Using Tracker to understand toss up and free fall motion: a case study

TL;DR

This case study demonstrates that using Tracker software to analyze toss-up and free fall motion significantly improves physics learning outcomes for grade 9 students by linking abstract concepts to real-life scenarios.

Contribution

The study introduces a pedagogical approach combining Tracker video analysis and modeling to enhance understanding of free fall and toss-up motion in physics education.

Findings

Large effect size in learning gains (d=0.79)

Medium normalized gains (g=0.42)

Improved understanding of velocity-time graphs through modeling

Abstract

This paper reports the use of Tracker as a pedagogical tool in supporting effective learning and teaching of toss up and free fall motion for beginning grade 9 students. This is a case study with (N=123) students of express-pure physics classes in a mainstream school in Singapore where we used a 8 multi-choice questions as a proxy to assess learning gains in pre and posttest to gauge the impact on learning. We found within experimental group gains with Cohens effect size d = 0.79 error 0.23 (large effect) and normalized gains with a gradient of g total = 0.42 error 0.08 (medium gain) above the traditional baseline value of g non interactive=0.23 for all the 6 teachers, 3 classes of students who participated in this study. Initial research findings suggest that allowing learners to relate abstract physics concepts to real life through coupling traditional video analysis and eventually video modeling could be an innovative and effective way to learn free fall motion. Finally, we discuss the pedagogical use of Tracker to extend the learning of free fall by means of allowing students to construct simple dynamic particle models for scenarios that are difficult to visualize their velocity versus time graphs such as 2 cases compare to tossing up a ball with a) with a greater force on Earth and b) with the same force on Moons surface. 2015 Resource: http://iwant2study.org/ospsg/index.php/interactive-resources/physics/02-newtonian-mechanics/01-kinematics/151-ball-toss-up