1. Sissi L. Li Oregon State University ORAAPT 2011 Spring Linn-Benton Community College March 12, 2010

2. What is this?

3. What’s a physicist?  What do physicists do ?  How do you identify a physicist?  How do you become a physicist?  Are you a physicist?

4. Nature of doing and talking science Students in interactive engagement physics classes tend to have higher normalized conceptual gains.Students in interactive engagement physics classes tend to have higher normalized conceptual gains. Scientific claims are supported by evidenceScientific claims are supported by evidence Peer discussion can improve students’ conceptual understanding– even when no one in the group originally knows the right answerPeer discussion can improve students’ conceptual understanding– even when no one in the group originally knows the right answer Traditional < 0.3 Interactive engagement 0.4~0.7 @ OSU, steady 0.4

5. Fostering Discussion in the Science Classroom Activities designed to promote positive interdependence and individual accountability. Activities designed to promote positive interdependence and individual accountability. Voting system provides stimulus and incentive for discussion. Voting system provides stimulus and incentive for discussion. Consistently prompting students to work together. Consistently prompting students to work together.

6. Fostering Discussion in the Science Classroom— Methods used by Successful Practitioners Expose students to risk-free environment– “uncomfortable but safe” Expose students to risk-free environment– “uncomfortable but safe” Encourage students to question and share their ideas Encourage students to question and share their ideas Construct identities for students as “sensemakers.” Construct identities for students as “sensemakers.” Empower students by having them lead class discussions at times, offering options Empower students by having them lead class discussions at times, offering options

7. Research Questions 1.How does student participation in small group discussion activities change over a term and over an academic year? 2.In what ways does do students discuss physics during the activity? 3.How do student discourse reflect their development as physics learners?

8. Setting: Lecture classroom

9. Participation throughout the Year Fall ’08 Winter ‘09 Spring ‘09

10. Data Intro Lit. Review Method Data Analysis Conclusion Participation throughout the Year Fall ’08 Winter ‘09 Spring ‘09

11. Data Intro Lit. Review Method Data Analysis Conclusion Participation throughout the Year Fall ’08 Winter ‘09 Spring ‘09

12. Data Intro Lit. Review Method Data Analysis Conclusion Student Reasoning Heard by Class Percent of Activities after which Students Explained Reasoning Fall 2008Winter 2009Spring 2009Academic Year Remodeled50%55%47%50% Traditional70%46%73%56% Average Participation (Percent Active plus Percent Mix) Fall 2008Winter 2009Spring 2009Academic Year Remodeled70.4%50.8%53.8%57.5% Traditional74.6%45.3%31.7%47.8%

13. Empowerment through shared authority One student in a group asked a question too softly for the teacher to hear. T: Hmm? S1: Will the bullet have a trajectory like that or will it just go straight? S2: The bullet’s gonna drop a little bit… S1: Yeah. T: It will drop a little bit. So you are both right, the bullet’s gonna slow down but does that tell us what’s going to happen? Authority to teacher, asking for the ‘right answer’ Student taking authority to express understanding Student validating S2’s right to answer in place of the teacher Teacher taking authority but also validating both students’ ideas and return meaning making to the students with question

14. During student discourse with peers Context : 14

15. SpeakerDiscourseS2 We just need to define this… S1 …the states. So initial is… exactly what it says, just after leaving the roof. [S2 writes] S3 [to himself] Well initial and final would be the same… but… S1 [to S2] And then you have to state the origin is… the ground. S3 [to himself] … initial and final… potential and kinetic doesn’t have to be a different story. S1 All potential… S2 All potential is… S4 At the top… S1 You’re assuming it’s not rolling off with speed. S3 It’s at the very edge so it’s not sliding off the roof, it’s just tipped over. S1 Right. [turns face to nod and acknowledge S3’s comment] 15

16. SpeakerDiscourseS3 Ok the system would be… the cat and the ground. [pause] Well the cat and the Earth obviously. And the roof is pretty much… S3 [turns to S1 who turns to face S3] Would the system be the… I know it’s the cat and Earth at least, but would the… roof be part of the system or… S1 It wouldn’t need to be. S3Yeah… S1 Cause the only thing interacting is the cat with the ground, with the Earth due to gravity. S3Yeah. 16

17. S1 That’s our only interaction. We’re going… S3 It’s pretty much just the position and place. [pause] Doesn’t add or take anything away from it, except just gives it a position for the cat to be on. S1 It is what gives the cat the initial potential energy. S3Yeah. S1 Cause the cat got up there. That’s what it amounts to. If you get up there you’ve expended energy, you have to gain that back to get back down. SpeakerDiscourse

18. Summary  Participation was observed to shift from more “mixed” to more “passive” over time  Instructor facilitation plays a role in supporting scientific discourse and physics learning identity  Students adapt practices and ways of talking & reasoning like a physicist through discourse with peers