Designing applications for physics learning: Facilitating high school students' conceptual understanding by using tablet pcs

So far relatively little research in education has explored the pedagogical and learning potentials of applications (Apps) on tablet PCs (TPCs). Drawing upon research on learning technologies and taking an embodied perspective, this study first identified educational functionalities of TPCs and generated guidelines to design educational Apps for science learning. Following the guidelines, two Apps were developed and their effects on students' science learning were examined. A total of 61 11th graders from 3 classes in a public senior high school participated in instructional activities using the Apps. The test results showed a significant improvement in the students' conceptual understanding of the projectile motion and collision of moving objects. The results also suggest that the implementation of the Apps was particularly useful for the students' understanding of advanced concepts. This study could extend current understandings of how mobile technologies support reformbased science teaching and learning.