Development of Active-Learning Curricular Materials in Thermodynamics

物理(13)这个项目正在为热力学的学习创建新的主动学习课程材料，这将对初级和中级物理和化学的教学产生直接影响。创造这些新材料的动机是对学生学习的研究，该研究表明，仅使用课堂和标准复习和实验的教学对大多数学生对物理和化学基本概念的理解的增加相对较小。正在开发的材料可以描述为指导性探究习题集。它们都是精心设计的，既是为了引出学生在学习科目上常见的困难，然后是为了引导学生通过一系列紧密聚焦和具有战略顺序的问题和练习来正面面对这些困难。这些练习的一个重要特点是要求学生用简短的书面陈述解释他们的推理过程。在解决这些问题和练习的过程中，引导学生解决他们的困难和困惑，并牢牢掌握目标概念。教材包括紧密联系的一套(1)以高度互动的形式进行的简短的文本论述，(2)用于大班课堂交际系统的多项选择，以概念为导向的问题，(3)引导学生引出并解决概念困难的一系列结构化问题，以及(4)加强理解的练习。贯穿始终的重点将是定性推理和基本概念的掌握。大量的图片、图表和图形材料被结合在一起。通过在课堂上的持续使用和重新设计，结合对学生学习成果的评估，严格评估材料的有效性。计划成为高中教师的本科生将参与设计和测试过程，从而为他们未来的专业活动获得宝贵的准备。

Physics (13) This project is creating new active-learning curricular materials for the study of thermodynamics, which would have a direct impact on instruction both in physics and chemistry at the introductory and intermediate juniors level. The motivation for the creation of these new materials is research on student learning which suggests that instruction utilizing only lecture classes and standard recitations and labs results in relatively small increases in most students' understanding of fundamental concepts in physics and chemistry. The materials being developed can be described as guided-inquiry problem sets. They are carefully designed both to elicit common student difficulties regarding the subjects under study, and then to lead students to confront these difficulties head-on with a tightly focused and strategically sequenced series of questions and exercises. An integral feature of these exercises is to require students to explain their reasoning process with short written statements. In the course of working through these questions and exercises, students are guided to resolve their difficulties and confusion and to attain a firm grasp on the targeted concepts. The material consists of a tightly linked set of (1) brief textual expositions in highly "interactive" format, (2) multiple-choice, concept-oriented questions for use with classroom communication systems in large classes, (3) structured series of questions that lead students to elicit and then resolve conceptual difficulties, and finally (4) exercises to strengthen understanding. The emphasis throughout will be on qualitative reasoning and mastery of fundamental concepts. A great deal of pictorial, diagrammatic, and graphical material is incorporated. The effectiveness of the materials being rigorously assessed by continual in-class use and redesign, in conjunction with evaluation of student learning gains. Undergraduate students who plan to become high-school teachers are involved in the design and testing process, thereby gaining valuable preparation for their future professional activities.