Experiments with PER (Physics Education Research) Chris Meyer York Mills C. I.

Why Change? The poor results from my traditional lessons Question: What is the most valuable thing kids could be doing when brought together to learn physics?

PER Background Physics Education Research has been taking place for 20+ years Universities noticed poor results from traditional teaching practices Variety of techniques developed (Redish, Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite)

My Situation Had experimented with different PER strategies in a piecemeal way Needed to adapt university-based materials/designs Didn’t know how to pull off a full course

This Presentation How I structure the class How the activities run How I evaluate the students

A Day in the Life Homework Comparison (2 min.) Opening presentation (10 min.) Group Work Activity (60 min.) Daily Reading and Note Taking (30 min.) Problems (30 min.)

Opening Presentations Present only the essentials for the day’s activity Highlight an idea from the previous readings Give an alternate view / explanation based on readings or day’s activity

Group Activities Group structure based upon U of T Labs and U of Minnesota CGPS Guided inquiry activities (Workshop Physics, Physics Sense-Making) Physics challenges (CGPS) Marked for feedback (assessment) Individual quizzes for marks! (evaluation)

Group Structure U of T undergrad physics labs is piloting a redesigned course CGPS manual Our introduction to group work group work

Guided Inquiry Introduction to and focus on concepts “Open” inquiry lacks direction, students see different things than we do Only key calculations Compare with direct measurements Based on Workshop Physics (Priscilla Laws, Dickinson College) Based on Physics Sense-Making (Elby, U of Maryland) Based on Tutorials in Introductory Physics

Workshop Physics Major focus is interplay between observations and experiments, and the formalism of definitions and math (the process of science) Students need concrete experience with the phenomena Focus on smaller quantity of topics to learn thoroughly

Physics Sense-Making Our preconceptions are based on our life experience Not necessarily wrong Must learn how to reinterpret them in light of our growing physics understanding

Tutorials in Introductory Physics A series of instructional materials using very basic equipment or thought experiments Focus on physical concepts and reasoning skills

Physics Challenges Context-rich problems Must make something happen Reinforces connection between theory and reality Making Connections component of the course Based on Cooperative Group Problem Solving (Heller & Heller, U of Minnesota)Cooperative Group Problem Solving

Sample Challenges

CGPS Emphasis on: Planning a solution Abstraction of context-rich situation to physics idealization Translation of common speech to physics terminology I reinforce this with Fermi questions

Implementation Challenges Some students don’t like group workgroup work Some students don’t like to do anything Some students resist the extra structure for the homework or group workhomework Students feel lost without lectures

Evaluation Knowledge and Understanding 28% Tests Thinking and Inquiry 14% Group work quizzes Communication14% Tests (6%), group work quizzes (6%), note checks (2 %) Making Connections 14% Culminating Project (7%) and “Challenges” (7%) Exam30%

Success? Greater student engagement Increased emphasis on writing Daily tutoring Test results similar to past (but no FCI) Personal satisfaction

Resources The Physics Suite Cooperative Group Problem Solving Workshop Physics Tutorials in Physics Sense-Making U of T Undergrad Labs Tutorials in Introductory Physics