Integrating effective pedagogies in science education with a design of alternative experiments on electromagnetics

Learning electromagnetics often involves dealing with problems with strong mathematical skills or thinking about problems in abstract and multiple spaces. Moreover, many students are often unable to explain some related physical phenomena using the appropriate electromagnetic principles. In this paper, we report on integrating two effective pedagogies in science education. Those were STS (science, technology and society) instruction and guided discovery approach by designing some alternative experiments on electromagnetics at university undergraduate level. Based on a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, three sets of scientific investigation activities are specifically designed for helping undergraduate physics and engineering students explore the electromagnetic phenomena in real-world situations and acquire a better understanding of the inter-relationship amongst science, technology and society. Copyright © 2014 by iSER, International Society of Educational Research.