Development of Android-based application: An effort to enhance students’ conceptual understanding in fundamental physics

In the Physics Education study program, Fundamental Physics 1 is a compulsory course and one of the most fundamental substantial courses for the graduates. Since high school, students are mostly used to learn physics by applying physics in calculation with lacking conceptual understanding. Hence, this study was aimed to develop an application using the Nature of Science perspective to enhance students’ conceptual understanding. Thus, an Android-based mobile application was developed and supporting the learning management system (LMS) of Universitas Negeri Malang called SIPEJAR. The application itself is “Nucleon-Fisika Dasar 1” which is connected to SIPEJAR using a specific button in the application. Both the media are supporting and complementing each other. In the process, the learning was emphasized on the conceptual understanding aspect. Pretest and posttest used concept inventory assessment to find out the effectiveness of the learning process and the effect on students’ conceptual understanding. This application had been validated by experts in learning media and limited trials involving 25 students. The average score of media validation is 87.89% meanwhile the result of the limited trial shows a percentage of 91.05%. Thus, the Nucleon-Fisika Dasar 1 application is categorized as valid and feasible to be used for Physics Education students in Universitas Negeri Malang.