Bridging Gaps: integrating research expertise with curricular development aimed to synchronize upper division course goals with our large introductory classes
Dedra DemareeOregon State University
Background: Physics PhD research emphasis in Physics
Education Research (PER): Focused on writing to learn issues Thesis: TOWARD UNDERSTANDING WRITING TO
LEARN IN PHYSICS: INVESTIGATING STUDENT WRITING
Hired to lead introductory course reform at OSU Current intro courses are ~250 students per section Under-staffed, can not easily reduce class sizes Algebra-based, calc-based, and non-science classes My primary focus is implementing and assessing
course changes
Do We Know if Writing is Helpful in Physics Courses?
No one questions the benefits of educating people to write but why take the time to do it in the curriculum? and why explicitly in physics?
There is no clear evidence in the literature to show the effectiveness of writing to learn! Most writing studies are entirely qualitative and
not controlled
Why MIGHT Writing be Helpful?
everyone raised their hands when polled if they think writing helps learning (at American Association of Physics Teachers
conference) Students interviewed state “writing helps
learning” Students do better with a positive epistemology Writing involves logical argumentation structure Writing helps structure conceptual
understanding? Maybe writing = active engagement?
Why Might Students NOT Learn? Struggling with content and writing is overwhelming Issues with activating and managing their
knowledge resources (research exists to support this)
Ideas can’t be organized if they aren’t already present in some form Are writing activities striking the right balance?
Students may not be reflective when writing Can we generate writing assignments that force
reflection?
What Does Writing “Research” Tell Us? How writing could help learning: Ideas are transformed while writing Rhetorical goals are refined while writing Literature provides minimal evidence to support these
‘Knowledge-telling”: novices tell what they know - experts plan, write, and revise Novices -> cosmetic changes experts -> goal-oriented revisions
How do our students approach writing and revision? How can we quantitatively study this?
Develop methods for tracking and coding writing to allow for controlled studies of the effects of writing in the curriculum
Initial studies and results: Collaborated with English Department to do
controlled test of effect of writing and writing instruction on physics content knowledge Students who wrote did better on post-lab quizzes
compared to students who did traditional activities But no difference on lecture quizzes and exams
Writing instruction impacted physics quality in essays No difference was measured outside their writing
Difficult and time consuming to quantify writing quality – need to find better ways to study this!!
Tracking Writing in Physics by Inquiry: Force revisions within the assignments: Weekly essay with homework 1st draft 250 words – 2nd draft < 125 words!
Trying to force “major restructuring in your head, deciding what’s important and what’s not” (Scott Franklin, RIT)
Create tracking program for capturing details: Obtain text file of their essay and a separate log file
tracking writing events Track pauses, additions, deletes, locations, & times
Developed by Dr. Lei Bao and members of the Ohio State U. Physics Education Research Group
Entering the Text (What Students See):Notice the program tracks and displays a running word count.
It also saves the student’s name, email address, their section, and which assignment is being submitted
The Log File: Saves a snapshot of the text each time a student
pauses, backspaces, deletes, or moves the cursor Indexes each event, gives the time, what type of
activity the student is doing, the text snapshot, and the cursor location Tags include: Typing, Backsp, Naviga, Delete, Pa{s}
(pause and length in seconds), <CU> (cursor location) Example:
1310:57:027 AM: Typing A circuit is all <CU>1410:57:033 AM: Backsp A circuit <CU>1510:57:036 AM: Typing A circuit is the flow <CU>1610:58:043 AM: Pa{67} 1710:58:053 AM: Backsp <CU>
Quantitative Information we can get From the Data:
Do students mostly write new content, or do they go back and revise while or after they write?
When students revise do they cut in bulk and rewrite, or do they modify existing text?
How often students write vs. edit or pause How much do students work after the word limit? Do observed behaviors match self-reports from
interviews? Can look at a lot of writing at once, but
Can’t automate information on the quality of the revisions!!
Student with low final exam but good essay content – 2nd draft:
first rephrased needed content needed then cut extraneous text. Then did detailed editing pass through the entire essay, then one last check
Has clumps of edits around specific text (she reported
struggling with some ideas)
Relatively sophisticated revisions!
Location and Sizes of Revisions in Order they Occurred
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 50 100
Sequence of revision events
Loca
tion
of re
visi
on in
ess
ay
AdditionsDeletionsEdits
Results and conclusions: See evidence of novice vs. expert behavior…
High Exam Scoring students had more revision events, higher essay grades, more edits
in the middle of their essays, a higher percent of phrase-level edits (between 2-6 words in length)
We see no evidence that writing behavior changes with practice
We find no clear predictors based on tracked behavior for which essays will be good
Developed a valuable new tool and begun to characterize student behaviors
Need to apply this test to controlled writing studies
Course reform ideas: Students out of traditional introductory physics:
Minimal conceptual understanding “Plug-and-chug” problem solving skills Worse attitudes than when they registered
Interactive-engagement is more effective Sophisticated epistemologies are encouraged when
students are metacognitive We gain more with focus on Higher-order learning goals Traditional lecture halls do NOT encourage students to
build their knowledge! How to improve this in a large-lecture classroom??
