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

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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.