Teaching and Learning Physics: Week 2 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University1 Objective: By the end of this class you should be able to describe the importance of teacher/student dialogue to the process of learning. Special attention should be given to the concept of convergent vs. divergent questions and its influence on student learning.

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University2 20 minute conversation with Jim Go to your Cornell Google calendar and schedule in a 20 minute slot to sit and have a chat with me. The conversation may include the following topics: What do you think of the seminar so far? What is your level of interest in teaching Physics? How is your TA experience going? Tell me a bit about a teacher that was an important influence in your life. What led you to Cornell? From the floor… Enter your name in the time slot when you schedule so I know who I will be talking to. This conversation will not affect your grade in the seminar.

Thought Ignition 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University3 20th Century & 21st Century Teachers.avi

"Just what is the Socratic Method, why should we use it, how does it work?" Just like that! The Socratic Method of Learning 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University4

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University5 Fred and Betty are found dead. On the floor is broken glass and water. What happened?

Thus, the Socratic Method is a conversation, a discussion, a time of questioning wherein two or more people assist one another in finding the answers to difficult questions. 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University6

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University7 Let’s focus on the questions. In groups of 2-4 come up with a list of questions that you could ask someone about the rock that is given to you. Try to come up with solid questions you could ask a student and record them on a piece of paper or in your journal.

Teaching by asking not telling 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University8

Teaching/Learning benefits of Socratic questioning method Ref.  Utilizes students innate curiosity and arouses their thinking  Makes teaching more interesting  Gives constant feedback on student’s understanding  No need for tests or quizzes to determine understanding o “…..a quiz whose point is teaching, not grading.”  Teaching by pulling ideas out of the students instead of pushing ideas in.  Immediate correction to misunderstandings  Learning environment takes on a “live” nature and not one with passive inefficiency. 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University9

Teaching from their questions. 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University10

“You can forget facts, but you can’t forget understanding.” - Prof Eric Mazur 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University11

Challenges to teaching through questioning  Very out-of-the-ordinary approach (must train the students).  Need to design and think through appropriate probing questions.  Must think about the logic of the topic being taught.  Need to know students prior knowledge and experiences.  Need to put student learning ahead of teacher presentation. 9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University12

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University13 Logically vs Psychologically LEading questions Logically: Require understanding of the concepts and principles involved in order to be answered correctly. Psychologically: Can be answered by students’ keying in on clues other than the logic of the content.

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University14 Convergent Problem solving (Closed response) Student brings information from a variety of experiences to get the “correct” answer. By definition, the students here are trying to answer the question, “What is…?”. eg. What is Newton’s first Law? What is the the mass of a proton? What is the speed of light? What is the speed of dark?

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University15 Divergent Problem solving (Open response) Characterized by having no one correct answer. The question is open to various responses. Students are asked, “What do you think…?” questions. eg. “How do you think scientists discovered the speed of light?”

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University16 Knuth and Peressini (Assigned article) In defining discourse: (Ref. Lotmans Text Within Text. Soviet Psychology 24 (1988): 32-51) (Closed question) Univocal – characterized by communication win which the listener receives the “exact” message that the speaker intends for the listener to receive. (Open question) Dialogic – generates meaning by using dialogue as a “thinking device”. This is the same thing as convergent and divergent questions. Right?

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University17 TASK: Develop a set of questions that can help students understand that acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s 2 at the top of projectile motion even though the vertical velocity = 0 m/s. ***Remember, you are not trying to get them to say that acceleration never changes. You are trying to get them to understand a very important concept relative to gravity.

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University18 Watch the following video……. Zero Gravity

9/8/2009J. Overhiser/ TIR Cornell University19 What happens if I drop this cup while water is pouring from the hole in the bottom? What happens if I toss this cup upward while water is pouring from the hole in the bottom? Problem 2:Problem 1: