Adaptation and Assessment of Workshop Physics and other Activity-Based Curricula in a Physics Course for Preservice Teachers

这个项目是在车间物理和其他活动为基础的课程的基础上开发一个改进的基于代数的物理入门课程序列。新的课程序列是针对职前大学预科科学教师，特别是物理教师，对他们来说，这门课程序列可能是他们接触物理的唯一途径。从标准的入门课程到力学、波与声、光、电与磁的覆盖范围略有减少，现代物理学的处理仅限于电子和放射性。讲座被直接观察和指导下的合作探究所取代。在可能的情况下，使用基于计算机的实验室和视频捕获和分析来模拟现实世界的现象。每个学生小组每学期完成一次独立调查，并使用演示软件和硬件向全班进行口头报告。新课程旨在提高科学探究技能、概念理解、技能和对现代技术的信心，以及学生对科学的保留和态度。重点放在仔细评估和提高这种以活动为基础的课程在选择性较低的机构的有效性。协作小组功能的指导和评估将回应文献中报道的问题。多项选择概念评估与自由反应项目一起使用，以探索概念理解和在新环境中应用概念知识的能力。马里兰物理期望调查的目的是评估学生对物理的态度和信念的变化。本课程收集的基线评估数据允许进行有意义的比较。评估结果、新的自由反应评估项目以及基于评估结果的改进的教学方法将通过美国物理教师协会全国会议和万花筒计划网络提出。

This project is developing an improved algebra-based introductory physics course sequence based on Workshop Physics and other activity-based curricula. The new course sequence is aimed at preservice precollege science teachers, especially physics teachers, for whom this course sequence may serve as their sole exposure to physics. Coverage is reduced slightly from the standard introductory course to mechanics, waves and sound, light, and electricity and magnetism, with treatment of modern physics limited to electrons and radioactivity. Lectures are replaced by direct observation and guided, collaborative inquiry. When possible, computer-based labs and video capture and analysis is used to model real world phenomena. Each student group completes an independent investigation each semester, and gives an oral presentation to the class using presentation software and hardware. The new course is intended to improve scientific inquiry skills, conceptual understanding, skill and confidence with modern technology, and student retention and attitudes towards science. Emphasis is placed on carefully evaluating and improving the effectiveness of this activity-based curriculum in a less selective institution. Guidance and assessment in collaborative group functioning will respond to concerns reported in the literature. Multiple choice conceptual evaluations is used with free-response items to probe conceptual understanding and ability to apply conceptual knowledge in novel contexts. The Maryland Physics Expectation survey is administered to evaluate changes in student attitudes and beliefs about physics. Baseline assessment data collected in the present course permits meaningful comparisons. Assessment results, new free-response assessment items, and improved instructional methods based on assessment results will be presented through American Association of Physics Teachers national meetings and the Project Kaleidascope network.