Effectiveness of Outdoor Physics Activities

Abstract
This paper presents the utilization of outdoor physics activities in the teaching of selected topics in light and optics in order to promote effective transfer of learning in physics and interacting with the environment which is one of the main subjects of the study. The study also looked into the effect of cooperative learning, active learning, use of higher order thinking skills (HOTS), relevance of learning experiences and development of social skills in physics among fourth year high school students in a secondary school in Bacacay, Albay. The researcher developed outdoor physics activities as an instructional intervention and used a single group pretest- posttest design. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were used in the study. The instruments used in data gathering were the teacher- made questionnaire for the features of the outdoor physics activities in optics and results of the pretest- posttest for conceptual understanding and the guide questions for the journal entries of the students. Validation of data was done through triangulation of students’ journal entries, self-rating checklist and experts’ observation. Positive result shows in the conceptual understanding, development of scientific skills, enhancement on the attitude and values and improvement on the social skillsof the students. Further, it is recommended that additional outdoor physics activities be developed for the enrichment of the students’ conceptual understanding as they see their relevance to real life experiences.