THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & TRAINING
Hanoi National University of Education

CAO THI SONG HUONG
HOLDING PROJECT TEACHING ON SOME KNOWLEDGE IN
CHAPTER ‘ELECTRICTITY’ (OF PHYSICS 9) IN ORDER TO
IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ACTIVENESS, CAPACITIES OF
CREATION AND COLLABORATION
Major : Rationale and methodology of teaching Physics
Code : 62.14.01.11
SUMMARY OF DOCTOR’S THESIS ON EDUCATIONALISM
HANOI – 2014
The thesis was completed at: Team of Methodology of Teaching – Faculty of
Physics - Hanoi National University of Education.
Instructor: Associate Professor, Doctor Do Huong Tra.
Debate 1: Associate Professor, Doctor Ta Tri Phuong.
Debate 2: Associate Professor, Doctor Ha Van Hung.
Debate 3: Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Manh Thao.
The thesis will be presented at the Committee of marking school’s thesises at Hanoi
National University of Education
At ….… , ………./……… /…………
The thesis can be found at:
- National library of Vietnam (Hanoi).
- Library of Hanoi National University of Education.
- Library of Dong Thap University.
LIST OF THE AUTHOR’S WORKS
Related to the thesis’s topic
1. Cao Thi Song Huong (2009), “Developing the creativity of the students in project
teaching with the use of mind map”, Education Magazine, No. Special, page 15 - 16.
2. Cao Thi Song Huong (2010), “Chapter revision of ‘Electricity’ (Physics 9) by
implementing study projects”, Education Magazine, No. Special, page 45 – 46 – 47.

The knowledge in the chapter of Electricity (Physics 9) is very practical in the real
life and the technical jobs. Therefore, it is totally suitable for holding project teaching.
As a result, the topic of the thesis is selected, which is “Holding project teaching on
some part of Chapter ‘Electricity’ in Physics 9 in order to develop learners’ activeness,
skills of creation and cooperation”.
2. Objectives of the study
The goals of holding project teaching on some knowledge in Chapter ‘Electricity’ –
Physics 9 are nurturing learners’ activeness, raising their skills of creativity and
cooperation.
3. Subjects of the study
- The content of chapter ‘Electricity’, Physics 9, Seconadary schools.
- Activitiies of teaching and studying electricity.
4. Scientific hypothesis
If the argument basis of project teaching is applied to the education of electricity in
Physics 9 curriculum in order to create the situations in which the learners have chances
of investigating and handling the real-life matters, their activeness, as well as their
abilities to create and collaborate, is certainly fostered.
5. Duties of the study
- Examine modern concepts of teaching and learning, argument basis of . project
teaching, and the relationship between project teaching and the enhancement of the
students’ activeness, creativity and collaboration.
- Investigate the missions of general education, special characteristics of Physics at
secondary level, the process of problem solving in scientific research, the overall process of
project teaching, thereby building the process of project teaching on Physics at secondary
schools.
- Initially examine and analyse the problems of teachers and learners in teaching and
studying the knowledge of electricity mentioned in Physics 9 curriculum, hence suggest the
solutions.
- Study ‘Electricity’ chapter in Physics 9 and other related scientific documents.
- Compile the processes of project teaching on some knowledge of electricity in

directions of doing research on it around the world and in Vietnam. It is a fact that there
are a variety of studies on project teaching, including both general and specific studies,
from the elementary level to university. Besides, this chapter mentions the development
path of the improvement of students’ capacity of creativity in teaching, the studies on this
issue in teaching Physics at the same time. However, there has been no work on
examining and creating the process of project teaching on Physics at secondary schools,
and on studying the matter of developing the learners’ activeness, abilities of creativity
and collaboration through project teaching on knowledge of electricity on Physics 9.
Chapter 2: FOUNDATION OF ARGUMENTS AND REALITIES OF HOLDING
PROJECT TEACHING ON PHYSICS AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS
In this chapter, we consider argumentative issues such as:characteristics of mental
development of secondary students; definition and distinctive features of project
teaching; suggestions on the processes of project teaching on physics at secondary
schools in order to foster learners’ activeness, creation and cooperation skills; evaluation
of learners’ capacities through project teaching; ways of enhancing their skills in
teaching Physics at secondary schools; ways of holding cases of study in project
teaching. In addition, we discuss the real conditions of teaching and studying some
content in chapter ‘Electricity’ of Physics 9 in Dong Thap province.
2.1. Characteristics of mental development of secondary students
In this part, the thesis performs features of teenagers’ intelligence, thereby pointing
out the suitability between the improvement of activeness, power of creativity and
coordination through project teaching on Physics theory and students at these ages.
2.2. Project teaching
2.2.1. Definition of project teaching
“Project teaching is an activity that learners by themselves solve open, complex
problems connecting closely with the reality and containing social meanings, based on
the combination between mental actions and physical ones, in order to create the
products that can be displayed and introduced. Hence, they acquire the knowledge and
the relative capacities, maintain and raise their interest of learning.”
2.2.2. Objectives of project teaching

