National Science Foundation

Collaboratives for Excellence
in Teacher Preparation

Physics Course Reforms by Collaborative

Arizona (ACEPT)

Course Description

Course is intended for students studying to become K-8 teachers. The course focuses on a few key concepts in physics (force and motion, electricity and magnetism, light and optics), and is taught in a student-centered, inquiry-oriented style. During the three class meetings each week, students actively participate in collaborative learning, facilitated by the electronic feedback system, Classtalk. The class meetings and labs are coordinated so that, all students encounter the week's key concept in discovery-based labs prior to discussion in class. Hand-held technologies (TI-83 calculators and Calculator Based Laboratories) are used frequently in the labs to free studnets from the tedium of hand-written data logs, so there is more time for them to think and discuss their experiments. Students are given kits of materials and perform take-home labs in place of traditional homework problems. In addition to essay type test problems, portfolio assessment is used.

Instructor Contact information

Susan Wyckoff
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Tempe, AZ 85287-1504

Course Description

Patterns in Nature is a multi-disciplinary, hands-on course intended for pre-service teachers wishing to improve their science background. Each semester features different topics of study, with past semesters including anthropology, biology, physics, geology, chemistry, astronomy, microscopy, and science journalism. We have also offered the course for graduate credit to K-8 teachers in the Phoenix School Districts.

Instructor Contact information

James Mayer
Center for Solid State Science
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287

Maryland (MCTP)

Course Description

This is a lab based course with no lectures. There are a limited number of concepts dealt with, with a great deal of concern for developing the personal ability of each of out pre-service teachers to do science. A great deal of effort is associated with creating a seamless relationship between science and mathematics, and in the use of microcomputer based laboraties to support conceptual development.

Instructor Contact information

John W. Layman
Physics Department
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742

Massachusetts (STEMTEC)

Course Description

This course is for undergraduates, graduates and in service teachers interested in secondary physical science. Participants will work with the Minds On Physics curriculum materials in an activity-based mode to examine the following content areas: Motion, Forces, Dynamics, Newton's Laws, Momentum Conservation and Work-Energy. The course will focus on constructivist and active learning pedagogy useful in the teaching of physical science. In particular it will examine ways to integrate hands-on activities with activities that promote concept development and problem-solving. This course makes extensive use of alternate representations, e.g. graphs and motion diagrams, and qualitative reasoning. Basic algebra skills are strongly recommended. Participants will review The Massachusetts Science and Technology Framework as well as relevant science education research. In addition participants will develop activities and assessment techniques for use in their own classrooms.

William Gerace and Jose Mestre are also part of the Physics Education Research Group (PERG) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. For more information about the Minds On Physics curriculum, and additional information on physics education research at the University of Massachusetts, PERG can be reached via email at wjleoneard@phast.umass.edu or their website at http://www-perg.phast.umass.edu/UMPERG/default.html.

Instructor Contact information

William Gerace
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01002

Course Description

Physics 151-152 covers mechanics, heat & thermodynamics, and electricity & magnetism. Emphasis is placed on both conceptual understanding and the development of problem solving skills. The course is run interactively with a classroom communication system called Classtalk. A typical lecture in this class is conducted as follows: Students are given problems to work on in informal collaborative learning groups, they enter responses in palm-held calculators, and a histogram of the class' performance is displayed and used as a springboard for a class-wide discussion of the concepts, procedures and reasoning used to obtain the answers. Approximately 1/3 of the time is spent lecturing, and 2/3 of the time is spent in collaborative groups work and class-wide discussions. Modifications currently include attempts to make the collaborative groupwork more focused, and to help all students in a cooperative learning group take on the responsibility of learning and being able to explain how the problems the group works on are solved.

Instructor Contact information

Jose Mestre
Dept of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Course Description

This one-credit add-on honors course is available to those enrolled in Phys. 151 and 152. The course meets once a week and is structured around two-week cycles. At the beginning of a cycle, students are given a difficult problem on mechanics or electricity & magnetism. Formal collaborative learning groups work during class on the problem with the professor circulating and serving as a resource. Groups complete their assignments outside of class, and on the following week random students from randomly selected groups present their solutions to the class. Students critique the presenter based on the clarity and accuracy of the presentation. Closure will consists of discussing the different strengths and weaknesses of the solution strategies presented.