Need an interactive environment!
Our plan for Calc-based sequence:
Currently have: 3 h lecture, 3 h lab, 1 h optional recitation 250 people per lecture, 30 per lab with 1 TA
Change to: 2 h lecture, 4 h activity-based learning in 2 h blocks,
possibly keep 1 h optional extra help time Possibly have lecture on M and F – keep all students
at same pace in activity sections 210 people per lecture, 70 per activity section with 1
senior instructor/TA and 1-2 TAs/undergrads
Why lecture at all? (besides staffing)Activities won’t be effective if students aren’t ready
Prepare students for activity-based hours Introduce definitions, Motivate students
Both can be done with readings Create common language use, Show examples
Both can be done in activity-based hours
Wrap-up after activity-based hours Summarize important points, Look at capstone
issues, Go over things people struggled with All can be done in activity-based hours
Case Study: Iowa State University Two lecture halls: one with fixed seats and one with swivel chairs – both nice and new Use “Peer Instruction”
Swivel chairs made a measurable difference in learning gains: Group discussions were
physically easier swivel lecture hall had higher
percentage of correct responses after talking to neighbors
swivel lecture hall did 6% points higher on the final exam
Proposal for Weniger 151:
Swivel chairs for ease of discussion Chairs and aisles organized to
promote group work Aisles for instructor access to all groups
Clump chairs in sections to minimize the number of needed aisles and maximize the number of seats
Boards (ideally smartboards) along the edges for groups to present ideas to the entire class
Multiple projectors up front so people can see from every angle
Camera to project demonstrations onto an overhead so everyone can see details
Weniger 151 layout details: Students face forward in staggered chairs for lecture Students can rotate to work in groups of 3-4 people Each section has 4 rows – can form 2 rows of groups
with people paired back to back Instructor has access to each group Minimally reduces the number of seats from 266 to just
over 200
Model for new physics classroom: Design a modern activity-
based classroom Design to fit our course
goals/activities Use modern technology to
increase options Test and assess new
curricular ideas in this space
Inspired by SCALE-UP and echoing goals and activities in Paradigms Start here because we
know this works
Can we do better than this? Lessons from PKAL (Project Kaleidoscope):
SHOW VIDEO (made by a KSU Anthropology class) Students…
Want to build community Use informal learning spaces Work more on online activities Rely on multi-tasking
Education community… Thinks about green concerns Highly values activity-based learning Knows the importance of assessment Emphasizes the use of technology
Building Flexibility for the future
Possibility of a design/work area
Cabinets that can be easily moved later
Flexible lighting, power, and media
Whiteboards on wheels
A window into and out of the room
A space that invites different types of activities Floor that allows for ease of making new configurations Technology that promotes collaborative work
Paradigms program ~10 years of reforming upper division physics Award-winning with Consistent NSF funding
Corinne Manogue just won the AAPT undergraduate teaching award
Team-based reform efforts unanimously approved by whole department
Brings active-engagement into advanced courses Integrated lecture/lab/discussions Group work Extensive use of small and large whiteboards
Our Approach Build on Paradigms expertise and borrow and
adapt materials developed by other schools Find goals that fit the needs of the students in
their majors Problem solving, group work… (ABET)
Find goals that fit the needs of physics majors as they segue to upper division Earlier activity-based experience, more
sophisticated problem solving, fit current need of more data analysis skills
Build our goals into the materials
Goals for New Curriculum: Model “real” scientific behavior Develop scientific skills - Have students:
Reflect on how they know what they know Actively reconcile their knowledge Understand the applicability of their models
Integrate simulations with experiments to explicitly address models and simplifications
Have students design and analyze their own experiments – teach them to build knowledge Teach data analysis in the labs – build this in to fit
current lack in overall program Understand estimations and approximations
Integrate goals into exams and homework assignments
Testing some ideas in energy course
Want students prepared for lecture Integrate pre-class reading assignments and
quizzes (following JITT model) Use existing technology – blackboard is powerful
Want to develop discourse skills – apply concepts to have “real” debate about issues Use class time to scaffold up to sophisticated
discussions Use online tools for collaborative writing – “Wiki” Group info gathering and posting then online
discussions
Ph212 homework Problem Solving Guide
Understand and restate the problem Read. Read the problem carefully. What are the key words? What information is given? What might you need to know in order to solve this? Explicitly
state (in your own words) what is the problem asking including clarifying the problem statement. For example, if the problem states when will the two cars collide, you can state when will the two cars have the same coordinates for x and t.
