Understanding Instructor Practices and Attitudes Towards the Use of Research-Based Instructional Strategies In Introductory College Physics

了解教师在大学物理入门中使用基于研究的教学策略的实践和态度

• 批准号: 0715698
• 负责人: Charles Henderson
• 金额: $ 33.11万
• 依托单位: Western Michigan University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-01-01 至 2012-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0715698&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Understanding; Instructor; Practices; Attitudes; Towards

Physics (13) A variety of Research-Based Instructional Strategies (RBIS)have been developed and tested extensively. Although these RBIS have been demonstrated to improve student learning, attitudes, and retention, among other things, little information exists about the extent to which they are actually being used by instructors. Anecdotal evidence and a few small-scale studies suggest that the level of use may be quite low. Even less information exists about why many instructors do not use RBIS. Have they not heard about these strategies? Are they happy with their current instruction and see no reason to change? Do they believe that they lack the skills necessary to implement the new strategies? In order to plan successful curriculum development and dissemination projects it is crucial to develop a better understanding of the current situation. The goal of this project is to understand the level of knowledge about, attitudes towards, and use of RBIS by instructors of introductory quantitative (i.e. calculus-based & algebra-based) physics courses. This is being accomplished in two phases through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. In Phase 1 a web-based survey is being administered to a random sample of approximately 1600 physics instructors stratified by type of institution. The web survey asks instructors to self-report their current level of knowledge about and use of RBIS. In Phase 2, telephone interviews with 96 instructors focus on the two RBIS that are most widely known. These interviews focus on three types of instructors: (1) users of the RBIS, (2) former users of the RBIS, and (3) knowledgeable nonusers of the RBIS. The telephone interviews can provide qualitative data that can be used to answer how and why questions related to the use of RBIS. Intellectual Merit: This project seeks to increase the broader impacts of projects previously funded by programs such as CCLI. The data collected in this project is currently unavailable and is crucial for understanding the impact, limitations, and possibilities of recent curriculum development and dissemination efforts. The PI and Co-PI are active physics education researchers and are familiar with the range of RBIS currently available as well as issues related to the implementation of these strategies. The advisory committee consists of experienced curriculum developers and can help to ensure the usefulness of the project results. The findings can advance understanding not only in the context of introductory physics, but also across many fields. Broader Impacts: Curriculum developers and designers of professional development activities can use the results of this project to design curricula that are more likely to be adopted and professional development that is better able to provide instructors with the knowledge and skills they need to successfully improve their instruction. Ultimately, these more effective curriculum development and dissemination efforts can increase the number of instructors using RBIS. It should also be noted that many of the RBIS, while improving outcomes and reducing attrition for all students, have been shown to have a disproportionately positive effect on traditionally underrepresented groups such as women and ethnic minorities. The results of this project are being disseminated within the Physics Education Research Community as well as to the larger STEM Educational Research Community, curriculum developers, and funding agencies. Because of their stature, the advisory committee helps to facilitate this process and is also expected to incorporate the results into their own curriculum development and dissemination efforts.

物理（13）各种研究为基础的教学策略（RBIS）已被开发和广泛测试。虽然这些RBIS已被证明可以改善学生的学习，态度和保留，除其他外，很少有信息存在的程度，他们实际上是由教师使用。传闻证据和一些小规模的研究表明，使用水平可能相当低。关于为什么许多教师不使用RBIS的信息甚至更少。难道他们没有听说过这些策略吗？他们对当前的指导感到满意并且认为没有理由改变吗？他们是否认为自己缺乏实施新战略所需的技能？为了规划成功的课程编制和传播项目，必须更好地了解目前的情况。该项目的目标是了解的知识水平，态度，并使用RBIS的教师介绍定量（即基于微积分的代数为基础的）物理课程。这项工作分两个阶段通过定量和定性相结合的方法来完成。在第一阶段，一个基于网络的调查正在管理一个随机抽样约1600物理教师分层的机构类型。网络调查要求教师自我报告他们目前对RBIS的知识和使用水平。在第二阶段，对96名教师进行了电话采访，重点是最广为人知的两个RBIS。这些访谈集中在三种类型的教师：（1）RBIS的用户，（2）RBIS的前用户，（3）RBIS的知识渊博的非用户。电话访谈可以提供定性数据，用来回答如何和为什么使用区域预算制度的问题。智力价值：该项目旨在增加以前由CCLI等项目资助的项目的更广泛影响。该项目收集的数据目前尚不可用，但对于了解最近课程开发和传播工作的影响、局限性和可能性至关重要。PI和Co-PI是活跃的物理教育研究人员，熟悉目前可用的RBIS范围以及与这些战略实施有关的问题。咨询委员会由经验丰富的课程编制人员组成，可以帮助确保项目成果的实用性。这些发现不仅可以在入门物理学的背景下，而且可以在许多领域中促进理解。更广泛的影响：专业发展活动的课程开发者和设计者可以利用本项目的成果来设计更有可能被采用的课程，以及更能够为教师提供成功改进教学所需的知识和技能的专业发展。最终，这些更有效的课程开发和传播工作可以增加使用RBIS的教员人数。还应该指出，许多RBIS在改善所有学生的成果和减少自然减员的同时，对妇女和少数民族等传统上代表性不足的群体产生了不成比例的积极影响。该项目的成果正在物理教育研究社区以及更大的STEM教育研究社区，课程开发人员和资助机构中传播。由于咨询委员会的地位，它们将帮助促进这一进程，并将把结果纳入它们自己的课程编制和传播工作。