Abstract
Many pre-service physics teachers experience persistent difficulties in applying theoretical concepts to real instructional situations, indicating a measurable gap in functional literacy and reflective teaching skills. This study investigates the use of Action Research within a digital Physics Learning Environment (AR-PLE) designed to strengthen these competencies. The study involved 86 pre-service physics teachers at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan, selected through convenience sampling. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design (QUAN → qual) was used. The quantitative phase applied a quasi-experimental pre/post design using the Functional Literacy Questionnaire (FLQ) and the Reflection and Motivation Inventory (RMI). Empirical results demonstrated statistically significant gains in functional literacy (Δ = 1.16, t = 9.73, p < 0.001), contextual reasoning (Δ = 1.05, t = 8.88, p < 0.001), and motivation (Δ = 0.88, t = 7.64, p < 0.001) in the AR-PLE group compared to controls. The qualitative phase—based on reflective journals, classroom observations, and interviews—explained these improvements by showing that students used simulations to verify conceptual relationships and identify specific misconceptions (e.g., “I realized why induction changes when the magnet moves only after observing the real-time graph”). The convergent evidence indicates that AR-PLE contributed to measurable learning improvements, demonstrating its empirical effectiveness as a digital adaptation of Action Research for physics instruction.