6–10 Jul 2026
University of the Western Cape
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
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A Pretest–Post-Test Analysis of PHET Simulations Enhanced with ChatGPT in Teaching Electricity Concepts

9 Jul 2026, 15:40
20m
Lecture Hall C9 (University of the Western Cape)

Lecture Hall C9

University of the Western Cape

Oral Presentation Track E - Physics for Development, Education and Outreach Physics for Development, Education and Outreach

Speaker

Martin Tarisai Kudinha (CPUT)

Description

This study highlights the increasing use of technology in teaching and learning, particularly in improving student understanding of complex concepts in electricity. It investigates the effectiveness of integrating PHET simulations with embedded ChatGPT support on student learning outcomes using a pretest–post-test design. The students interacted with the simulation while receiving real-time guidance, feedback, and explanations from ChatGPT, which enhanced engagement, supported inquiry-based learning, and strengthened conceptual understanding. Data were collected from a cohort of students assessed across five sections of a structured and validated questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate changes in student performance before and after the intervention. The results showed a clear and consistent improvement in post-test scores compared to pretest scores, indicating the effectiveness of the learning approach. A paired samples t-test confirmed that the gains were statistically significant, while Cohen’s d indicated a moderate to strong effect size, demonstrating meaningful practical impact. Although improvements were observed across all sections, some variations suggest that certain electricity concepts remain challenging. Overall, the findings demonstrate the strong potential of combining interactive simulations with artificial intelligence to enhance learning outcomes in electricity education.

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Author

Co-authors

Ahmed Eldud (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) Bako Nyikun AUDU (University of the Western Cape) Dr Dawit Worku (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) George Buzuzi (Cape Peninsula University of Technology)

Presentation materials

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