Institute for innovation and development of learning process Reality Physics Teaching (RPT) for Improving Student Expectations in Learning Physics Umporn Wutchana Institute for innovation and development of learning process Mahidol University

Out line Introduction Motivation Pilot studies Research Questions Research Objectives Research Hypotheses Research Methodology Expected Outcomes

Introduction Student attitudes, beliefs and assumption about physics and learning physics play a critical role in their learning and understanding about physics.

Introduction Student attitudes, beliefs and assumption about physics and learning physics play a critical role in their learning and understanding about physics. attitudes beliefs expectations assumption

Introduction Physics education researchers have probed student expectations. Physics education researchers distinguished the expectations of experts and the expectations of novices. Physics education researchers found relationships between student expectations and their learning.

Motivation Student expectations affect their conceptual learning. Most students still have more novice-like expectations after physics courses. Can improving student expectations cause improvement of their conceptual learning?

Survey and Test Maryland Physics Expectation Survey (MPEX) University of Maryland Physics Education Research Group in 1992 Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE) Thornton and Sokoloff 1998

Strongly disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly agree MPEX University of Maryland Physics Education Research Group in 1992 34 items 5-option Likert scale Strongly disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly agree

MPEX Responses agreeing with the experts were defined as favorable responses. Responses disagreeing with the experts were defined as unfavorable responses. favorable unfavorable

MPEX Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Link Effort

Learning physics means reconstructing one’s own understanding. MPEX Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Link Effort Learning physics means reconstructing one’s own understanding.

MPEX Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Link Effort The structure of physics knowledge is based on a single coherent system.

MPEX Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Link Effort The content of physics knowledge is based on concepts that underlie the formulas.

Physics is connected with reality. MPEX Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Link Effort Physics is connected with reality.

MPEX Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Link Effort Mathematical formalism is used as a way of representing information about physics phenomena.

Activities and work are necessary to make sense out of physics. MPEX Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Link Effort Activities and work are necessary to make sense out of physics.

FMCE Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE) was developed by Thornton and Sokoloff (1998). FMCE was designed to probe students understanding of force and motion. 46 items

Questions for Pilot Studies What are Thai student expectations toward learning physics? What are the relationships between student expectations and their physics learning? What are the student expectations after a physics course? What are the student expectations after an active learning?

Pilot studies Student expectations toward learning physics Correlations between student expectations and their learning Student expectations after a traditional physics course Student expectations after an active learning

Student expectations toward learning physics MPEX First-Year students High-School students Student Expectations Part 1

Student expectations toward learning physics Percentage (%) of students giving Favorable responses on MPEX survey 2006. Overall Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Effort FY 34 19 23 24 44 31 48 HS 27 14 18 43 Part 1

Student expectations toward learning physics Percentage (%) of students giving Favorable responses on MPEX survey 2006. Overall Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Effort FY 34 19 23 24 44 31 48 HS 27 14 18 43 Part 1

Student expectations toward learning physics FY % Redish et al., 1998 % Part 1

Correlations between student expectations and their learning MPEX/FMCE Pre-test First-Year Students FMCE Post-test Student Expectations/Conceptual learning Outcomes Part 2

Correlations between student expectations and their learning Expectation clusters Correlations of expectations with FMCE gains (p-value) Overall 0.31 (0.0001) Independence 0.22 (0.002) Coherence 0.29 (0.0001) Concepts 0.21 (0.003) Reality Link Math Link 0.24 (0.0006) Effort -0.05 (0.48) Part 2

Correlations between student expectations and their learning % FAV Part 2

Student expectations after a physics course MPEX Pre-test High-School Students (A traditional class) Post-test MPEX Student Expectation Changes Part 3

Student expectations after a physics course Percentage (%) of high-school students giving favorable responses on MPEX survey before and after a physics course 2007. Overall Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Effort Pre 32 21 18 13 42 20 50 Post 27 16 12 11 Part 3

Student expectations after a physics course Percentage (%) of high-school students giving favorable responses on MPEX survey before and after a physics course 2007. Overall Independence Coherence Concepts Reality Link Math Effort Pre 32 21 18 13 42 20 50 Post 27 16 12 11 Part 3

Student expectations after an active learning MPEX 2 STATEMENTS Pre-test High-School Students (An active learning class) 2 STATEMENTS Post-test Student Expectation Changes Part 4

Student expectations after an active learning # 1: Physics has a relation to the real world. # 2: Leaning physics helps me understand situations in my everyday life. Part 4