There is a diversified combination among forms of actions in project teaching, such
as working independently, working with the whole class, and working in a team. Among
them is the last form mainly used.
2.2.6. Project teaching of Physics at secondary schools
Based on the general process of project teaching for all subjects, we promote a
specific process in teaching Physics at secondary schools, which includes eight phases:
Phase 1: Creating cases of study – Discovery of potential problems.
Phase 2: Choosing the project’s topic.
Phase 3: Recommendation of the solutions – Initially pointing out the products.
Phase 4: Making a detailed plan.
Phase 5: Implementation of the plan.
Phase 6: Display and introduction of the products.
Phase 7: Evaluation.
Phase 8: Systematization of the knowledge
Also, we consider teachers’ roles during the period of holding project teaching,
fundamental activities of students, and the instructions of their teachers at a certain stage
of the process. Another topic discussed in this section is opinions of teaching and
problem solving in project teaching.
2.3. Holding different situations in teaching
In this part, we present the definition of problem case, various types of cases in
teaching physics, levels of recognising and solving the problems in project teaching of
physics, ways of holding different circumstances in teaching physics at secondary
schools, and recommendation regarding to the usage of videos and clips for the holding
of study cases in project teaching.
2.3.1. Holding cases of study to support learners with new ideas of the project
Students, especially secondary ones, usually get into troubles with generating new
project ideas in project teaching. Therefore, there is a need for creating study cases
closely related to the reality, in order to help them discover the problems and
consequently come up with their own project ideas.
2.3.2. Pedagogic ideas of using clips of study cases in project teaching

teaching Physics at secondary schools
2.5.1. Relationship between activeness and creativity
For the fact that independent thinking and activeness is the roots of creativity,
teachers should allow their students to have independent and active academic activities,
so that they can enhance their ability to make creations. Hence, we now discuss some
signs of students’ activeness in project teaching of some physics knowledge, and making
recommendations for its improvement.
2.5.2. Nurturing students’ capacity of creation in project teaching
2.5.2.1. Special features of creation in scientific research
“Creation is an action that results in renovated mental or physical products which
have social meanings and their values”. This definition contains two main points:
renovated (different from the priors) and valuable (better than the priors). According to
Lecne, there are seven specific characteristics of creation activity that are common for
all scientific fields:
- Independenly transfering knowledge and skills into another situation.
- Seeing new things from familiar situations in accordance with procedure.
- Figuring out new functions of familiar things.
- Being aware of the structure of the studied object.
- Finding out a number of answers to a problem, solving it in many ways and
choosing the best.
- Combining old methods into a new one.
- Coming up with a special solution which is different from the old ones.
2.5.2.2. Students’ creation in teaching Physics
Characteristics of secondary learners’ creation in studying Physic are:
- Renovating known things.
- Practicing creating.
- Practicing making creations that are relative to their knowledge.
- Targets of learners’s creation are not only new knowledge, new skills but also
forming their capacity of creation.
Especially, this part also shows the signs of students’ creation in project teaching on

