Modeling Instruction in High School and College Physics

本项目旨在完善和检验一种新的教学方法，以提高物理概论教学的有效性。这些方法有两个主要特点：1)系统地挑战对物理世界的常识误解，2)强调模型和建模是物理理解的基础。该方法的两个版本将进行测试。第一个版本是专门为高中物理设计的。它强调学生发展明确的模型来解释实验活动。在初步测试后，这个版本将在暑期教师增强工作坊中教授给高中物理教师，并将评估其对后续教学的影响。既有弱背景也有强背景的教师将被包括在内。将作出特别努力，将女性和少数民族包括在内。第二个版本将在一门专门的大学物理课程中进行测试，该课程旨在为背景较弱的学生准备一门基于微积分的标准物理课程。它强调问题解决中的建模技术。该项目由材料开发、研究和非正式科学教育司和教师培训和提高司联合支持。

This project is aimed at perfecting and testing a new instructional method to improve the effectiveness of introductory physics teaching. the methods has two chief characteristics: 1) a systematic challenge to common sense misconceptions about the physical world, and 2) an emphasis on models and modeling as basic to physical understanding. Two versions of the method will be tested. The first version is designed especially for high school physics. It emphasizes student development of explicit models to interpret laboratory activities. After an initial test, this version will be taught to high school physics teachers in a summer Teacher Enhancement Workshop, and its effect on their subsequent teaching will be evaluated. Teachers with weak as well as strong backgrounds will be included. A special effort will be made to include females and minorities. The second version will be tested in a special college physics course designed to prepare students with weak backgrounds for a standard calculus based physics course. It emphasizes modeling techniques in problem solving. This project is jointly supported by the Division of Materials development, Research and Informal Science Education and the Division of Teacher Preparation and Enhancement.