Design and Development of Scratch–Arduino Educational Tools for Teaching Electricity Concepts

Abstract

This study aimed to design and develop a series of digital educational tools that facilitate the teaching and learning of electrical concepts among middle-school students. The tools were created using Scratch 3, which is a visual programming environment developed by MIT. Physical computing is integrated using the Arduino platform. They focused on fundamental electricity concepts, including Ohm’s law, two- and three-way “aller-retour” switch circuits for lighting control, and ON–OFF switch circuits for operating two or three LEDs. Additionally, two interactive education assessment tools were developed to support and evaluate the learning outcomes.The integration of digital simulations with real-world circuits enables bidirectional interactions between physical and virtual environments. Students can control real electrical circuits via simulations, while influencing the digital environment through physical input. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of the electric current, voltage, resistance, and circuit logic.Designed for students aged 11–15 years, these tools combine visual representation with hands-on exploration to enhance student engagement and conceptual comprehension. An interactive and experiential learning environment contributes to effective knowledge acquisition and retention in the field of electricity.