Student expectations before an active learning # 1: Physics has a relation to the real world. Part 4

Student expectations after an active learning # 1: Physics has a relation to the real world. Part 4

Student expectations before an active learning # 2: Leaning physics helps me understand situations in my everyday life. Part 4

Student expectations after an active learning # 2: Leaning physics helps me understand situations in my everyday life. Part 4

Preliminary Results Thai student had more novice-like expectations. Student expectations were changed to be more novice-like after a physics course. Positive correlations between student expectations and their conceptual learning were found. Student expectations are important factor affecting their learning

Research Questions What are Thai student expectations toward learning physics? Can Reality Physics Teaching (RPT) improve the student expectations in the Reality Link cluster? What are relationships between the student expectations and their physics learning?

Research Objectives To investigate Thai student expectations toward learning physics. To design Reality Physics Teaching (RPT) for improving student Reality Link expectations toward learning physics. To study relationships between the student expectations and their physics learning outcomes.

Research Hypotheses Students who have more sophisticated expectations toward learning physics learn physics better than others. Reality Physics Teaching (RPT) can be used to improve student Reality Link expectations toward learning physics.

Research Methodology Phase 1 Student expectations and Conceptual learning Investigation Phase 2 Design Reality Physics Teaching Phase 3 Reality Physics Teaching Evaluation

Phase 1 Student expectations and Conceptual learning Investigation Investigate Thai student expectations and their conceptual learning PHASE 1 Find the relationships between student expectations and their conceptual learning

Phase 2 Design Reality Physics Teaching Design Reality Physics Teaching (RPT) for improving student Reality Link expectations PHASE 2 Use the RPT to teach students in order to improve their expectations Redesign RPT if No improvement in expectations Determine student expectation changes

Reality Physics Teaching (RPT) RPT focus on Kinematics Goals of Reality Physics Teaching Improve expectations about Reality Link Improve conceptual understanding Connect classroom learning with real-word experience

Reality Physics Teaching (RPT) Principle for RPT: each lesson plan includes activities that engage students to join in interactive learning provide activities that invite students to construct their own understanding about physics concepts help students modify their common conceptions about physical phenomena that make it difficult for them to understand general principle of physics connect real word experience with classroom learning provide opportunities for class discussion of student ideas and findings

An Example of RPT Activities RPT : SPEED

An Example of RPT Activities 4-5 students were grouped. The student groups were asked to find how fast people or animals move. The students find the answer using the provided instrument. A Timer A Measuring Tape A Sheet of Paper The students present their method and results. All of them have time for discussion The students conclude how to find speed of things.

An Example of RPT Activities Here are some pieces of student work. Group 1 was assigned to find the speed of walking people. The students fix distance. Then, they measure the time for walking along the fixed distance. After that, they can find the speed of walking people.

An Example of RPT Activities Group 2 was assigned to find the speed of the blinds when they walk. In this activity, One student closes his eyes. Turn around himself and walk about 10 seconds. Then, they measure the distance and find the speed of a blind student.

An Example of RPT Activities Group 3 was assigned to find the speed of ants. They measure the distance covered by an ants in 1 minute. So, they can find the speed of ants.

An Example of RPT Activities Here are some pieces of student work. Group 1 was assigned to find the speed of walking people. The students fix distance. Then, they measure the time for walking along the fixed distance. After that, they can find the speed of walking people.

An Example of RPT Activities Group 3 was assigned to find the speed of ants. They measure the distance covered by an ants in 1 minute. So, they can find the speed of ants.

Phase 3 Reality Physics Teaching Evaluation Use the RPT to teach students in order to improve their Reality Link expectations Determine student expectation changes PHASE 3 Find the relationship between student expectation changes and their conceptual learning and Evaluate RPT Outcome: RPT for improving Reality Link expectations

Expected Outcomes RPT learning unit RPT teaching medias More understanding about the impact of student expectations on their conceptual learning

Expected Outcomes

Research Plan

Completed Work Student Expectations in First-year Physics Course presented at SPC 2007 The Comparison between Teacher and Student Expectations in Learning Physics presented at STT 2007 Student Expectations after a Physics Course : A Case Study from 39 High-School Students presented at ICASE 2007 Finding Negative Correlation between Student Effort Expectations and Their Learning in Introductory Physics submitted to Physical Review Special Topics – Physics Education Research