The Effectiveness of PhET Interactive Simulations in Teaching Physics to Grade 7 Students: An Experimental Study

This study investigates the effectiveness of using PhET Interactive Simulations in teaching physics to Grade 7 students through an experimental design with experimental and control groups. Data were collected through diagnostic and final tests, classroom observations, and student questionnaires. The experimental group, taught with PhET simulations, achieved an average final score of 78 (+30% improvement), compared with 61 (+11%) in the control group taught traditionally — an improvement about 2.7 times greater. Students also showed higher motivation, engagement, and analytical thinking. The findings confirm that PhET-based instruction is an effective approach for improving physics learning outcomes at the Grade 7 level.