Creating Innovative Physics Learning Environments in the Urban Classroom

该项目的目标是：(1)在城市大学和邻近的社区学院中，提高所有学生在以代数和微积分为基础的物理入门课程和天文学课程中的学习水平；(2)让本科科学专业的学生参与创新教材的实施、评估和创作；(3)记录通过使用多种评估工具促进学生学习的实施效果，并将这些结果传播给物理教师和教育研究人员。该项目采用了目前由Kanim， Loverude和Ortiz开发的材料，作为NSF资助的入门物理研究实验室项目的一部分。这些材料仔细地将概念理解与实验室实验和观察结合起来。该项目对第一学期和第二学期物理课程中使用的材料进行了批判性的审视，并对其进行了修订。不同机构的其他物理学家被邀请对这些材料进行试点测试。该项目还在第三学期以微积分为基础的物理课程以及普通教育天文学课程中开发和试点测试一些活动。此外，该项目还与该地区的社区学院合作，为类似的学生群体提供服务。目前，这一学科领域的研究性教学材料很少，也没有在城市学生中广泛使用。该项目基于完善的、经过充分测试的课程。私家侦探们正在利用他们调查学生对物理理解的经验。这项工作得到了精心设计的评估的支持，以确定学生仍然存在的困难领域，以便进一步完善课程。该项目针对的是在大学和当地社区学院学习物理学和天文学入门课程的学生，主要是来自科学领域代表性不足的学生。正在记录和传播执行的有效性。项目完成后，将会有一套经过良好测试的材料，包括实验室、迷你实验室、互动ppt讲座和教学策略，这些都已被证明可以促进学生群体的理解。

Physics (13) The goals of the project are: (1) to improve learning for all students in the introductory algebra-based and calculus-based physics and in the astronomy classes at an urban university and neighboring community colleges, (2) to involve undergraduate science majors in the implementation, assessment, and creation of innovative teaching materials, and (3) to document the effectiveness of the implementation in promoting student learning through the use of multiple assessment instruments and to disseminate these results to the community of physics teachers and education researchers. The project is adapting materials currently being developed by Kanim, Loverude, and Ortiz as part of the Research-based Laboratories in Introductory Physics project funded by NSF. These materials carefully integrate conceptual understanding with laboratory experiments and observations. The project is looking critically at the materials being used in the semester I and semester II physics courses and revising them. Other physicists at different institutions are being invited to pilot test the materials. The project is also developing and pilot testing a number of activities in the semester III calculus-based physics course as well as in the general education astronomy course. In addition, the project is collaborating with community colleges in the area that serve a similar population of students. Currently, there are few research-based instructional materials in this subject area, and these have not been widely used with urban students. Intellectual Merit The project is based on well-established, well-tested curricula. The PIs are building on their experience investigating student understanding of physics. The work is supported by a carefully designed assessment in order to pinpoint areas in which student difficulties still exist so that the curriculum can be further refined. Broader Impact This project targets students in introductory physics and astronomy courses at the university and the local community colleges, mostly students from populations not well-represented in the sciences. The effectiveness of the implementation is being documented and disseminated. Upon completion of the project there will be a set of well-tested materials including laboratories, mini-labs, interactive PowerPoint Lectures, and pedagogical strategies that have been shown to promote understanding for this student population.