chris meyer, york mills c.i. [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
Chris Meyer, York Mills [email protected]
Richard Feynmann, from the introduction to his set of lectures for the first year physics survey course (180 students) at Caltech.
The Feynmann Lectures in Physics (pg. 5)
“The question, of course, is how well this experiment [his introductory course] has succeeded. My own point of view – which, however, does not seem to be shared by most of the people who worked with the students – is pessimistic. I don’t think I did very well by the students. When I look at the way the majority of the students handled the problems on the examinations, I think that the system is a failure. Of course, my friends point out to me that there were one or two dozen students who – very surprisingly – understood almost everything in all of the lectures, and who were quite active in working with the material and worrying about the main points in an excited and interested way. These people have now, I believe, a first-rate background in physics – and they are, after all, the ones I was trying to get at. But then, “The power of instruction is seldom of much efficacy except in those happy dispositions where it is almost superfluous.” (Gibbons)”
Why change?In a traditional lecture, how many students
do we engage?What proportion of class time do students
spend wrestling with physics ideas?How much writing or talking do they do
about physics in their own words?How much feedback do students get to guide
their understanding of physics concepts?What have they learned to help them solve
more than a plug’n’chug type problem?
Universities noticed poor results from traditional teaching practices
Student understanding explored and quantitatively measured, and practices refined
Variety of techniques developed (Redish, Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite)
Physics Education Research
Quantified Success
From: Redish, Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite
The Social Learning PrincipleFor most individuals, learning is most
effectively carried out via social interactions
MIT – Introductory PhysicsImplementations
U of T PracticalsImplementations
Show me the goods!Sounds great - how to pull
this off?
Teacher lecture Student group learningCookbook activities / labs Guided-inquiry activities
Content: broad and shallow Deep and focusedPlug’n’chug problems Context-rich problem solving
Furious note-taking Careful textbook readingDescribing Explaining
Change!
The good news: I have done most of
this for you.
Less is MoreLess content is covered,
but in more depthEach idea explored from
many anglesResearch shows having
fewer, but solid, pillars of understanding in no way harms their education
Question yourself - What is the purpose of racing through what they don’t understand?
Target the Whole ClassTraditional Teaching = Sputnik Model
Find the best of the best fast and educate them as quickly as possible
Reformed Teaching = Life Sciences ModelAn increasing number of disciplines need core
physics knowledge and skills to prosper in 21st century
From the Toronto
Star
“The trouble with biologists in the academic world is they are trained to work on their own,” says Edwards. “Ray, by contrast, was trained as an engineer to work in teams, to problem solve.”
Group WorkStructure the course around
groupsProvide explicit training in
the good function and management of groups
Provide opportunities for critical reflection of group work skills
Devote energy to daily coaching of groups
Get whiteboards
Group StructureSize: 3 people, rarely 4 or 2Gender: MMM, FFF, FFM,
rarely MMFGroup Roles: Manager,
Recorder, SpeakerComposition: a strong,
medium and weak studentRotation: Groups change
every major unit (3-4 weeks)
Seating: Always face-to-face
Table
human human
human
Change Your RoleModerator and socratic “inquisitor” of group
activitiesFacilitate class discussions
Provide summaries, clarifications and tips
Transform the LessonsLectures are largely
gone or are at most 10 minute intros
Guided-inquiry activities - introduce and explore new ideas
Problem solving challenges - reinforce and apply concepts
The Physics ChallengeCGPS: The Scale Challenge!
Do not write on this page! You will need:
One incline, One retort stand, One test-tube clamp, One small object (m < 200 g) Brains
Set up your incline at any angle between 25o and 40o. Your teacher will place a digital balance scale on your incline with your object resting on it. Predict the reading of the scale in grams. Show the results of your calculations before the test! Bonus How would your prediction change if the object and the scale were free to slide down the incline while making the reading?
Redesign HomeworkHomework consists of:Textbook note-taking:
extend or formalize understanding from the day’s activities
Problems: a few well-chosen problems that further the understanding of concepts – limit the plug’n’chug
A thing not worth doing is not worth doing well.
Reassess the EvaluationEvaluation must reflect the
goals of the new course.
Evaluate:basic skillsquality of physics writing
and explanationsunderstanding of
conceptsgenuine problem solving
The Measure of Success• Much greater student
engagement across all mark ranges
• 60 minutes of hard work per class
• Emphasis on writing• Direct, face-to-face
probing of student understanding
How to Start?For the full set of Gr. 12
activities and teacher resources, go to:
www.meyercreations.com
Resources• The Physics Suitehttp://www2.physics.umd.edu/~redish/Book/• Cooperative Group Problem Solvinghttp://groups.physics.umn.edu/physed/Research/CGPS/
GreenBook.html• Workshop Physicshttp://physics.dickinson.edu/~wp_web/
wp_homepage.html• Tutorials in Physics Sense-Makinghttp://www2.physics.umd.edu/~elby/CCLI/index.html• U of T Practicalshttp://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/Practicals/• Tutorials in Introductory Physicshttp://www.phys.washington.edu/groups/peg/tut.html
How to Start?For the full set of class
activities and teacher resources, go to:
www.meyercreations.comTry out individual activities
Try one whole unit Go all the way! Arrange a visit
Need help? [email protected]