Closing the Gap between Experimental Data and Concepts of Electromagnetic Induction

Physics Education research indicates that there is a significant gap between the learning obtained by students and what teachers expect. In the usual teaching the fundamental concepts of electromagnetic induction are usually quickly analyzed, spending most of the time to solve problems in a more or less rote manner. However, Physics Education research has shown that the fundamental concepts of the electromagnetic induction theory are barely understood by students. This article proposes an interactive teaching sequence introducing the topic of electromagnetic induction. The sequence has been designed based on contributions from Physics Education research. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between experimental findings (macroscopic level) and theoretical interpretation (microscopic level). An example of the activities that have been designed will also be presented, describing the implementation context and the corresponding findings.