Adaption and Implementation of Modeling Instruction to a Life Science-Based College Introductory Physics Course

跨学科 (99) 新英格兰大学致力于在其物理入门课程中调整和实施互动参与策略。这个为期三年的项目通过为期两个学期的物理学服务课程为大批生命和健康科学本科生提供服务，这将对他所在大学的生命科学课程产生影响。该提案提供了一套将物理学与参与该项目的其他本科院系（解剖学、生物学、化学和微生物学）相结合的综合概念。该项目包括指导缅因州波特兰当地新英格兰大学教职员工和在职高中科学教师使用经过验证的教学工具。这些教师将在实验室和讲座序列的持续调整和实施中发挥重要作用。这种教学方法的核心是 David Hestenes 的“高中物理建模教学”，这是一项由 NSF 资助、在亚利桑那州立大学开展的全国性项目。建模包括描述性、图形、数学和图表表示，以及基于实验室和演示的建构主义学习方法，采用了美国各地物理教育研究小组的许多最佳元素。学生在课堂和实验室中进行苏格拉底式对话，以解决他们的误解并促进更准确的物理图像。动手指导的实验室活动首先介绍简单的模型，然后在讲座中进行强化。正在通过安装基于微电脑的实验室设备来改进实验室，以改善学生的学习。该项目还将通过实施暑期实验室讲师教育计划、彻底改革入门实验室以及跟上技术发展来改进课程。作为技术与入门课程内容整合的一个例子，第二学期的学生将通过原子力显微镜的远程操作来检查物质的原子性质。 PI 在学年和暑假期间从一群感兴趣的教师和在职高中物理教师中对实验室教师进行培训。评价是通过对不同教学方法下学生的学习情况进行定量比较来进行的。

Interdisciplinary (99) The University of New England is engaged in adapting and implementing interactive engagement strategies into its introductory physics sequence. This three-year project is serving a large undergraduate life and health sciences student body through a two-semester service course in physics that will have impact across the life science curriculum at his university. The proposal provides a set of integrated concepts wedding physics with other undergraduate departments participating in this project -- anatomy, biology, chemistry, and microbiology. The project involves instructing UNE faculty and in-service high school science teachers in the Portland Maine locality to use proven instructional tools. These faculty will play an essential role in continued adaptation and implementation in both the lab and lecture sequence. At the core of this teaching approach is David Hestenes' "Modeling Instruction for High School Physics," a nation-wide NSF-funded effort housed at Arizona State University. Modeling includes descriptive, graphical, mathematical, and diagrammatic representations, as well as laboratory and demonstration-based constructivist learning methods, adopting many of the best elements from physics education research groups around the US. Students are engaged in Socratic dialog both in lecture and laboratory to address their misconceptions and promote more accurate physical pictures. Hands-on, guided laboratory activities first introduce simple models that are later reinforced in lecture. Laboratory improvement is being implemented through the installation of microcomputer-based laboratory equipment for improved student learning. This project will also achieve improvements in the curriculum by implementing an education program for summer laboratory instructors, overhauling introductory laboratories, and keeping abreast of technological developments. As an example of technological integration with introductory course content, students in the second semester will examine the atomic nature of matter through remote operation of an atomic force microscope. The PI is educating laboratory instructors from a pool of interested faculty and in-service high school physics instructors both during the academic year and the summer. Evaluation is being conducted by a quantitative comparison of student learning under different teaching methods.