Interdisciplinary program on aviation weapon systems as a means of improving high school students' attitudes towards physics and engineering

Aunique interdisciplinary program entitled 'Introduction to aviation weapon systems' was developed and implemented at a leading Israeli high school that is affiliated with the Israeli Air Force. The program integrated physics and engineering and dealt with the structure and principle of operation of weapon systems used in aviation. Twenty 12th grade students majoring in mathematics and physics participated in the program, whose objective was to enhance the students' interest in physics and engineering, demonstrate the use of these disciplines in aviation, and to stimulate their desire to continue with more advanced studies in these subjects. The research presented here used qualitative tools to characterize students' attitudes towards the program, as well as changes in their attitudes towards physics and engineering as a result of their participation in the program. Research results reveal that, in addition to the great interest the students exhibited towards the program, they believed that interdisciplinary learning that combines physics and engineering leads to a better understanding of physics. The research also shows that, following the program, the students' interest in physics and engineering increased, as did their desire to continue with more advanced studies in the subject.