Visualize. Visualize the situation described with a mental picture. What are the important features of the situation? What physically might happen? Think about what physics might be involved? (Repeat steps 1.a and 1.b as needed until you’re ready for step 1.c )
Simplify. Think of what assumptions you can make: can you ignore the size of the objects and consider them particles? Can you ignore friction? (Usually if the information about some properties of objects or interactions is missing from a problem statement, this means it is not important and you can ignore it.) In your homework you must explicitly state how this simplifies the problem – for example if you are ignoring friction in a collision it means you will be using momentum conservation for the system.
Picture and translate. Translate the text of the problem into a picture – record all given quantities in the picture and identify symbolically (name!) the relevant variables and unknowns. Choose and show the coordinate axis(es). Explain your picture with words if that makes it more clear. (Sometimes this step can be skipped and you can combine it with step 2.b – but only if you are very confident with the other steps.)
Devise and explain the plan Determine what concepts/laws apply. Think what physics concepts are involved and which will be more helpful to solve the problem. For example, think
whether the problem involves concepts of energy or force. Explain why you made the choice of this (these) particular physics concept(s). You may want to refer to 1 c. here, as in the example given there.
Represent physically. Represent the situation with the appropriate type of physical representation. This can be a free-body diagram, an energy bar chart, a ray diagram…. (If you skipped step 1.d, you must record all the given quantities and symbols for relevant variables and unknowns here.)
Represent mathematically. Use the physical representation to construct a mathematical representation. Make sure that this representation is consistent with previous ones. You might need to use additional definitions of physical quantities or laws combined with these equations to solve the problem.
Carry out the plan Solve. Use mathematical relationships from part 2.c to solve for the unknown quantity (quantities). Make sure that you use consistent units. If you do not
have enough equations to solve for what you need, go back and check all above steps to make sure you haven’t overlooked some piece of physics given or implied by the situation.
Symbolic and numeric solutions. A complete solution should have the equations given in terms of the symbols, and only then should you plug in numbers to get a numerical answer
Look back – explain what you did, was your answer as expected? Evaluate the result. Have you answered all parts of the question? Is the number reasonable? Are the units appropriate? Does the result make sense in
limiting cases? Include a written explanation for why your result makes sense and what it tells you about the physics of the situation (what happens?) If solution does not make sense… go back and re-visit your interpretation of the problem and the assumptions you made – did you overlook something?
Was something that you thought could be ignored too large to ignore? Check your math, did you make a mistake?
Ph212 Problem Solving detail Understand and restate the problem
Read. Visualize. Simplify. Picture and translate.
Devise and explain the plan Determine what concepts/laws apply. Represent physically. Represent mathematically.
Carry out the plan Solve. Symbolic and numeric solutions.
Look back – explain what you did, was your answer as expected? Evaluate the result. If solution does not make sense…
(Adapted from ISLE and U. Minn)
Ph212 homework Grading RubricPoints: 0 1 2 3
1 a. Statement of what
the problem is asking
No problem statement is written
The problem statement is re-stated word for word
The problem is stated in the students own words but provides no more definition than the original statement
The problem is stated in the students own words, with the problem more directly defined than in the original question
1 c. Simplify and state
assumptions
No information is given about assumptions
Trivial or incorrect assumptions are listed
Correct assumptions are listed with no information about how they simplify the problem, or an important assumption is missing
Correct assumptions are listed along with a correct statement about how they simplify the problem
2 a. Statement
explaining which concepts/laws apply
No such statement is written
Incorrect concepts/laws are provided
There is a statement that explains which concepts/laws apply but does not explain why, or does not give the correct reasoning as to why
There is a statement clearly explaining which concepts/laws apply, as well as why they apply – this may refer to your response from 1 c.
2 b. Physical
representation
No physical representation is given
An incorrect physical representation is given, or one that is correct, but does not include any labels or defined quantities
A correct physical representation is given, but is not clearly labeled, does not include all quantities, or a clear representation is given but it contains a mistake
A clearly labeled, correct physical representation is given, with all quantities and symbols defined
2 c. Mathematical representation
No mathematical representation is given
The mathematical representation given is incorrect
An incomplete mathematical representation is given
A complete mathematical representation is given
3 a/b. Solution
No solution is given
Only a partial solution or an incorrect solution is given
Only the symbolic or numeric solution is given, or there is some mistake such as incorrect units
A complete solution is given both symbolically and numerically with correct units
4 a. Evaluation of the
result
No evaluation is given
Very little information is given to evaluate the result
A partial explanation is given for why the result makes sense (or does not make sense if the incorrect answer was reached), and what it tells us about the physics of the situation
A clear and complete explanation is given for why the result makes sense (or does not make sense if the incorrect answer was reached), and what it tells us about the physics of the situation
Homework Grading Rubric detail
4 a. Evaluation of the result 0: No evaluation is given 1: Very little information is given to evaluate the result 2: A partial explanation is given for why the result
makes sense (or does not make sense if the incorrect answer was reached), and what it tells us about the physics of the situation
3: A clear and complete explanation is given for why the result makes sense (or does not make sense if the incorrect answer was reached), and what it tells us about the physics of the situation
Guiding Questions for Physics Writing (Paradigms – Junior year) 1. State the problem. What is the problem that you are trying to solve, and what – if any – assumptions or idealizations are being made about the physical situation.
