Development and evaluation of a dance-based learning method in physics education for modelling electron motion in materials

Abstract Teaching abstract concepts such as electron motion in different materials presents a persistent challenge in physics education and is often accompanied by primary and secondary school students’ misconceptions. We report on the development and classroom evaluation of a novel dance-based embodied learning method designed to support conceptual understanding of electron behaviour in metals, insulators, semiconductors, and superconductors. The method was inspired by observed kinesthetic practices in early childhood education and systematically adapted for secondary level physics instruction. Purpose-designed instructional dance videos were produced in collaboration with a professional dance troupe and used as the core representational component of the method. A quasi-experimental design was implemented with 152 high-school students (aged 16–18) from four schools in Croatia. Students were divided into a control group receiving traditional physics instruction and an experimental group exposed to the dance-based materials combined with guided physical enactment. Identical pre- and post-tests were administered to assess conceptual understanding. The results indicate that students in the experimental group demonstrated clearer conceptual explanations and fewer documented misconceptions regarding electron motion than those taught using traditional methods alone. These findings underscore the global potential of embodied and interdisciplinary approaches to improve science understanding, motivation, and engagement. The study contributes to the growing movement toward STEAM integration and offers a scalable model adaptable across diverse educational contexts.