Reformed Instruction and Experience: Is there a

Link?

Tara Bartiromo, Suzanne Brahmia, Hector Lopez and Eugenia Etkina

July 28, 2009AAPT Summer MeetingAnn Arbor, Michigan

Physics Union Mathematics: The Essential Elements

Investigative Science Learning Environment, college physics

Etkina and Van Heuvelen (2001; 2007)

+

yes

no

My observations(data)

RevisionMultiple explanations,

mechanisms or relations between physical quantities

Assumptions

More + Applications

Testing experiments:Does outcome match prediction based on explanation/relation?

check

different

The Teachers Implementing PUM

Middle school and high school teachers

A total of 30 teachers from 10 school districts: 20 new PUM teachers and 10 experienced PUM teachers

All teachers participated in a 2-day summer training held at Rutgers.

The experienced PUM teachers helped develop the materials and have taught the curriculum for 2 years: in ’07/‘08 and ’08/’09.

Curriculum: Pilot tested ‘07/’08 Revised summer ‘08 Field tested by exp and new PUM teachers ‘08/’09

Research Questions

1. How do years of experience using a reformed curriculum relate to reformed teaching practices?

2. Is there a relationship between participation in the development of the curriculum and reformed teaching practices?

3. Do teachers implement the same lesson differently? What does it look like?

In order to answer these questions, we observed teachers implementing the curriculum and recorded field notes and RTOP scores1.

1. D. Sawada, M. D. Piburn, E. Judson, J. Turley, K. Falconer, R. Benford, and I. Bloom, School Science and Mathematics, 102, 245-253 (2002).

Experience with PUM and Reformed Teaching Practices 10 observations of exp. PUM

teachers 1st year implementation - Mean: 59.7

29 observations of exp. PUM teachers 2nd year implementation - Mean: 79.2

Difference in RTOP scores is

statistically significant.

Participation in the Development and Reformed Teaching Practices

32 observations of new PUM teachers - Mean: 57.3

10 observations of exp. PUM teachers 1st yr implementation - Mean: 59.7

Difference in mean RTOP scores for 1st

year NOT significant.

A Sample Case: The Teachers

Teacher

Grade/Subject

Years of Experience

Experience with PUM

Physics Background

Tina High school physics

4 years New to PUM

Average physics background + methods courses

Harry 9th grade physical science

4 years New to PUM

Strong physics background + methods courses

Alex 8th grade science

5 years Helped develop PUM

Physics background through methods courses

A Sample Case: The Lesson

A Sample Case: Did they Implement it Differently?

Total RTOP Scores:

Tina: 58

Harry: 49

Alex: 78.5

All considered at least partially reformed in

instruction. Alex is significantly more

reformed in his teaching practices.

A Sample Case: What did the Lesson Look Like?

Communication interactions and student/teacher interactions showed biggest differences.

Alex and Tina focused on student ideas and allowed for student-student interactions.

How do years of experience relate with the curriculum relate to reformed teaching practices? Teachers are more reformed in their second year of using the

curriculum.

Is there a relationship between participation in the development of the curriculum and reformed teaching?

No, only participation in the development in conjunction with experience implementing PUM do we see a relationship.

Do teachers implement the same lesson differently? Yes, two of the teachers taught lessons that were very student-

centered and the third lesson was much more teacher centered. However, all three teachers taught partially reformed lessons. It is possible to adapt the lessons to different teaching styles.

Conclusion

For More Information: http://pum.rutgers.edu http://www.islephysics.net http://paer.rutgers.edu/PT3/

References: - D. Sawada, M. D. Piburn, E. Judson, J. Turley, K. Falconer, R. Benford, and I. Bloom, School Science and Mathematics, 102, 245-253 (2002). - D. MacIsaac, and K. Falconer, The Physics Teacher, 40, 16-22 (2002). - E. Etkina, and A. Van Heuvelen, in Research-Based Reform of University Physics (2007), Vol. 1, WWW Document, (http://www.compadre.org/Repository/docu ment/ServeFile.cfm?ID=4988&DocID=239). - Etkina, E., Van Heuvelen, A., (2006, 2001), Investigative Science Learning Environment