Teaching methodology for the course “Computer Methods in Physics” for prospective physics teachers based on adaptive technologies

Abstract

Contemporary teacher education requires instructional approaches that can respond to heterogeneous levels of digital competence, subject knowledge, and learning pace among prospective teachers. This study examines a teaching methodology for the course “Computer Methods in Physics” based on an adaptive learning environment integrating LMS Moodle, artificial intelligence modules, learning analytics, and selected immersive visualization tools. The research compared traditional instruction, fully adaptive learning, and a blended format combining lectures with adaptive assignments. The proposed methodology included dynamic task-difficulty calibration, personalized recommendations, interim monitoring of student progress, and structured feedback within the digital platform. The results indicate that the adaptive format supported stronger academic performance, deeper mastery of physics-related computational tasks, and higher student engagement compared with traditional instruction. Students working in the adaptive environment demonstrated more consistent progress across the semester, completed a broader range of practice tasks, and reported more positive perceptions of task appropriateness and platform usability. The blended format also showed improvements over traditional instruction, although its effects were less pronounced than those observed under full adaptive implementation. These findings suggest that adaptive technologies can strengthen the methodological preparation of prospective physics teachers by aligning computational tasks with individual learning needs and providing instructors with actionable analytics. At the same time, the study is limited to short-term course outcomes within one institutional context. Therefore, broader implementation requires further examination of scalability, cost, ethical data use, long-term retention, and transfer to actual teaching practice. The study contributes to educational technology research by demonstrating how adaptive learning can be operationalized in a technically oriented teacher education course.