Instructor Contact information

Jose Mestre
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Course Description

This course is available to those enrolled in Phys. 151. The course meets once a week to discuss pedagogical issues surrounding the teaching and learning of science, with specific examples from physics. The topics discussed include: constructivism, expert-novice paradigm, active learning, and assessment for student understanding. The course is conducted in a seminar fashion with weekly meetings discussing assigned readings. Sample assignments include asking students to critique the pedagogy in a course they are taking based on what they are learning, and to design a lesson to teach a particular topic in a mentor's classroom that takes into account what is known about learning and effective teaching. Students are able to practice what they learn by preparing and giving a lesson in a high school classroom.

Instructor Contact information

Jose Mestre
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Course Description

This course examines the principles of mechanics and fluids. It covers vectors, motion, and Newton's Laws, the Conservation Laws, gravitation, work and energy, and concepts of fluids. Applied trigonometry is taught when needed.

The STEMTEC modified course incorporates the following changes:

Lecture:

• Formation of five groups of four students
• Class is initiated with brief expositions of subject matter followed by a set of questions and definitions.
• Students attempt to come up with definitions individually for five minutes and then work in their respective groups for fifteen minutes. This activity is followed by class discussion.

Student Lab Projects

• Initial assignment for each group is to come up with at least two possible suggestions for a lab project. The drafts are presented to the lab instructor for discussion. This process is repeated until a final realistic draft for the group project is approved by lab instructor (time limit allotted 3 weeks). During these three weeks at the beginning of the semester, the lab instructor will provide the experiments for the lab period. At least one project per group is completed during the semester.

Other revisions:

• During group problem solving and during the discussion section, mentors work with groups.
• Students are given an option to sample teaching in a K12 school under appropriate supervision and report on the experience.
• Working on a method to have every student participate in a brief 14-minute in-class teaching experience of one section (with ample preparation time).
• Videos will be used periodically to supplement class discussion and raise new questions.

Modified assessment techniques include: project reports, teaching sample evaluation, attempt at pyramid testing, some regular examinations, and K12 teaching.

Instructor Contact information

Yadu Sharma
Holyoke Community College
Physics and Mathematics Department
Holyoke, MA 01040

Course Description

This is an introductory survey of astronomy examining how we learn about the Universe and what we already know of it, how it originated, evolves, and its ultimate fate. The emphasis is on modern research in planetary exploration, solar phenomena, stellar evolution (including white dwarfs, neutron starts, pulsars, and black holes) and galaxy studies (including quasars). The course will emphasize cooperative learning techniques, with group in-class worksheets and pyramid exams. A web site (in progress) provides various materials, including a set of review questions.

Instructor Contact information

Edward Chang
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Course Description

This course is a general introduction to physics and a survey of major ideas and topics in the field.

STEMTEC course revisions include group homework and enhanced classroom interactions, including some discovery-based discussion.

Instructor Contact information

Robert Hallock
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Course Description

This course covers basic physical laws governing mechanics, heat, and sound, and includes examples and applications from the biological sciences. Arithmetic, high school algebra, and basic trigonometry are required. This is the recommended introductory physics course for majors in the biological sciences and related areas.

STEMTEC course revisions include:

• Cooperative learning structures, e.g. pair-share, will be used regularly in lecture and some of the exercises will be collected and graded.
• Quizzes in weekly discussion sections will be group activities.
• Use the modified pyramid exam approach

Instructor Contact information

Stan Hertzback
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Course Description

This course is required of communication disorders majors at UMass, and is open to others. The course examines fundamentals of wave motion, vibration of strings, sound waves, resonance, harmonic analysis, sound intensity and the decibel, physics of the ear and theories of hearing, physics of speech, elementary properties of microphones and speakers.

With STEMTEC revisions, very few of the classes will be conducted in the standard lecture mode, although there will be many classroom experimental demonstrations. Currently, most of the classes use a computer-aided system called ClassTalk. A typical class, using this method, might consist of the following activities: a quiz to check that students have done the required reading, mini-lectures, group problem solving, and class-wide discussions. The two activities, group problem solving and class-wide discussions, require student participation. Students are given questions to answer and problems to solve during such classes. Sometimes they work alone to answer these, other times they will work in small groups. After they have had time to work on a problem, they provide an answer (via a palm-top computer) and are be able to view anonymously how the entire class answered the problem. At this point we have a class-wide discussion in which I ask for volunteers, or call on groups, to explain the reasoning they used to arrive at their answers. The ultimate goal is not to have all of the students agree on the right answer (incorrect reasoning may conspire to give them the right answer); rather, the goal is to learn how to apply concepts flexibly and logically to problems. My roles are those of facilitator and coach, helping resolve any existing confusion.

