Researchinphysicseducation:Aresourceforimprovingstudentlearning
LillianC.McDermottPeterS.ShafferUniversityofWashington
NewPhysicsandAstronomyFacultyWorkshopNovember2017
PhysicsEducationGroupattheUniversityofWashington
PhysicsPh.D.Graduates27(1979-2017)
PhysicsPh.D.StudentsAnneAlesandriniDeanBretlandShehLitChangKevinCutlerLisaGoodhewTongWanBertXue
FacultyLillianC.McDermottPaulaHeronPeterShafferSuzanneWhite-Brahmia
Lecturers&Post-docsDonnaMessina(K-12teacher)AlexisOlsho
Coordinatedprogramofresearch,curriculumdevelopment,andinstructionsupportedinpartbygrantsfromtheNationalScienceFoundation.
2
Summaryofworkshop
• OverviewofresearchandcurriculumdevelopmentbyUWPhysicsEducationGroup
• Directexperiencewithcurriculum(aTutorialfromTutorialsinIntroductoryPhysics)
• Discussionofimpactonstudentlearning
• Generalizationsontheteachingandlearningofphysics
3
GoalsofUWPhysicsEducationGroup
• Conductresearchonlearningandteachingofphysicsconceptsandreasoning(differsfromresearchinCollegesofEducation)
• Developinstructionalproceduresthat:– areeffectiveathelpingstudentslearn(conceptsandreasoning)– yieldsimilarresultswhenusedbyfacultyatotherinstitutions
• Documentimpactandproceduresinjournalsthatarereadbyphysicsfaculty(writteninlanguageaccessibletophysicists)– Tohelpallfacultyimprovetheeffectivenessofinstruction
whetherornottheyareengagedinphysicseducationresearch.
• StrengthenthepreparationofK-12teacherstoteachphysicsandastronomybyinquiry
4
Inworkingtowardthesegoals,wehavecometoanimportantgeneralization:
Oncertaintypesofqualitativequestions,studentperformanceisessentiallythesameoverawiderangeofstudentability:
• beforeandafterstandardinstruction• incalculus-basedandalgebra-basedcourses• withandwithoutstandarddemonstrations
• withandwithoutstandardlaboratory• inlargeandsmallclasses
• regardlessofpopularityoftheinstructor
Hearinglectures,readingtextbooks,seeingdemonstrations,doinghomework,andperforminglaboratoryexperimentsoftenhavelittleeffectonstudentlearning.
5
Evidencefromresearchindicatesgap
Instructor
Student
Curriculum
Gapgreaterthanmostinstructorsrealize6
◊ Teachingbytellingisanineffectivemodeofinstructionformoststudents.
Teachingbyquestioningcanbemoreeffective.
Studentsmustbeintellectuallyactive
7
Caution:
“activelearning”doesnotalwaysleadto
“intellectualengagement”
Documentedresearchisnecessarytodeterminethedepthofunderstanding.
8
Systematicinvestigationsofstudentlearning(atthebeginning,during,andafterinstruction)
• individualdemonstrationinterviews• forprobingstudentunderstandingindepth
•writtenquestionswithexplanations(pretestsandpost-tests)
• forascertainingprevalenceofspecificdifficulties• forassessingeffectivenessofinstruction
•descriptivestudiesduringinstruction• forprovidinginsightstoguidecurriculumdevelopment
9
CurriculumDevelopmentResearch
InstructionatUW
Instructionatpilotsites
Applicationofresearchtodevelopmentofcurriculum
Research-based≠Research-validated10
Research-basedcurriculumdevelopment
Preparingprecollegeteacherstoteachphysicsandphysicalscience
– PhysicsbyInquiry–(JohnWiley&Sons,Inc.,1996)
Self-contained,laboratory-based,nolectures
Improvingstudentlearninginintroductoryphysics
– TutorialsinIntroductoryPhysics–(PrenticeHall,2002)
Supplementarytolecture-basedcourse
Tutorialsrespondtotheresearchquestion:
Isstandardpresentationofabasictopicintextbookorlectureadequatetodevelopafunctionalunderstanding?
(i.e., theabilitytodothereasoningnecessarytoapplyrelevantconceptsandprinciplesinsituationsnotexplicitlystudied)
Ifnot,
whatneedstobedone?
12
Primarycontext(atUW)fortutorials
Eachweek:• 3lectures(50minutes)
• 1laboratory(2-3hours)
• 1tutorial(50minutes)
However,tutorialscanbeusedinlecturesorlabsdependingonconstraints
13
TutorialComponents•weeklypretests• givenusuallyafterlectureonrelevantmaterialbutbeforetutorial
• tutorialsessions• smallgroups(3-4)workthroughcarefullystructuredworksheets• tutorialinstructorsquestionstudentsinsemi-Socraticmanner
• tutorialhomework
Additionalcriticalcomponents• examinationquestionsbasedontutorials
– sostudentstakeseriouslytheemphasisonunderstanding
• requiredweeklyseminarfortutorialinstructors– graduateandundergraduateinstructors,etc.– preparationincontentandinstructionalmethod– TAstakepretest,workthroughtutorial,anddiscussstudentresponses.
