiment with
springs. They put different masses on the spring and
measured the length of the spring each time. The
table shows some of their results.

i) Fill in the missing units in the table.

ii) Fill in the missing weights in the table.
(Remember that a mass of 100g has a weight of 1 N
iii) Draw a graph to show the results.
iv) Which is the best conclusion for this experiment..
A The bigger the mass, the larger the weight.

B The larger the weight, the longer the spring.

C The longer the spring, the bigger the weight.

D The shorter the spring, the bigger the

weight.

v) Ravi uses the same spring and hangs different

objects from it. He uses his graph to work out the
weight of each object. The table shows his results.
Fill in the missing weights.

42
 EVALUATING PUPIL’S DEVELOPMENT IN PHYSICS THROUGH ACTIVE INQUIRY 43

20. Write whether each statement is ‘True’ ,’False’ or ‘Partly true’. True False Partly
True
a) Friction always slows things down.
b) Cars need friction to keep moving.
c) Cars need friction to stop.
d) You could not walk without friction.
e) Friction is useful to gymnasts.
f) Matches light because of friction.
g) Friction is useful to ships.
h) Shoe laces stay tied up because of friction.
i) You could not pick up a a cup of tea without friction.
j) You could drink from a glass without friction.
Snow increases the friction between your shoes and the
k) ground.
l) Friction is useful in playgrounds.
m
) Pencils do not need friction to write.
n) There is no friction when you are roller skating.

21. The force meter measures the size of pushes and pulls.

Saida used her forcemeter to start a car moving.

Here is her table of results.
Distance moved by the car using different sized starting forces

Starting force in N 1 2 3 4 5

Distance moved in cm 18 52 140 235 316

Describe how the size of the starting force affects the distance moved by the
car.
................................................................................................................................
............

.........................................................................................................................
............

43
EVALUATING PUPIL’S DEVELOPMENT IN PHYSICS THROUGH ACTIVE INQUIRY 44

44