Developing Student Problem Solving Skills in Introductory Physics: Coaching Available 24/7 on the Internet Qing Xu, Ken Heller, Leon Hsu, Anne Loyle-Langholz, Andrew Mason University of Minnesota 4/30/2011 MAAPT Winona

When looking at your students’ solutions, what do you think they need help on ? Picture Diagram Algebra physics concepts Don’t plug in numbers

Coaching Provide feedback while student is stepping through the task (drill). Provide feedback while student is practicing the task. Student provides feedback to other students while practicing the task. One of the things we can do to help students working on those things is coaching. What we mean by coaching is: (the idea of coaching) March people through all the steps. Then you do them yourselves, don’t insist you do all the steps, maybe a little piece of it, maybe the whole thing, then the coaches give you feedbacks.

3 types of computer coaches 1st: Computer coaches the student computer decides, student implements, computer assesses 2nd: Student coaches the computer Student decides, computer implements, student assesses 3rd: Student works more independently Computer provides help as necessary

Thank you! Feel free to try them out ! Suggestions and feedback are welcome! For more information, please visit our website at: http://groups.physics.umn.edu/physed/

Cognitive apprenticeship (Collins et al. 1990) An alternative model of instruction that is accessible within the framework of the typical classroom. 3 main elements: Modeling (e.g. classroom lecture) Coaching (e.g. instructor office hours) Scaffolding (e.g. worksheets) Fading (e.g. tests)