Thinking in Physics

物理学（13）.该项目为学生提供帮助，以提高他们的推理能力，态度和学习信念，以建立在干成功的职业生涯的基础。该项目是：1）创建教学材料和方法，将用于培养学生的推理能力; 2）提高学生的推理能力，学习信念和物理概念理解的措施上的教学后表现; 3）提高STEM学生的保留率和平均成绩。该项目开发适合大学生的教学材料和方法，这些材料和方法基于通过科学教育（CASE），Feuerstein的工具丰富（FIE）和数值关系（NR）程序的认知加速。智力优势：理解物理基本概念和较强的科学推理能力是理工科学生必备的素质。该项目提供了以原创，创造性的方式建立这些关键特征的方法。PI和Co-PI拥有广泛的认知发展知识，如何评估它，以及它与物理概念理解的联系。外部顾问是物理教育研究、认知发展和该领域现有项目的专家。该项目融合了基于研究的教学法和评估。更广泛的影响：该项目对社会有很大的潜在好处，使许多学生，包括代表性不足的群体的成员，在科学和工程方面的职业生涯成为可能，否则他们可能会发现大学水平的科学课程非常困难。项目的影响将通过为大学教员举办的地方讲习班、在全国会议上的介绍、在同行评审的期刊上发表文章以及分发网络材料等方式广泛传播。

Physics (13). This project provides help for students to improve their reasoning skills, attitudes, and beliefs about learning in order to build the foundation for successful careers in STEM. The project is: 1) creating instructional materials and methods that will be used to develop students' reasoning skills; 2) improving students' post instruction performance on measures of reasoning ability, beliefs about learning, and conceptual understanding in physics; and 3) improving retention rates and grade point averages of STEM students. This project develops instructional material and methods appropriate for college students that are based upon the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE), Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment, (FIE), and Numerical Relationships (NR) programs. Intellectual Merit: Both understanding of basic concepts in physics and strong scientific reasoning ability are essential for science and engineering majors. This project provides the means to build these critical characteristics in an original, creative way. The PI and Co-PI have extensive knowledge of cognitive development, how to assess it, and its connection to conceptual understanding in physics. The external consultants are experts in physics education research, cognitive development, and an extant program in this field. The project blends research-based pedagogy and assessment. Broader Impact: The project has great potential benefit to society by making careers in science and engineering possible for many students including members of underrepresented groups who might otherwise find college-level science courses very difficult. The project impact will be broadly disseminated through local workshops for college instructors, presentations at national conferences, publications in peer reviewed journals, and distribution of web-based materials.