1. Modeling Assesments of Innovative Physics Courses ‘Modeling Assessments of InnovativePhysics Courses’ Response by Frits L Gravenberch (f.gravenberch@wxs.nl)f.gravenberch@wxs.nl Setting the scene About Frits –1965 – 1978 Physics Teacher in Secondary Science (integrated practical work in groups) –1978 – 1983 PLON (UU) (physics in themes) –1983 – 2001 National Institute for Curriculum Development, SLO (co-ordinated educational research) –Currently: Acting President of NVON (www.nvon.nl) (www.nvon.nl) (BOBO, OBO, Impresse)

2. Modeling Assesments of Innovative Physics Courses A limited view i.e. coming from –Expertise in (Upper) Secondary Science (and not Tertiary) –Expertise in curriculum development (not educational research or teacher training) based on information from the ‘grassroot level’ –A special interest in constraints for implementation

3. Modeling Assesments of Innovative Physics Courses Science in context Fuller c.s. in: ‘Introduction’: ‘It was anticipated that the experimental physics sections would help faculty and students focus on addressing ill-defined problems from the natural world.’ PLON –Motivation: “PLON materials indeed enhanced students’ interest in the new kind of teaching contexts and classroom activities”, –Concept development “… efforts to establish a considerable improvement in students’ concept development –compared to ‘common physics education at the time’- were not too successful

4. Modeling Assesments of Innovative Physics Courses Expanding the traditional curriculum with Fuller c.s. emphasized unique, diverse, and generalizable approaches to problem solving, e.g.: –‘Electronic Resources’ : …… the experimental activities were constructed so that students had opportunities to make maximum use of the CO- ROM's research potential and its capacity to aid unique, diverse, and generalizable approaches to problem solving –‘Curriculum Change’: …... activities that were designed to facilitate the development of broader professional skills grounded in critical thinking and problem solving. Our experiences to extend the traditional curriculum along similar lines illustrate that: efforts to innovate the science curriculum in these ways are not necessarily non-realistic but mostly very difficult to accomplish

5. Modeling Assesments of Innovative Physics Courses IT, Haarlemmer-oil for renovation of Science Ed.? Fuller c.s.: ‘Students' Perceptions of the Experimental Process: otechnology as a tool for studying physics added unwanted complexity’ osome student support for a practical, inquiry, activity-based, hands-on program declined oFrom Dutch experiences in curriculum projects we could add : o“Information techology skills” students did develop previously obviously are not too long lasting, o‘simple’ IT-infrastructure is hard to establish within general IT school environment however, is a very important border condition for success

6. Modeling Assesments of Innovative Physics Courses In summary This research work of Fuller c.s. illustrates many opportunities for IT also for secondary science teaching in the Netherlands IT however, is not the final solution for all problems in science teaching

7. Modeling Assesments of Innovative Physics Courses Epilogue Constraints of curriculum renovation short vs. long term effects –Succesful pilots with well motivated teachers who are assisted by educational researchers deliver mostly short term successes –curriculum innovation in the long term is only noticeable with ‘common’ teachers and students who could benefit from a variety of supportive facilities over a rather long period of time danger of internal blow up of the curriculum –Mind the pitfall to develop a new program by ‘simply’ adding new content elements to the already overloaded existing collection of concepts, laws and formulas.