2. Outline the general strategy. What physics concepts are relevant? Which general physical equations will be useful in solving this problem? Explain how the physical quantities are related to one another? Connect the dots between any quantities in any ways that you can.
3. Explain your terminology. What is the role of each of the symbols in these equations? For constants, just list their names and values if used in numerical calculations. For variables, briefly describe what they represent.
4. Set-up your equations. How did you apply the information in your problem to the general equations? How did your example fit into and change the general equation. Think about how you went about putting in the information from the example you cared about, and any raw data taken, into the general equations.
5. Explain any data taking procedures used in collecting information needed to solve to solve the physical problem. Remember to include all pertinent information, including how to setup any apparatus used and detailed instructions on how data was acquired.
6. Organize your data. List any raw data taken. Use graphs and charts to show concisely the relevant quantities in relationship to one another.
7. Analyze your data. Explain how the data fits into the theory governing the problem you are solving. Comment on any unusual or anomalous data, providing an explanation of how it may have come about being recorded.
8. What were the mathematical manipulations used in the process of solving the problem? Show the steps of algebra used to solve any tricky parts of the problem, write a short sentence for each explaining why they are true, and include any areas of difficulty that may have lead to dead ends.
9. Reflect on your final answer. What is it that this answer tells you about the physical quantities involved, and how they are related to each other? Is this a limiting case, or are there limiting cases to this answer for which it is valid? Were there any better ways to solve the problem that you could consider? How did your solution compare and tie into work that others have done in this field of work? What was the most important, significant finding made in solving the problem?
Guiding Questions detail1. State the problem.2. Outline the general strategy. 3. Explain your terminology4. Set-up your equations5. Explain any data taking procedures used in collecting
information needed to solve the physical problem. 6. Organize your data.7. Analyze your data. 8. What were the mathematical manipulations used in
the process of solving the problem? 9. Reflect on your final answer.
Rubric detail: Content Criterion: Did the writer convey an understanding
of what the final results tell about the physics? Very Good: Writer clearly explained what the final results
tell about the physics of the problem and described what is physically interesting or unique about the solution to the problem.
Fair: An attempt is made to relate the mathematical manipulations to the physical concepts, but the physical situation is weakly related to these results.
Poor: The writer made no attempt at describing how their final solution related to the physical concepts.
Improving Efficiency Problems with current homework system:
High grading load for paid undergrad workers Papers get lost Returning papers is a pain Recording grade takes time and yields errors
Moving to online homework: Much of the work is graded automatically Records are kept automatically Writing-aspects can be built into the existing problems
and graded online more efficiently Gain additional features such as tutorials
Curricular Assessment Plans/Ideas:
Concept tests and exemplar problems on exams Attitude/epistemology surveys Free response surveys Specific assessments based on course goals
(example assessments from Purdue): looking at conceptual thinking in problem solving
Interviews using talk-aloud protocol Are important course ideas/skills are being used by students
looking at TA training and attitudes toward inquiry-based learning see if the TA attitudes toward teaching and learning are
impacted by teaching the course
Abstract Oregon State University has an innovative award wining upper-division
physics curriculum, but fairly traditional lower division large introductory courses. Mainly due to staffing constraints, little had been done to improve these courses despite the department’s dedication to team-based curricular development and active-engagement classrooms. More resources were needed to bridge these ideas into the intro courses, leading to my hire charged with leading the introductory course reform efforts. My expertise is in developing quantitative measures for studying the effectiveness of writing to learn (within the context of physics). I will report on ways that writing can be integrated into large introductory courses in a way that scaffolds students toward goals in our upper division courses, without adding a heavy burden on grading. As part of our curricular reform we are also renovating new classroom space: both large lecture hall space and a smaller active-engagement classroom. As part of this planning I recently attended the national Project Kaleidoscope meeting titled “Roundtable on the Future Undergraduate STEM Learning Environment.” I will report on lessons learned at this meeting and our vision for integrating our curricular reform with the classroom remodels.