Concept Acquisition on Projectile Motion Through Utilizing a Physics Classroom Simulator

This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of the Physics Classroom Projectile Motion Simulator in enhancing Grade 12 STEM students’ understanding of projectile motion. Two intact classes participated: the experimental group (Section 12D) received simulation-based instruction, while the control group (Section 12C) received traditional instruction. The analysis used descriptive statistics to summarize pretest and posttest scores, paired samples t-tests to assess within-group improvements, and independent samples t-tests to compare between groups. Cohen’s d measured the magnitude of learning gains. Both groups showed significant improvement (p < .001), but the experimental group achieved higher posttest scores (M = 6.51, SD = 0.89) and greater mean gains (M = 3.09) than the control group (M = 4.99, gain = 1.17). A large effect size (d = 3.03) in the experimental group indicated substantial learning gains from simulation-based instruction. The findings affirm the value of integrating interactive simulations into physics instruction to bridge conceptual gaps and enhance student engagement. This study recommends simulation-based learning as a powerful supplement to traditional methods in teaching complex topics, such as projectile motion.