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

该项目的主要目标是开发一个学期的概念物理课程，适合大班招生，以学习研究为指导，特别适合未来的小学教师和其他非科学专业的学生。新课程（被称为大招生物理，或LEP）建立在以前的三个nsf支持的课程：物理与日常思维（PET），物理科学与日常思维（PSET）和学习物理科学（LEPS）。PET和PSET是为小规模入学设置而设计的。LEPS是为大量招生班级设计的，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的学生提供这样的课程。拟议的项目包括课程开发、试点测试和评估。教学材料包括一套指导全班探究的PowerPoint幻灯片，包括点击题和嵌入式电影来展示演示、实验和模拟。学生的材料包括课堂上记录点击问题答案的课表、课堂视频的数据和有意义的问题，以及在线家庭作业活动，其中一些包括动手探索，一些涉及构建和评估解释。除了关注物理学的基本概念外，LEP还包括关注科学本质和学习本质的具体活动。将有四项试点测试和对学生影响的评估。本项目开发的课程(1)满足大量注册的普通教育物理课程的需求，重点关注基本内容和科学性质/学习主题的性质，(2)利用了最近对科学学习的研究，(3)基于一个非常成功的课程（PET），(4)使用成功地将PSET应用于LEPS的方法开发。在小班环境中被证明是成功的教学策略正在适应于大班环境。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/后评估提供了有关对学生对物理的概念理解以及他们对物理、科学本质（NOS）和学习本质（NOL）的信念和态度的影响的数据。项目团队对项目的所有组成部分都有丰富的经验，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。本项目直接影响三所院校约550名学生。试点试验点包括大量未被充分代表的群体。LEP促进科学思维的发展，使这些非理科生能够变得更有科学素养。一部分学生是未来的小学教师，课程的重点是科学的基本概念主题，科学的本质和学习的本质，应该帮助他们成为更有效的教师。在项目结束时，LEP课程将准备好进行进一步的实地测试，最终出版。在资助期结束后，出版和继续传播将影响更多的学生。通过开发和评估过程，该项目继续探索以查询模式和明确的NOS和NOL组件来教授大量注册课程的新方法。该项目完成了一套在大型和小型招生环境中处理物理和物理科学的课程，从而允许对大型和小型招生版本进行广泛的比较。

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.