- Clarifing the reality foundations of project teaching in the current conditions of
secondary schools.
- Recommending the process of project teaching on Physics at secondary level.
- Buiding methods of examining and evaluating in project teaching.
- Improving the quality of team work by limiting the size of a team which should be
3 or 4 members.
Chapter 3: HOLDING THE PROCESS OF PROJECT TEACHING ON SOME
KNOWLEDGE IN CHAPTER ‘ELECTRICITY’ IN PHYSICS 9
3.1. Analyzing the content of chapter ‘Electricity’ in Physics 9
3.1.1. Knowledge of electricity at elementary and the early stage of secondary
schools
Students learnt about electricity in chapter ‘Object and energy’ in the subject of
Science at grade 5, and grade 7. However, the content of the chapter ‘Electricity’ at
grade 7 generally investigates with qualitative data of phenomena, properties and rules
of electricity. The conclusions were mainly drawn from direct observations combined
with simple logical thinking.
3.1.2. Analyzing the opportunities of holding project teaching on some content of
chapter ‘Electricity’ in Physics 9
Through the analysis of the chapter content of electricity, we find that it is only
theoretical, impractical, and lack of applicability to the reality. The given exercises are
mostly hypothetical and theoretical. There are few of exercises that are closely related to
the real life and can create the real results, which restricts learners’ capacity of creation to
develop to the highest level.
3.2. Goals of project teaching on electricity in Physics 9
In addition to acting according to the required goals of the standard program in
teaching chapter ‘Electricity’ in Physics 9, project teaching is intended to achieve further
targets on both knowledge and capacities ((those of creation, expert, sociability, and
personnel).
3.3. Designing the process of project teaching on some content in chapter ‘Electricity’
Figure 3.1. Diagram of logic structure of chapter ‘Electricity’

n
U = U
1
= U
2
= = U
n
n
RRRR
1

111
21

I = I
1
= I
2
= I
n
U = U
1
+ U
2
+ + U
n
R = R
1
+ R
2

Stairs
Living
room
Bed
room
Show-
er
Cup –
board
Tub
Project:
Designing
convenien
t, safe,
economic
al
domesticc
ircuit
Duties
Find ways to use electricity safely, first aids
in electrical accidents
Choose: power of electric
equipment, wire’s size, relay
Safe-
electricity
solution
Find ways to use electricity
economically
Calculate electricity waste of
conducting-wires

cupboard’s electrical circuit to help our students with their project.
d) Supports to guess the solutions to the design of an electrical circuit pattern in a
bedroom.
Figure 3.3. Anticipated designs of teachers for a fire-alarming electrical vessel.
b)
c)
a)
hooter
Node
Metal piece
Figure 3.4. Teachers’ intended designs of bathroom’s electrical vessel pattern
Seft-made
relay
a)
a)
Node
Spring
b)
Push-button
relay
Pushing
key
Figure 3.5. Teachers’ intended designs for a cupboard’s electrical circuit.
Open circuit-close door
Close circuit-pen
door
electrode
Node
Door
a)

tub. Hence, teachers support the students by allowing them to discuss on some topics
such as: Which signal is used to show the water level? How to change that signal? Which
part has the function of adjusting the changes of signals (indicating the changes of water
level in the tub). Also, they have planned patterns for any support if necessary.
K
1
K
2
a)
Hai v
ị trí của K
2
K
1
K
3
K
2
b)
Figure 3.7. Teachers’ anticipated designs for an electrical circuit of stairs
K
a)
b)
Figure 3.6. Teachers’ planned designs of circuits of bright – dim lights
h) Supports to identify the level of electricity consumption of conducting-wires in an
electrical circuit
Students may encounter some difficulties in drawing an electrical vessel pattern, and in
realizing that resistance of the pieces of conducting-wires connecting electric equipments
should be considered as a DC resistance indirectly connected with other equipment in the
circuit. Based on the fact that the students are aware that the electrical circuits in their

4.1.2. Content of pedagogic experiments
To organize for the students to perform the project on studying chapter ‘Electricity’
(Physics 9) according to the designed process of project teaching.
4.1.3. Duties of pedagogic experiments
- Experimentally teaching the compiled process of project teaching on chapter
‘Electricity’ (Physic 9).
- Collecting data related to learning activities as well as students’ attitudes and interest
of learning.
- Assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of the composed process in developing
students’ activeness, creation and collaboration in accordance with the given criteria.
4.1.4. Objects of pedagogic experiments
- Under the scale of this research, we consider the organization of project teaching to
foster students’ activeness, abilities to create and cooperate in learning Physics at
secondary schools in Dong Thap during 2 years which is equivalent to 2 cycles of
experiments.the first experiment’s results are used as the experience to adjust and
complete the second cycle.
- Selecting schools for experiments: In order for the study to objectively reflect
the feasibility of the compiled process, we perform experimental teaching at two schools
including one in Cao Lanh’s city centre (Nguyen Thi Luu Secondary School) and the
other in the suburbs of the city (Nguyen Chi Thanh Secondary School), both of which
are not specialized.
4.1.5. Process of pedagogic experiments
The experiments are carried out in combination with on-class studying program. Their
process is described as follows:
Process of pedagogic experiment
1) Instructing both teachers and learners on teaching and studying according to the
project.
- Instructing teachers on the experimental teaching of characteristics and process of
project teaching, on ways of executing the composed process.
- Training learners on making mindmaps and creating KWL.table, on how to use

