Transforming Introductory Physics at a Large Research University

四分之一世纪的物理教育研究已经充分证明，传统的物理教学方法（即在没有学生积极参与的情况下讲课）在实现大学教师为学生设定的学习目标方面是无效的。失败不在于学生或教师，而在于教学方法。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，以可持续的方式转变UNC-CH的物理入门教学，并提供一个其他部门可以实现这种转变的模型。一组教师（包括来自北卡罗来纳农工大学的参与者）。和阿拉巴马a&m大学)正在选择一套交互式教学方法用于所有入门课程，并准备了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，使高质量的物理入门教学长期可持续。没有教过这些课程的教师可以有效地完成这些课程，而不会影响他们完成其他研究任务和高等物理教育的能力。知识价值。本项目引入系物理导论教学的教学技巧，这些技巧已被严格的实证方法证明是有效的。因此，它每学期帮助600多名学生对物理学的基本概念有了更深入、更连贯的理解，并能够在各种各样的环境中更有效地应用这些概念。学生们也从他们（通常是唯一的）物理课程中获得了更积极、更准确的对学科及其相关性的看法。更广泛的影响。一个大型研究型大学物理系在没有本土物理教育研究团队的推动下，在没有外部资源重大威胁的情况下，彻底转变其导论教学是不常见的。因此，该项目可作为其他此类部门效仿的榜样。那些希望进行类似转变的人可以利用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，但资源有限的学校可以利用联合国儿童基金会采用的具体教学材料。更广泛地说，该项目为一所主要研究型大学如何对大量招生课程进行全面转型提供了一个模式。这种制度转型模式同样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.