There are three brave individuals (all ComDis majors), who took this class last year and volunteered to act as teaching assistants in the course. All received very high grades in the course last year and are very qualified to help students learn the subject. A web site is being maintained for the course, which includes a daily tutorial.

Instructor Contact information

William Mullin
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Course Description

In this new course (currently under development), students will trace for themselves the path whereby an important scientific mystery was discovered: that of dark matter in the universe. Lectures will be largely avoided; rather, in seminar discussions and regular writing exercises, students will work to develop their own understanding. Extensive computer simulations will be employed, both of the relevant astronomical data and of the consequences of hypotheses generated in class discussions. The course will consist almost entirely of active learning on the part of the students. Course work will almost always be done in seminar discussions, rather than lectures. Every class meeting will end with the following homework assignment: decide what we must do next. Students will keep an intellectual diary, which they fill out each evening. In it they will discuss what happened that class meeting, what their confusions are, what their insights have been, and what they plan to do next. The instructor will regularly collect these diaries and enter comments in them, but they will not be graded as such. There will be only occasional formal homework assignments, and there will be no tests. Assessment will be made on class participation, the occasional homework assignments, and a final paper, in which students present their scientific results. Graduates of the course might be able to help as teaching assistants in the future.

Instructor Contact information

George Greenstein
Astronomy
Amherst College
Amherst, MA 01002

Course Description

The course is aimed at teachers of grades 4-8 and focuses on a study of electricity and magnetism. Participants work with Operation Physics materials in an activity based setting to gain or reinforce content knowledge in basic physics. In addition to working with physics content, participants use the Massachusetts Science Technology Framework document to develop grade appropriate activities and assessment techniques for use in their classrooms. This course engages students in active learning, group discussions/problem solving and alternative assessment techniques. One or more hands-on activities are incorporated into each class meeting. Graduate students enrolled in the course are expected to serve (in the class setting) as mentors for undergraduates; undergraduates are encouraged to visit/observe elementary classrooms.

Instructor Contact information

Bill Gerace
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003

Chris Emery
Amherst Regional High School
21 Matton Street
Amherst, MA 01002

Steven Murray
H.B. Lawrence Elementary School
156 Cabot Street
Holyoke, MA 01040

Course Description

At Greenfield Community College, the algebra-based introductory physics course has been rescheduled to meet in three two-hour meetings in the physics lab (instead of lecture and lab sections meeting separately). The mode of instruction has moved from mostly lecture/demonstration to mostly guided inquiries by students developing their own understandings from laboratory experiences. Examples of the latter include students generating data to solve kinematics problems, to better understand Newton's Second Law, and to study projectile motion. The computer lab (funded by both STEMTEC and GCC) enables small groups (three students each) to better collect and analyze their data.

Instructor Contact information

Peter Letson
Greenfield Community College
1 College Drive
Greenfield, MA 01301

Course Description

An exploratory course in natural science. May include contemporary topics involving exciting new developments in botany, chemistry, genetics, geology, human biology, oceanography, physics, and zoology. Issues such as radioactivity and the disposal of nuclear waste, fossil fuels and nuclear energy, gene technologies, and human population growth are discussed from a scientific perspective. The precise topic for the course changes each semester.

In the Fall 97 course, we applied our understanding of atomic theory, quantum mechanics, chemical changes, combustion reactions, and nuclear changes to the investigation of such issues as global warming, acid rain, nuclear waste disposal, and the destruction of tropical rain forests. We explored the ways of science by discussing readings such as Gould's Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs and Raup's The Nemesis Affair. We had the opportunity to consider scientific concepts of unity and variety as they relate to changes in the universe.

In the Spring 1998 semester, Topics in Science will be taught in a learning community by integrating the course with ENG 102 - Language and Literature to address multidisciplinary themes from the dual perspectives of science and humanities.

SEM 130 Topics in Science provides opportunities for its students to participate in teaching science through mentoring and/or tutoring students in the Learning Assistance Center, HCC's Upward Bound Program, K- 12 students in area elementary schools, middle schools, and high-schools, and by mentoring peer SEM 130 students and/or serving as SEM 130 student lab assistants.

