Teaching Physics through Experimental Projects

Experiments designed by students at any level is a fun way to learn physics. Laboratory activities can help students acquire, integrate and construct knowledge in a friendly way. For the last 15 years, we have promoted experimental work as projects in theoretical courses. The enthusiasm students have shown, even though they have to spend many extra hours, contrasts their dislike for traditional laboratory courses where they follow recipes. In this paper, we present the original project and its influence in other courses and in new curricula. We will not address the epistemological aspects [1] and give only a slight overview of pedagogical advantages of this approach.