Packing Slip 
item |
Active Engagement of PHY 112 Students through Integration of the Lecture and Laboratory |
contact |
Mark Somers (Mesa Community College) mdsomers@mail.mc.maricopa.edu |
credits |
John Griffith Mangala Joshua Heidi Van Tassell |
college(s) |
Mesa Community College |
discipline(s) |
Physics |
summary |
The best practices of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning were applied to collaboratively develop laboratory-based activities for the second semester of an integrated lecture/laboratory algebra and trigonometry-based introductory Physics course. The activities were developed based on Physics Education Research to actively engage students and explicitly focus on developing the scientific inquiry skills outlined in MCC’s Student Learning Outcomes process. |
details |
The overall goal of this project was to develop instructional laboratory-based materials to be used in PHY112, the second semester of our algebra and trigonometry-based introductory physics sequence. The materials were designed to actively engage students and help them grasp and retain the fundamental concepts in physics. They were also designed to enhance students' reasoning skills while using a variety of representational tools. Finally, they were designed to enable students to extend what has been learned in one context to new contexts. ------------------------------------------------------------ How did the project improve, advance, or enhance student learning? Please provide specific examples. ------------------------------------------------------------ This project allowed us to develop materials that actively engage students in a way that intertwines knowledge between the traditional roles of lecture and lab. The data collected through physics education research clearly show that students in introductory physics courses have a higher gain in conceptual understanding during a semester when active engagement methods are used in lieu of traditional lecture-style instruction. The activities developed in this project stress the process of science as outlined in our college’s student learning outcomes. Additionally, group communication and teamwork skills are reinforced through these activities. By making students cooperative partners (as opposed to passive learners), increased student interest and achievement are accomplished. The curricular materials that were developed through this project enable students to construct their own knowledge. Various activities focused on each of the following: a) Introducing a specific concept by designing an experiment where students discover it. Examples include experiments on electrostatics, electric circuits and lenses. b) Experimentally verifying a particular relationship that has been introduced previously. Examples include experiments on Kirchoff’s Laws and induction. c) Applying a particular principle to a diverse set of phenomena. Examples include experiments on electric fields, magnetic fields and interference. d) Confronting situations with which students have particular conceptual or reasoning difficulties. Typically, such activities first require students to predict what they think will happen in a given experiment. Subsequently, students observe what actually happens and reflect on how their predictions compared to what they observed. , and then extend what they have learned to a new situation or problem. Examples include experiments in electrostatics, electric circuits and optics. e) Emphasizing both qualitative and quantitative reasoning, strengthening critical thinking and problem solving skills. Special emphasis was given to developing the ability of students to use control of variables and proportional reasoning. f) Incorporating a variety of technologies, including computer-interfaced sensors, traditional laboratory equipment, computer-based simulations, and software for graphing and analyzing large amounts of data. Every experiment involved equipment of some sort. ------------------------------------------------------------ How did you evaluate your project's success? What did it tell you? ------------------------------------------------------------ There were two parts to the evaluation of this project a) Evaluation of the quality of the materials that were developed. * Faculty provided each other with detailed and constructive feedback on each activity that was developed. This feedback provided the basis for the initial revision of each activity. * We pilot tested each activity in an integrated lecture/laboratory class. There was an ongoing evaluation of the materials as the instructor moved from group to group, listening to students’ discussions, noting problems encountered in comprehending the materials and in following the instructions. Reflection on these classroom observations and discussions led to further revision of the activity. b) Evaluation of the impact of these materials on student learning. * We used student performance on exams and homework to assess their learning. * We used informal conversations both during class and during office hours to assess student learning. ------------------------------------------------------------ What is your plan to share this project with others? ------------------------------------------------------------ The instructional materials that were developed will be used in all PHY112 classes at our institution. Prior to the spring of 2010, we will hold a workshop mainly for our adjunct faculty. If we manage to secure external funding we will extend the workshop to include faculty from other colleges in the district. We will provide the instructional materials on a CD to all participants. Some of our adjunct faculty teach at high schools. They will be able to modify some of these activities and use them in their high school classes. We will also make the CD available to interested faculty members from any college in the district. We will submit our curricular material to the Maricopa Learning Exchange (MLX). We hope to present our work at an American Association of Physics Teachers national and/or Arizona meeting. ------------------------------------------------------------ What, if anything, will happen in the future with this project? ------------------------------------------------------------ During the 2008/2009 academic year, we developed a full set of experiments of the PHY112 course. After the 2009 summer session, we had completed two rounds of pilot testing and revision of the activities that had been developed. During the 2009/2010 academic year, we plan to complete two more rounds of pilot testing and revision. In addition, we plan to continue development of additional activities to give faculty choices about the activities that they will utilize as they teach the PHY112 course. While developing experiments for the PHY112 course, we discovered opportunities to integrate the same reasoning skills into the PHY111 course (the first semester of the PHY111/112 sequence). As a result, we rewrote two of the PHY111 experiments and expect to rewrite others during the coming year. Finally, the collaborative model that the faculty used to develop these activities worked exceptionally well. Each faculty member had different concerns, ideas and skills that strengthened the overall product. We hope to continue this collaboration as we develop activities for our other courses. ------------------------------------------------------------ What, if anything, would you do differently? ------------------------------------------------------------ It is very easy to become isolated in one’s own classroom. This project gave us an opportunity as well as an excuse to collaborate with each other, to share ideas and techniques, and to jointly develop a set of instructional materials that none of us were capable of developing alone. The chance to collaborate with other faculty was a very rewarding experience and, for the participating faculty, was highly beneficial. From a sheerly selfish perspective, there is nothing about this approach that we would change. Note! As a professional courtesy to the owner of this package, if you use some aspect of this package or have some thoughts about it, please share your feedback via the comments form below. |
web links |
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/learngrant/ |
shareback |
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extra |
Last modified: Aug-17-2009 Date created: May-04-2009 Visitor count: 295 Dublin Core Metadata record  This package is included in the Maricopa Learning Grants special collection. |
Maricopa Learning eXchange
http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/mlx/slip.php?item=2267
