Investigating The Applicability Of Activity-Based Quantum Mechanics In A Few High School Physics Classrooms
Lawrence Todd Escalada, Ph.D. Dissertation, 1997
Quantum physics is not traditionally introduced in high school physics courses because of the level of abstraction and mathematical formalism associated with the subject. As part of the Visual Quantum Mechanics project, activity-based instructional units have been developed that introduce quantum principles to students who have limited backgrounds in physics and mathematics. This study investigates the applicability of one unit, Solids & Light, that introduces quantum principles within the context of learning about light emitting diodes. An observation protocol, attitude surveys, and questionnaires were used to examine the implementation of materials and student-teacher interactions in various secondary physics classrooms. Aspects of Solids & Light including the use of hands-on activities, interactive computer programs, inexpensive materials, and the focus on conceptual understanding were very applicable in the various physics classrooms observed. Both teachers and students gave these instructional strategies favorable ratings in motivating students to make observations and to learn. These ratings were not significantly affected by gender or students’ attitudes towards physics or computers. Solids & Light was applicable in terms of content and teaching style for some teachers. However, a mismatch of teaching styles between some instructors and the unit posed some problems in determining applicability. Observations indicated that some instructors were not able to utilize the exploratory instructional strategy of Solids & Light. Thus, Solids & Light must include additional support necessary to make the instructor comfortable with the subject matter and pedagogical style. With these revisions, Solids & Light, will have all the key components to make its implementation in a high school physics classroom a successful one.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Cui, Rebello, Bennett: NARST Proceedings 2007
Assessing college students’ transfer of learning from calculus to physics using non-traditional problems
Lili Cui, N. Sanjay Rebello & Andrew G. Bennett Proceedings of the NARST 2007 Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA
This research investigated students’ transfer of learning from calculus courses to an introductory physics course using non-traditional physics Jeopardy problems. We used semi-structured think-aloud interviews to assess the extent to which students transfer their calculus knowledge when solving Jeopardy problems. Jeopardy problems present interviewees with an intermediate step in the form of a mathematical integration and ask students to come up with a physical scenario relevant to the integral provided. Results indicate that students often had difficulty taking apart the given problem and constructing the corresponding physics situation.
Lili Cui, N. Sanjay Rebello & Andrew G. Bennett Proceedings of the NARST 2007 Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA
This research investigated students’ transfer of learning from calculus courses to an introductory physics course using non-traditional physics Jeopardy problems. We used semi-structured think-aloud interviews to assess the extent to which students transfer their calculus knowledge when solving Jeopardy problems. Jeopardy problems present interviewees with an intermediate step in the form of a mathematical integration and ask students to come up with a physical scenario relevant to the integral provided. Results indicate that students often had difficulty taking apart the given problem and constructing the corresponding physics situation.
Hrepic, Zollman, Rebello: Journal of Science Education and Technology (2007)
Comparing Students’ and Experts’ Understanding
of the Content of a Lecture
Zdeslav Hrepic, Dean A. Zollman, and N. Sanjay Rebello Journal of Science Education and Technology 16, 213-224 (2007)
In spite of advances in physics pedagogy, the lecture is by far the most widely used format of instruction. We investigated students’ understanding and perceptions of the content delivered during a physics lecture. A group of experts (physics instructors) also participated in the study as a reference for the comparison. During the study, all participants responded to a written conceptual survey on sound propagation. Next, they looked for answers to the survey questions in a videotaped lecture by a nationally known teacher. As they viewed the lecture, they indicated instances, if any, in which the survey questions were answered during the lecture. They also wrote down (and if needed, later explained) the answer, which they perceived was given by the instructor in the video lecture. Students who participated in the study were enrolled in a conceptual physics course and had already covered the topic in class before the study. We discuss and compare students’ and experts’ responses to the survey questions before and after the lecture.
of the Content of a Lecture
Zdeslav Hrepic, Dean A. Zollman, and N. Sanjay Rebello Journal of Science Education and Technology 16, 213-224 (2007)
In spite of advances in physics pedagogy, the lecture is by far the most widely used format of instruction. We investigated students’ understanding and perceptions of the content delivered during a physics lecture. A group of experts (physics instructors) also participated in the study as a reference for the comparison. During the study, all participants responded to a written conceptual survey on sound propagation. Next, they looked for answers to the survey questions in a videotaped lecture by a nationally known teacher. As they viewed the lecture, they indicated instances, if any, in which the survey questions were answered during the lecture. They also wrote down (and if needed, later explained) the answer, which they perceived was given by the instructor in the video lecture. Students who participated in the study were enrolled in a conceptual physics course and had already covered the topic in class before the study. We discuss and compare students’ and experts’ responses to the survey questions before and after the lecture.
Colicchia, Hopf, Wiesner, Zollman: The Physics Teacher (2008)
Pinhole Glasses
Giuseppe Colicchia, Martin Hopf, Hartmut Wiesner, Physics Education, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany & Dean Zollman, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, The Physics Teacher 46, 26-27 (2008)
Eye aberrations are commonly corrected by lenses that restore vision by altering rays before they pass through the cornea. Some modern promoters claim that pinhole glasses are better
than conventional lenses in correcting all kinds of refractive defects such as myopia (nearsighted), hyperopia (farsighted), astigmatisms, and presbyopia. Do pinhole glasses really give better vision? Some ways to use this question for motivation in teaching optics have been discussed.1 For this column we include a series of experiments that students can complete using a model of the eye and demonstrate issues related to pinhole vision correction.
Giuseppe Colicchia, Martin Hopf, Hartmut Wiesner, Physics Education, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany & Dean Zollman, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, The Physics Teacher 46, 26-27 (2008)
Eye aberrations are commonly corrected by lenses that restore vision by altering rays before they pass through the cornea. Some modern promoters claim that pinhole glasses are better
than conventional lenses in correcting all kinds of refractive defects such as myopia (nearsighted), hyperopia (farsighted), astigmatisms, and presbyopia. Do pinhole glasses really give better vision? Some ways to use this question for motivation in teaching optics have been discussed.1 For this column we include a series of experiments that students can complete using a model of the eye and demonstrate issues related to pinhole vision correction.
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