14
Exampleoftutorial:Dynamicsofrigidbodies
• Pretest- Pleasecompleteonyourown;takenomorethanabout5minutestoanswer.
• Tutorial-Workinsmallgroupsfollowedbyfull-workshopdiscussions(nottypicalofstudenttutorialsessions)
• Discussionofimpactoftutorialandgeneralizationsonmethod
15
Smallgroupactivity:page1Aspoolispulledacrossafrictionlesstableasshown.Thehandpullshorizontally.Thethreadhasbeenwrappedmanytimesaroundthebottomofthespool.
• Predict whetherthespoolwillrotate.Explain.
• Predict whetherthecenterofthespoolwillmoveandifso,inwhichdirection.Explain.
Asinstructors,discussanswersthatstudentsmightgiveandwhattheanswersmightindicateaboutstudentthinking.
16
Testyouranswersbyobservingtheexperimentonatablewith friction.
Whatdoyourobservationssuggestwouldhappenifthetablewerefrictionless?
Largegroupactivity
Spoolonvarioustables(varyingfriction)
Spoolonairtable(negligiblefriction)
Examplesofstudentresponsestospoolsquestionfrompage1(e.g., whengivenaspretest)
Thespoolwillrotateandnottranslate
• “Theforceofthestringwillcausetorque....Thereisnoforceapplieddirectlytothespooltomakeitgoforward.”
Thespoolwilltranslateandnotrotate
• “Thereisnofrictionsothe… particlesontheotherside[ofthespool]havenoforcekeepingitput- sothespoolwillnotrotate.”
• “onafrictionlesssurface… tensionwillnotgeneraterotationbecausethereisnoforceintheoppositedirection… forrotation… theremustbeaforceinthepositiveandnegativedirectiononthespooland… thereisnonegativeforce.”
19
Beliefthatforcenotatcenterofmassresultsinrotationonly.
Beliefthatforcenotatcenterofmassresultsonlyintranslationofentireobject-- unlessanotherforceactstorotateobject
Smallgroupactivity:page2Ablockandspoolareeachpulledacrossalevel,frictionlesssurfacebyastring.• Predict theorderinwhichtheycrossthefinishline.
• Threestudentsdiscusstheexperiment.1. Thespoolrotatesandbothfinishatthesametime …
samemassandnetforcesothecentershavethesameacceleration.Thetensionshavethesameeffectontranslationalmotion.
2. Thespoolcrossesaftertheblock.Sometensionisusedtorotatethespool.Whenaforcecausesrotation,ithaslesseffectontranslation.
3. Iagreethespoolrotatesandcrosseslater,butIwasthinkingaboutenergy.Theyhavethesametotalkineticenergyatthefinishline.SincethespoolhassomerotationalKE,itmusthavelesstranslationalKE.
Withwhichstudentdoyouagree?
Continuetopage3whenyouandyourpartnersareready. 20
Smallgroupactivity:page3
Twoidenticalspoolsareconnectedbyathreadthatrunsoveranidealpulley.ThethreadiswrappedaroundspoolAmanytime,butisattachedtoafixedpointonspoolB.
Thespoolsarereleasedfromthesameheightatthesametime.
• Predict whetherspoolAwillhitthefloorbefore,after, oratthesametimeas spoolB.
• Drawthefollowingdiagramsforeachspool,correspondingtoatimeshortlyafterrelease:o anextendedfree-bodydiagram
o a(point)free-bodydiagram
• Whatwouldeachstudentonthepreviouspagepredict?
Wewilldiscusstheanswersandobserveavideoasgroup.21
Dynamicsofrigidbodies,page3
• Drawforeachspool:• anextendedfree-bodydiagram• a(point)free-bodydiagram
22
Dynamicsofrigidbodies,page3
• Drawforeachspool:• anextendedfree-bodydiagram• a(point)free-bodydiagram
23
Dynamicsofrigidbodies,page3
• Whatwouldeachstudentonthepreviouspagepredict?
1. Theyhavethesamemassandsamenetforcesothecentersofmasshavethesameacceleration.Thetensionshavethesameeffectontranslationalmotion.
2. Sometensionisusedtorotatethespool.Whenaforcecausesrotation,ithaslesseffectontranslation.
3. Iwasthinkingaboutenergy.Theyhavethesametotalkineticenergyatthefinishline.SincethespoolhassomerotationalKE,itmusthavelesstranslationalKE.
Sameforces,samemassà AlandsatsametimeasB
24
Dynamicsofrigidbodies,page3
• Whatwouldeachstudentonthepreviouspagepredict?