2011.
4.2.1. Analysing the process of pedagogic experiment
4.2.1.1.Students’ learning in the process of project teaching
On analysis of the process implementation, similar manifestations of activeness,
creation and collaboration are seen in all groups. To be more specific:
* Activeness: Assigning duties among group members suitable with the conditions and
capacities of each personnel, choosing proper place and time to carry out the project
(classrooms, functional rooms, large houses that are near all members’ houses), finishing
the project on time, well handling unexpected troubles, introducing the products, adjusting
the plan to the real conditions, using available and plentiful wasted tools and materials.
* Creativity: Drawing electrical circuit patterns and technical structures satisfying the given
standards, selecting the proper electric relays, designing practical physical patterns.
* Cooperativeness: most of the students in all groups show their interest in team work,
group discussions, listen and absorb the others’ opinions, develop their friends’ ideas,
work with the common target of doing the project well, deal with disagreemments
politely and properly. They attend all of the group’s meetings on time, encourage each
other to do their jobs in their common free time, well coordinate in team work. Each
member does their job responsibly. They consider their project success as of all group’s
effort. In addition, each group has it own manifestations of activeness, creativity which
are shown below:
Table 4.7. Manifestations of students’ activeness and creativity as performing the project.
Activeness
Creativity
Fire-
alarming
electrical
circuit
patterns
Proposing to use bells or both
bells and lights for the fire-

chopsticks, aluminium pipes of
old antenna, wasted cellcular
sheets.
Recommending the ways to
find out the relationship
between amperage of the
circuit and the tub’s water
level.
Using ignition cables of old
electric cookers to make
rheostats; designing a lever of
water force to adjust the
rheostat; using plastic bottles
containing sand to make reels
of rheostats; using 2-sided
stickers to twine on the plastic
bottles in order to locate the
rheostat’s wire when twining;
increasing the weight by
sticking a piece of metal on to
it to make it operate stably.
Electrical
circuit
patterns in
bathroom.
Making use of cartons, bamboo
sticks, old electric wires to
design, using bamboo rims to
stabilize door-frames and doors
of the bathroom.

Using wasted materials for the
design such as cartons, ignition
cables of old electric cookers,
bamboo chopsticks.
Recommending two
structures of a rheostat with
slider and choosing the
simpler one; putting the rips
of pen brushes out of ignition
cables to make sliders of
rheostats.
Electrical
circuit
patterns on
stairs.
Making use of wastes such as
cartons, secondhand led lights;
receiving the others’ opinions
of decoration and completion of
the pattern.
Making thick cellcular sheets
in a staired shape for a nice
pattern of stairs.
Electrical
circuit
patterns in
living
room (light
vessels on
– off

of
electricity.
Using diversified sources of
information, including
textbooks, internet, books,
magazines, documents on
propagating safe use of
electricity, experts; making 2
Presenting the reasons for the
group name: instructor is the
one who guides the others.
Besides, because the group
wants to instruct their friends
to use electricity safely, they
K
1
K
2
K
plans as reserve: borrowing a
computer to make powerpoint
presentation, if not, presenting
by posters.
name their group as
“Instructors”; practicing acts
of first aids in case of
electrical accidents.
4.2.1.2.Academic results of the students in experimental classes
*Method of marking a group
Step 1: Calculate Đ

is the score of collaboration assessed by group i.
N is the number of groups in the class.
Step 3: Calculate group’s score ĐN.
3
2
12


ĐĐ
ĐN
* Assessment score for each personnel
Step 1: Calculate the average score A
X
of member X in Form 3 of assessment.
1
1
1




n
a
A
n
i
X
a
i
: score of member X marked by the ith member.

