In today's educational environment, inclusive teaching is increasingly recognized as a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring equal learning opportunities for all students. Nevertheless, research shows that the field of inclusive physics teaching is still relatively under-researched, especially in Slovenia. Due to its abstract nature, formal language, and frequent focus on mathematical treatment of content, physics is a challenging subject for many students, which can further deepen differences between students and limit their active involvement in the learning process.
Teachers play an important role in overcoming these challenges, as their professional knowledge, perspectives, and didactic decisions significantly influence the creation of the learning environment. Research emphasizes that teachers' attitudes toward student diversity, their willingness to adapt their teaching, and their ability to create a safe and supportive learning environment contribute significantly to the success of inclusive teaching. At the same time, teachers often face a lack of systemic support, limited material resources, and insufficient opportunities for professional development in the field of inclusion, which can make it difficult to translate inclusive principles into everyday teaching practice.
A particular challenge in teaching physics is resolving the discrepancies between colloquial and technical terminology and fostering a deep conceptual understanding. This requires the thoughtful use of diverse teaching methods, experimental work, and appropriate adaptations that enable the active participation of all students. In this context, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which emphasizes the importance of incorporating multiple representations of learning content, diverse ways of expressing knowledge, and promoting motivation to learn, is emerging as an important framework.
A study on inclusively designed physics lessons involved 23 ninth-grade elementary school students and a physics teacher. As part of the study, four inclusively designed lessons on the topic of electrical circuits and electrical work were conducted. The lessons were recorded for the purpose of a more detailed analysis, and after each lesson, the students completed a short questionnaire related to the lesson. The teaching materials were prepared in accordance with adaptations for eight students identified as students with learning difficulties or students with special needs. These students also participated in a semi-structured interview, where they further explained their experiences and opinions regarding the conducted lessons. A semi-structured interview was also conducted with the teacher. To assess the students’ progress, they took a knowledge test before and after the lessons, and a comparison of the results provided insight into their progress. The research indicates that the lessons were well-prepared. The strengths and weaknesses of the selected teaching methods are discussed, along with potential improvements.
The findings of the master's thesis contribute to a better understanding of the role of the teacher in implementing inclusive physics teaching and highlight the need for further research in this area.
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