IMPACT OF DIGITALIZED PHYSICS LABORATORY WORK ON STUDENTS’ ACTIVITY AND ENGINEERING THINKING

Abstract

This article examines the impact of the digitalization of physics laboratory work on the learning activity and engineering thinking of students in a technical college. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pedagogical effectiveness of using NI Multisim in laboratory work on the topic Electricity and Magnetism compared with the traditional laboratory format. The study was designed as a quasi-experimental research involving control and experimental groups. A total of 40 students from Taldykorgan Higher Polytechnic College participated in the experiment: 20 students performed laboratory work using traditional laboratory equipment, while the other 20 completed the same tasks in the NI Multisim virtual environment. The participants were assessed before and after the laboratory sessions using two groups of indicators: learning activity and engineering thinking. Learning activity was evaluated according to participation in the experiment, planning, equipment handling, data collection, result analysis, and group discussion. Engineering thinking was assessed through problem identification, systems thinking, modelling and design, analytical thinking, decision-making, and the application of theoretical knowledge. The findings demonstrated positive progress in both groups; however, the experimental group showed significantly greater improvement. The average increase in learning activity reached 27.5 percentage points compared with 5.8 percentage points in the control group, while the average increase in engineering thinking was 21.3 percentage points compared with 5.2 percentage points, respectively. The results indicate that the use of NI Multisim in physics laboratory work can serve as an effective complement to traditional laboratory instruction, particularly in developing students' skills in electrical circuit modelling, technical problem analysis, and the application of physical principles in engineering-oriented contexts.