X =
2
43 XX
ĐĐ 
In which: Đ
3X
is the form 3 assessment mark of member X.
Đ
4X
is the score teachers gives member X, including the score of self-
assessment (in Form 4) and the score of “Project diary”.
Academic results of the students are given in the following table:
Table 4.8. Groups’ scores
Group’s name
Project’s name
Teacher
(Form1)
Teacher
(Form 2)
Student
(Form 2)
Group’s
score
Age 15
Smart electrical
vessel
9,92
9,35
9,07
9,45

7,48
7,46
Convenience
Electrical vessel
on stairs
9,43
8,67
7,68
8,60
Electricity
Economize
electricity
6,74
7,50
8,33
7,52
For a happy
world
Safety with
electricity
5,72
8,96
7,60
7,43
Table 4.9. Scores of each member in a group
Group’s name
Score for each member
1
2
3

8,39
9,18
7,65
8,26
Electricity
7,14
7,58
7,61
7,13
For a happy world
6,52
7,08
7,34
6,72
4.2.2. Quantitative analysis of students’ improvement in project teaching
By collecting, analyzing and comparing the entrance exam and the graduation
exam, we evaluate the awareness advancement of the students in experimental classess
during the process of project teaching.
4.2.2.1.Objectives of the exams
Group of 3
Group of 3
While analysing and evaluating students’ academic activities, we hold them a 45 –
minute test at the end of each pedagogic experiment. This exam is to assess the
effectiveness of the compiled process of project teaching toward developing students’
learning quality, enhancing their abilities to create and apply their theoretical knowledge
into the reality.
4.2.2.2.The exam’s matrix to classify the levels of awareness
Based on Bloom’s reduced range of awareness, we design questions for 3 levels:
understanding, utilizing, and creating. The rates of awareness levels in the tests are listed
below.

4
6. Safety with electricity
3Tr.N
3
7. Ohm law
1 TL
1
Total score
1,25/10
3,75/10
5,0/10
22
4.2.2.3.Collecting and processing data
With the two sets of exams of the experimental class, we calculate parameters
specific for each set and then perform statistic calculations.
Table 4.13. Specific parameters of the entrance exam and the graduation exam of the
experimental class
Test
Mean
Mode
Median
Standard
deviation
Entrance
6,00 ± 0,01
6
6
1.24
Graduation
7,61 ± 0,01

X
O
2
p = 5,3.10
-17
1,29
-0,12
It can be inferred from the results that:
- The p-value of the paired T- test equivalent to 5,3.10
-17
(less than 0.05)
demontrates the increase in scrores of the two exams is meaningful. That indicates
positive effects of project teaching on the results of students’ tests which are designed
closely related to the reality. According to Cohen’s standards, SMD value of 1.29 (over
1) illustrates significant effects of project teaching on the improvement of students’ test
results.
- Negative value of correlation coefficient, r, shows the negative relationship between
students’s results of the entrance exam and those of the gradutation exam. This means those
who do the former test well are not likely to do well in the latter despite this small
correlation (r = - 0.12). It can be also inferred that the students that are good in their
traditional classes may not have proper ways of studying in the classes of project teaching.
In conclusion, the organization of project teaching on some part of chapter
‘Electricity’ increases students’ consciousness as well as their ability to apply their
knowledge into solving the problems related to their real lives. Moreover, these effects
of project teaching are of a high level. Based on this and the qualitative analysis on the
process of project teaching, we can assert that our topic’s scientific hypothesis is right:
holding project teaching on some content in chapter ‘Electricity’ (Physics 9) enhances
students’ activeness, creation and coordination.
4.3. Feedback of teachers and students on project teaching after the experiments
In order to know the opinions of the teachers and the students after participating in

teaching of physics in junior grade.
5) Analyze knowledge feature and content of Chapter “Electricity”, physics of 9
th
grade,
thus find out problems when teaching the knowledge and recommend solutions.
6) Make video clips of situations to support pupils and propose ideas to apply the
project in chapter “Electricity” of the Physics for grade 9.
7) Design organizing process of project teaching some knowledge in chapter
“Electricity” in mentioned physics teaching.
8) Build evaluation process in project teaching, design 3 rubrics of study progress and
results of pupils in process of applying project in chapter “ Electricity”.
9) Conduct pedagogical experiments of teaching progresses that have been compiled in
two secondary schools (one in urban area, one in nearby area) in two school years 2009-
2010 and 2010-2011, in Dong Thap province.
10) Analyze results of pedagogical experiments to confirm that scientific hypothesis
of the thesis is correct: Project teaching of some knowledge about Electricity in physics
program of grade 9, junior high school has promoted activity and contributed creativity
and collaboration of students.
3.4. 2. Limitations of the thesis
3.5. Besides the results mentioned above, the thesis still has some limitations below:
3.6. –Scope of pedagogical experiments is very limited (only with 2 secondary schools).
3.7. – The subject relevance of the projects designed is not strong enough (only with
coordination of some subjects: Physics, technology, information technology and art).