1. Theyhavethesamemassandsamenetforcesothecentersofmasshavethesameacceleration.Thetensionshavethesameeffectontranslationalmotion.
2. Sometensionisusedtorotatethespool.Whenaforcecausesrotation,ithaslesseffectontranslation.
3. Iwasthinkingaboutenergy.Theyhavethesametotalkineticenergyatthefinishline.SincethespoolhassomerotationalKE,itmusthavelesstranslationalKE.
Sameforces,samemassà AlandsatsametimeasB
ThaslesseffectonAsoAhaslargernetforcedownà AlandsbeforeB
25
Dynamicsofrigidbodies,page3
• Whatwouldeachstudentonthepreviouspagepredict?
1. Theyhavethesamemassandsamenetforcesothecentersofmasshavethesameacceleration.Thetensionshavethesameeffectontranslationalmotion.
2. Sometensionisusedtorotatethespool.Whenaforcecausesrotation,ithaslesseffectontranslation.
3. Iwasthinkingaboutenergy.Theyhavethesametotalkineticenergyatthefinishline.SincethespoolhassomerotationalKE,itmusthavelesstranslationalKE.
Threedifferentpredictions
Sameforces,samemassà AlandsatsametimeasB
ThaslesseffectonAsoAhaslargernetforcedownà AlandsbeforeB
Sametotalenergy,Ahasrotationalandkineticà AlandsafterB
26
Spoolsconnectedby
string
Smallgroupactivity:page4
F.Supposeyouwanttodecidehowagivenforceaffectsthetranslationalmotionofthecenterofmassofanobject.Shouldyouconsider:
•whereontheobjecttheforceisexerted?
• howtheforceisaffectingtherotationalmotionoftheobject?
IntheTutorialhomework, studentsreconciletheirresultswithworkandenergy
28
Assessmentsofstudentlearning
• Pretests:Afteralllecture&textbookinstructionbutbeforetutorial.
oProvidemotivationfortutorialandyieldinsightsintostudentreasoningoManyversionsusedtotestaspectsofstudentunderstanding
• Post-tests: AfterallinstructionincludingTutorialandTutorialHomework.
oTypicallysomewhatmoredifficultorindifferentcontextthanpretests
Note:Resultsareusuallyindependentofinstructorortextbookwithvariationsof𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 ±5%fromclasstoclass.
"StudentunderstandingoftheapplicationofNewton‘ssecondlawtorotatingrigidbodies,”H.G.Close,L.S.Ortiz,andP.R.L.Heron,Am.J.Phys. 81 (6)2013 29
ResultsfrommanyPretests&Post-tests
Pucks Block-and-spool
Pretest Post-test Pretest Post-test
Correct(Equalacceleration/time) 20% 70% 5% 80%
Treatingtranslation asreducedifaforcealsoresultsinrotation 65% <15% 80% <10%
30
Manyyearsofresearchrequiredtoobtainsatisfactoryresults:
• Version1:o ‘Unconnectedspools’o Studentdialogue(butwithouthavingstudentsapplyeachstudent’sreasoningtonewcase)
à someimprovement:20%to40%correct
• Versions2&3o‘Unconnectedspools’oQuestionsaddedtoaddressdirectlytheideathattheeffectofaforceontranslationisdecreasediftheforcealsocausesrotation.
• Version4:o ‘Connectedspools’experimentdevelopedtotargetkeyideadirectly(sincetheforcesonbothspoolsarethesame).
31
à onlysmallgains(studentscouldstate‘translationisindependentofpointofapplication’,yetanswermanyquestionsincorrectly.
à ~70%to80%correct
Practical criterion for effectiveness of a tutorial:
Post-test performance of introductory studentsmatches (or surpasses)
pretest performance of graduate students.
(GraduateTAs~30%correctoncircularpucksquestion)
32
Generalizationbasedonfindingsfromresearch:
Itisinsufficientfortheinstructorto
• giveclearexplanations
• showdemonstrations
• assignproblemsandprovidesolutions
• beinformedaboutstudentdifficulties
Activementalengagementbythestudents,themselves,isnecessary.
On qualitative problems:
• much better
Onquantitativeproblems(e.g.,endofchapter):– typicallysomewhatbetter
– sometimesmuchbetter
Effectoftutorialsonstudentperformance
Assessments of student learning at UW and beyond on many topics
despite less time devoted to solving standard problems
Onretention:– sometimesmuchbetter
34
The tutorials are one example of how, with a small time allotment, a research-based curriculum can help:
•make physics meaningful to students
• provide a foundation for quantitative problem solving
• develop scientific reasoning ability
evenunderconstraintsoflargeclasssize,breadthofcoverage,fastpace,limitedtime
35
The perspective that teaching is a science, as well as an art, is an effective approach for:
• setting high (yet realistic) standards
• assessing the extent to which meaningful learning takes place
• helping students meet expectations
36