Engaging and Sustainable High School Physics Lab Curriculum Using Smartphones

The purpose of our research was to develop an engaging and low-cost, hence sustainable physics lab curriculum for implementation in Bibb County, GA, public high schools. Each public high school in Bibb County receives $1000 per year for the whole science curriculum. This is barely enough to restock consumable items in chemistry and biology and leaves nothing for physics. The lack of sufficient funding for proper lab equipment and qualified teachers disadvantages students. We believe that this contributes to the low rate of Bibb County high school students taking at least one physics course before graduating (only half of the national average).
The curriculum is developed to make adoption easy for teachers. It includes student activities (with instructor manuals) and instructions for both class demonstrations and construction of DIY apparatuses. The pedagogical approach of our curriculum is student-centered and inquiry-based. These activities utilize smartphone sensors in place of typical laboratory sensors. The use of existing smartphones in an educational setting serves to engage students and encourages them to explore physics in their everyday lives without adding any financial burden to school budget.