A Physics Class Model that Predicts Student Performance
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine how simulations in physics class, student engagement, critical thinking, cooperative learning, and use of simulations predict students 'performance as reported by the teachers in secondary school physics classes. This study was conducted with the eighty-two secondary school physics teachers who were members of the American Modeling Teachers Association (AMTA), and who taught physics in 2013 and 2014. Findings of the study show that we can predict students’ performance by student engagement, critical thinking and use of simulations (Rsquare=.55). At the same time how a teacher uses of simulations plays as a moderator variable of cooperative learning and how a teacher value the simulation in physics class to influence student performance. Article contains recommendations for physics teachers to improve student performance.