Impact of using PhET as a didactic resource for teaching Ohm's Law

Abstract

This research article evaluates the impact of using PhET interactive simulators as an active learning resource for teaching and learning Ohm's Law, compared to traditional rote learning methodologies. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with a quasi-experimental design, encompassing a probabilistic sample of 50 high school students from the "Nuestra Señora de Pompeya" Educational Unit, equally divided into a control group and an experimental group. The quantitative and qualitative results revealed a significant advantage for the virtual environment: 75% of the students in the experimental group achieved a high level of academic performance, compared to only 16% in the control group. Furthermore, inferential analysis using the student's t-test for independent samples confirmed highly significant statistical differences (p = 0.0001) in all dimensions evaluated: final performance, visual comprehension, and classroom motivation. PhET's dynamic support functioned as a powerful didactic mediator that reduced the inherent abstraction of electrodynamics. By allowing the direct manipulation of variables (voltage, current, and resistance) and the real-time visualization of microscopic electron flow, the tool facilitated the transition from a passive role to a constructivist and integrative learning experience. It is concluded that virtual experimentation not only reduces scientific anxiety but also optimizes conceptual reasoning and student motivation; therefore, it is recommended that these virtual laboratories be institutionalized within the experimental science curriculum.