For many students, learning physics is difficult because of its abstractness. To help students to learn physics, we have developed the Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Projects Based Learning (STEM-PjBL) method based on principles from neuroscience. We believe that incorporating principles from educational neuroscience would help students learn better. This paper describes our experiments of implementing the integrated STEM-PjBL Module in physics, i.e., classical mechanics, to secondary school students in Malaysia and South Korea. The study consists of two groups of students: the experiment group, 77 in total, comprising those who have undergone the integrated STEM-PjBL, and the control group, again 77 in total, who experienced the traditional approach. The Colorado Learning Attitudes Science Survey (CLASS) was conducted for the two groups on students’ beliefs about physics and learning physics before and after the implementation. The paired sample t-test from the pre-survey and post-survey shows that the integrated STEM-PjBL group has a more positive shift in belief about physics and learning physics than the traditional group. The results of the independent samples t-test for students’ beliefs about physics and learning physics, compared with the post-survey between the experimental group and the traditional group for both Malaysian and Korean perspectives, show that the experimental group has a higher mean compared to the traditional group. This paper explains why the integrated STEM-PjBL has improved students’ beliefs about physics and learning physics, from the neuroscience education perspective. Finally, the paper concludes with guidelines for teachers who wish to implement the integrated STEM-PjBL in the classroom.

Physics is a tricky subject to learn, especially when it comes to students applying physics knowledge to the real world and its application. This paper aims to study the effectiveness of the integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics project-based learning (iSTEM-PjBL) module in physics on students’ belief-specific categories, i.e., real-world connection, conceptual connection and applied conceptual understanding. This research used the quasi-experimental model, employing a two-group pre-survey-post-survey design. Quantitative data were collected using the Colorado Learning Attitude about Science Survey (CLASS) instrument at two selected schools in Sabah, Malaysia, and Seoul, Korea. The sample size was 88 from Malaysia and 66 from Korea who learned classical mechanics. The students were divided into two groups, respectively, i.e., the experimental group (Malaysia=44, Korea=33) and the control group (Malaysia=44, Korea=33). Participants in the experimental group were intervened with the integrated STEM-PBL physics module, whilst participants in the control group learned physics through a conventional approach for eight weeks. Participants in both groups were then administered a pre-survey before and post-survey after the intervention. This research showed that the integrated STEM-PjBL physics module significantly improved students’ real-world connections, conceptual connections, and applied connections after the intervention. The implications and suggestions were also discussed to extend the research further.

Many factors can influence students’ attitudes and their readiness to learn, especially with respect to learning physics online. Traditional online learning, where the teacher is the sole speaker, is inappropriate for learning physics because there must be live demonstrations and activities connecting theories with real world experiences. Online learning for physics must be active and engaging. Students would find the traditional form of online instruction difficult, because there is no physical social interaction between teacher and students. In our teaching work, we have found that factors such as computer skills/ICT skills, learning preferences, prior knowledge and motivation are important for students’ learning. What are the perceptions and attitudes of learners regarding these factors? The aim of this paper is to investigate the attitudes of students’ responses to computer/ICT skills, learning preferences, prior knowledge, and motivation pre-online learning and post-online learning in a case study. The research used a hierarchical regression for data analysis across a sample of young respondents who studied physics at Labuan Matriculation College, i.e., pre-university, in year one of their enrolment. The study involved two phases. A survey was conducted to assess the attitudes of the students prior to the implementation of active online learning. The pre-survey results showed that students considered learning preference and motivation to be important factors that would influence their active online learning. Post-survey responses and views communicated after completion of the learning revealed that all four factors have positive influence in their learning. Principles from neuroscience were used to explain why these four factors were important. The paper also provides guidelines on how teachers can use principles from neuroscience to help students to improve active online learning based on these four factors.

Low power surface-mounted (SMD) LEDs are paid much attention in research and development due to their portability and miniaturization. Optical characteristics of SMD LEDs have to maintain more accurate specifications in signaling applications such as traffic lights or railway. Current and temperature stabilization is important for attaining constant spectral properties of SMD LEDs. In this manuscript, the effect of change in ambient temperature and injection current on SMD LED intensity and wavelength shift is reported. Measurements were carried out using a spectrometer to record the LED optical parameters at various operating conditions. Detailed analyses show that the ambient temperature has a significant influence on optical characteristics of low-power SMD LED. The investigation of LED optical behaviors helps in choosing the appropriate working condition at the optimum level.

Hybrid learning during post-pandemic-era, challenges and the way forward nurturing students creativity. This topic reviews how hybrid learning has been established after the COVID-19 era, especially in higher education institutions context. The situation now is that many institutions continue online classes and, at the same time, blend them with face-to-face classes. Many guidelines are established, but how these mechanisms can nurture students creativity still needs to be explored, especially when we need our students to compete with twenty first-century skills, one of which is to think creatively. Therefore, this topic will dig more into the review of the situation of hybrid learning during the post-pandemic era, particularly in higher education institutions. Additionally, issues like what is the current practice that potentially can nurture students creativity through technology are also discussed.