Transforming Introductory Physics at a Large Research University

物理(13)经过四分之一个世纪的物理教育研究，传统的物理教学方法(即没有学生积极参与的讲课)在实现大学教师为学生设定的学习目标方面是无效的。失败不是学生或教师的问题，而是教学方法的失败。该项目的目的是通过在所有课程中引入一套互动参与方法，以可持续的方式改变北卡罗来纳大学--CH大学的入门物理教学，并提供一个其他部门可以实现这种转变的模式。一组教员(包括来自北卡罗来纳A&T州立大学的参与者。和阿拉巴马农工大学)正在选择一套用于所有入门课程的互动式教学方法，并准备一套详细的教学材料(主要是通过改编方法开发者提供的现有材料)。开发一套供所有教师使用的通用教材(基于互动参与)，再加上指导和教师发展，使高质量的入门物理教学长期可持续。没有教授这些课程的教职员工能够有效地完成这些课程，而不会影响他们完成研究和高等物理教育的其他任务的能力。这个项目引入了本系的入门物理教学技术，这些技术已经被严格的经验方法证明是有效的。因此，它每学期帮助600多名学生更深入和更连贯地理解物理学的基本概念，并能够在各种不同的背景下更有效地应用它们。学生在学完物理课程后，也会对这门学科及其关联性有更积极、更准确的看法。一个主要的研究型大学物理系在没有本土物理教育研究小组的催化剂或其资源受到重大外部威胁的情况下，完全改变其入门教学是不常见的。因此，该项目是其他此类部门效仿的典范。那些希望进行类似转变的人可以利用该项目早期阶段产生的教学方法的全面汇编和评价。那些希望使用更有效的教学方法，但资源有限的人，可以利用北卡罗来纳大学--联合国儿童基金会采用的形式的具体教学材料。更广泛地说，该项目提供了一个模式，说明如何在一所主要的研究型大学对一系列招生人数较大的课程进行全面改造。这种机构转型的模式也适用于其他学科和其他机构。

Physics (13) It has been well established by a quarter-century of physics education research that the traditional method of physics teaching (i.e. lecturing without active student engagement) is ineffective at achieving the learning goals that university faculty have for their students. The failure is not that of the students or the instructor, but of the method of instruction. The purpose of this project is to transform introductory physics teaching at UNC-CH in a sustainable way by the introduction of a set of interactive engagement methods in all courses, and to provide a model by which other departments can effect such a transformation. A group of faculty (including participants from North Carolina A&T State University. and Alabama A&M University) is selecting a set of interactive pedagogical methods to be used in all introductory courses, and preparing a set of detailed instructional materials (primarily by adaptation of existing materials made available by the developers of the methods). The development of a common set of teaching materials (based on interactive engagement) for all instructors to use, coupled with mentoring and faculty development, makes high-quality introductory physics teaching sustainable in the long term. Faculty members who have not taught these courses are able to do so effectively, without compromising their ability to accomplish the other missions of research and advanced physics education.Intellectual merit. This project introduces into the department's introductory physics teaching pedagogical techniques that have been shown to be effective by rigorous empirical methods. It therefore helps over 600 students each semester achieve a deeper and more coherent understanding of the fundamental concepts of physics, and be able to apply them more effectively in a wide variety of contexts. The students also come away from their (often only) physics course with a more positive, and more accurate, view of the subject and its relevance.Broader impact. It is uncommon for a major research university physics department to totally transform its introductory teaching without the catalyst of either an indigenous physics education research group or a major external threat to its resources. The project therefore serves as a model for other such departments to follow. Those that wish to make a similar transformation could make use of the comprehensive compilation and evaluation of pedagogical methods that result from the early stages of the project. Those that wish to use more effective pedagogy, but that have only limited resources, can make use of the specific instructional materials in the forms adapted by UNC-CH. More broadly, the project offers a model for how a comprehensive transformation of a set of large enrollment courses can be carried out at a major research university. This model of institutional transformation is applicable to other disciplines and other institutions.