Comparative Study On The Setup Of Experiments Of The High Schools Physics Textbooks In China, America And Australia

Physics experiment is not only the basis of physics, but also the basis of physics teaching, and it plays a key role in the cultivation of students’ scientific literacy. The international comparative study on the experiments of the high school physics textbooks has a practical significance to improve the redaction of physics experiment, as well as to promote students develop in an all-round way.This article constructs a comparative model of physics experiment of the high school textbooks in China, America and Australia, which includes the selection, the compiling style and the presentation of experiments.Among them, in the dimension of selection of experiments, this research counts the number of experiments in different contents and different types and then makes a qualitative analysis; in the dimension of compiling style of experiments, this research makes a qualitative analysis of experiment column and the four aspects of experiment structure; in the dimension of the presentation of experiments, this research makes a comparative study of illustration and language expression of experiment.This research gets the following conclusions:(1)In the dimension of the selection of experiment, the number of experiments in these three countries from most to least in turn is the China,America, Australia. The experiments of textbooks in China as well as in America are mainly distributed in electromagnetism and mechanics, and the experiments of textbooks in Australia are mainly distributed in electromagnetism and modern physics. In the content of modern physics,the textbooks in America and Australia both set up a large proportion of the experiments, which is related to the breadth of knowledge in modern physics.(2)The textbooks in China and America pay more attention to introducing and exploring the laws of physics through the experiments,with the purpose to make students understand the basis and methods of establishing the concepts and laws. While the Australian textbooks pay more attention to verifying laws through the experiments, with the purpose to deepen the understanding of the laws. In the aspect of applied experiments, the textbooks in America and Australia pay more attention to training the students to measure the physical quantity with the use of the law, while the textbooks in China pay more attention to guide students to use the knowledge to solve the problem. The experiments in these three sets of textbooks are all focused on direct experiments. Relatively speaking,the textbooks in America and Australia set up a larger proportion of simulation experiments to train students’ modeling ability.(3) In the dimension of the column of experiments, these three sets of textbooks all elaborately set up a variety of kinds of experiment columns.Among them, there are more types of experiment columns in Chinese textbooks, and the columns are designed with more detailed functions. The experiments in American and Australian textbooks generally have a complete process of experiment, and the majority of experiments in Chinese textbooks have individual inquiry factors, different experiments focus on different inquiry ability.(4) In the dimension of the structure of experiments, these three sets of textbooks are all presented with the subject information, and the method of introduction of the experiment is slightly different. Three sets of textbooks all incline to provide experimental programs directly, in contrast, the degree of openness of the experimental program in American textbooks is the biggest and the students’ autonomy is the greatest, while the degree of openness of the experimental program in Chinese textbooks is the least. In the aspect of experimental conclusion, the proportion of experiments which lack of this part in Chinese textbooks is the largest, while the experiments in American textbooks all have this part. In addition, the experimentconclusion in American and Australian textbooks are not given to students directly and tend to guide students to get the conclusions; while the Chinese textbooks tend to give conclusions directly, and part of the experiments also show the method of analysis, what’s more, the proportion of the experiments which require students independently determine the method of analysis is the largest. In the aspect of expanding problem, the experiments in American and Australian textbooks pay more attention to guide the student to carry on a further exploration and think the application in life. In the aspect of experiment evaluation, the Australian and American textbooks pay more attention to guiding students to assess the experiment,in contrast, the American textbooks pay more attention to guiding students to carry out quantitative analysis. In addition, both Chinese and American textbooks have a special section to introduce the knowledge of error.(5)In the dimension of the presentation of experiments, these three sets of textbooks all focus on the combination of pictures and text to present the experiment. Chinese textbooks mainly use sketch maps to model experimental principle, experimental apparatus, experimental operating scenarios and show experimental results; American textbooks mainly use pictures to show the experimental operating scenarios and experimental apparatus; Australian textbooks mainly use colorful sketch maps to model experiment principle and experiment apparatus and rarely shows experimental operating scenarios.(6) The guidance of the experimental operation are sufficient in these three sets of textbooks. The means of expression in American and Australian textbooks pays more attention to providing questions to stimulate students’ thinking, as well as the security problem in experiment.Chinese textbooks have concluding words to improve students’ understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry.