Developing Large-Enrollment, Guided-Inquiry, Conceptual Physics Course

主要的项目目标是开发一个学期的概念物理课程，适合于大型招生班级，由学习研究指导，特别适合未来的小学教师和其他非科学专业。新课程（称为大招生物理，或LEP）建立在三个以前的NSF支持的课程：物理和日常思维（PET），物理科学和日常思维（PSET），和学习物理科学（LEPS）。PET和PSET设计用于小型入组设置。LEPS是为大型招生班级设计的，但侧重于物理科学（物理和化学），许多物理系不为非科学专业提供这样的课程。拟议的项目包括课程开发、试点测试和评估。教师材料包括一套PowerPoint幻灯片，以指导全班的调查，包括点击问题和嵌入式电影，以显示演示，实验和模拟。学生材料包括课堂上的课程表，以记录点击问题的答案，课堂视频中的数据，并提出有意义的问题，以及在线家庭作业活动，一些包括动手探索，一些涉及解释的构建和评估。除了专注于物理学的基本概念外，LEP还包括专注于科学性质和学习性质的具体活动。将有四个试点测试和评估学生的影响。 本项目开发的课程（1）满足了大规模招生的普通教育物理课程的需要，重点是基本内容和科学性质/学习主题的性质，（2）使用最近的科学学习研究，（3）基于非常成功的课程（PET），（4）使用成功地将PSET适应LEPS的方法开发。在小班环境中取得成功的教学策略正在适应大班环境。新的和现有的技术工具正在被纳入课堂和家庭作业。项目前/项目后评估提供了关于学生对物理概念理解的影响以及他们对物理、科学性质（NOS）和学习性质（NOL）的信念和态度的数据。项目团队对项目的所有组成部分都有经验，包括课程开发，NOS和NOL教学，教育技术以及在教育中使用视频。该项目直接影响到三所院校的约550名学生。试点测试地点包括大量代表性不足的群体。LEP促进科学思维的发展，使这些非科学的学生可以变得更加科学素养。一部分学生是未来的小学教师，课程对科学基本概念主题、科学的性质和学习的性质的关注应该有助于他们成为更有效的教师。在项目结束时，LEP课程将准备进一步的实地测试，导致出版。出版和继续传播将影响更多的学生后，资助期。通过发展和评估过程，该项目继续探索以探究模式教授大班的新方法，并具有明确的NOS和NOL组件。该项目完成了一套课程治疗物理学和物理科学在大型和小型招生设置，从而允许大规模和小型招生版本的广泛比较。

The main project goal is to develop a one-semester conceptual physics curriculum suitable for large enrollment classes that is guided by research on learning, and is especially appropriate for prospective elementary teachers and other non-science majors. The new curriculum (referred to as Large Enrollment Physics, or LEP) builds on three previous NSF-supported curricula: Physics and Everyday Thinking (PET), Physical Science and Everyday Thinking (PSET), and Learning Physical Science (LEPS). PET and PSET were designed for small enrollment settings. LEPS was designed for large enrollment classes, but focuses on physical science (physics and chemistry), and many physics departments do not offer such a course for non-science majors. The proposed project includes curriculum development, pilot testing, and evaluation. Instructor materials consist of a set of PowerPoint slides to guide whole-class inquiry, including clicker questions and embedded movies to show demonstrations, experiments, and simulations. Student materials include in-class lesson sheets to record answers to clicker questions, data from the classroom videos, and making sense questions, as well as on-line homework activities, some including hands-on explorations and some involving the construction and evaluation of explanations. In addition to focusing on fundamental concepts in physics, LEP also includes specific activities that focus on the nature of science and the nature of learning. There will be four pilot tests and assessments of student impacts. Intellectual Merit The curriculum developed in this project (1) meets the need for a large enrollment general education physics course focused on fundamental content and nature of science/nature of learning themes, (2) uses recent research on science learning, (3) is based on a very successful curriculum (PET), and (4) is developed using the approach that successfully adapted PSET to LEPS. Pedagogical strategies shown to be successful in a small class environment are being adapted for the large class setting. New and existing technological tools are being incorporated in class and homework. Pre/post project assessments are providing data about the impact on students' conceptual understanding of physics and on their beliefs and attitudes about physics, the nature of science (NOS), and the nature of learning (NOL). The project team is experienced with all components of the project, including curriculum development, NOS and NOL instruction, educational technology, and using video in education. Broader Impacts This project directly impacts about 550 students at three institutions. The pilot test sites include large populations of underrepresented groups. LEP facilitates development of scientific thinking so that these non-science students can become more scientifically literate. A subset of the students are prospective elementary teachers, and the curriculum's focus on fundamental conceptual themes in science, the nature of science and the nature of learning should help them become more effective teachers. At the project's end, the LEP curriculum will be ready for further field testing, leading to publication. Publication and continued dissemination will impact many more students after the funding period. Through the development and assessment process, this project continues to explore new ways to teach large enrollment classes in an inquiry mode and with an explicit NOS and NOL component. This project completes a suite of curricula treating physics and physical science in large and small enrollment settings, thereby allowing an extensive comparison of the large and small enrollment versions.