There are numerous student active learning strategies that are incorporated in SEM 130 - Topics in Science.

a) In an adaptation of the Pyramid approach, students are provided individual take-home exercises to be evaluated; subsequently, the material is considered in informal small group discussions for improvement and corrections; finally, students are individually assessed in this material in a traditional testing exercise.

b) More extensive problem-based approaches are utilized in both the lecture and laboratory components of the course. In the laboratory, teams of 2 or 3 students need to share the responsibility of determining the necessary information that is gathered to solve a problem. Each student member of the team is held accountable in understanding the problem and its solution and being able to clearly report and explain the team's conclusions.

c) Many of the scientific aspects and perspectives about science and the consequences of science endeavor are presented by videos, CD-ROMS, and/or be learned through assigned outside readings from publications on reserve in the Holyoke Community College Library. The interaction with this material is primarily designed for informal small group discussion. Students are provided open-ended problems, interpretations of scientific research and issues to be discussed in small groups to be reported to the whole class.

Instructor Contact information

Gerry L'Heureux
Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040

Course Description

Unity of Science (I-121/1-222) is a year-long, interdisciplinary introduction to the sciences, taught at Mount Holyoke College. This course emphasizes the methods and relevance of scientific inquiry, and covers the physical nature of light, our perception of light and color, and the interaction of matter and energy. Lectures, discussion meetings, and laboratory investigations explore how light provides information about topics ranging from the nature of atoms to the nature of the universe. Evaluation is based on lab reports and other written work, but no exams.

Changes made based on STEMTEC ideas

Several incremental improvements have been introduced to Unity of Science this semester, based in part on ideas generated by STEMTEC presentations: changing an individual homework assignment into a group collaborative project; introducing problem-solving activities into lecture; structuring discussion sections around question sets that are first addressed by trios or pairs of students; establishing a web-based discussion forum; and incorporating evaluations by students of each other's research products (in a poster session) in the grading of such products. Some of these are described in detail below.

1.Problem-based activities in lecture:
Several activities have been introduced into the class meeting that would otherwise have been a straight lecture, in the hopes of better engaging the students.

2. Structured discussion sections:
The free-form discussions we used to have occasionally became either question-and-answer sessions where the instructor explained and the students took notes, or wide-ranging conversations long on opinion and short on content. To improve the quality of the discussions, we introduce problem sets for the students to work on, first in groups of two to four, and then in the larger group.

3. Student evaluations:
A major part of the laboratory for the second semester of Unity of Science is a small-group independent research project. Traditionally, students would complete their investigations, write a paper that only the professor would see, and be done with it. Now, we have a poster session, and institute a student evaluation component. Each student is required to fill out an evaluation form for each poster but her own. These are compiled and transcribed so that each group receives an anonymous summary of the reactions of other students to their work. In addition to producing the poster, each group is asked to submit a one-page abstract of its project. They revise these according to the student comments as well as the editorial suggestions of faculty, and these are collected in a booklet to be published and distributed to everyone in the class.

Other course revisions

• Increasing inclusiveness
  Unity of Science faculty work informally with Mount Holyoke's minority student science club, Sistahs in Science, attending some of their meetings, and talking with them about such topics as the paths we took on the way to our careers, etc., and perhaps recruiting some TA's.
• Teaching opportunities for students
  Unity of Science uses teaching assistants in the laboratory. TA's hold additional evening office hours in or near a computer lab the night before each assignment is due.

Instructor Contact information

Katherine Dorfman
Mt. Holyoke College
Clapp Laboratory
South Hadley, MA 01075

Course Description

This is a non-calculus, college-level physics course for the liberal arts transfer student or student of the life sciences. Topics include motion, mass, force, conservation laws, momentum, gravitation, work, energy and heat. The problems and laboratory are designed with biological applications. This course will help students develop problem-solving skills and show students that physics principles come into play over and over again in their lives. Upon completion of this course the student should be able to understand the basic concepts of physics. I start the semester by giving a daily in-class problem-solving exercise. These exercises count for 30% of the grade. The advantage of these exercises: (1) increased attendance (2) students were more prepared and asked less questions (3) higher exam scores. Shorter and more frequent exams was my second STEMTEC change. An exam at the end of each chapter was given. Students seemed to like the idea. Students were given a chance to lecture about a topic in the book. In return the student received up to 5 points on the following test.

Instructor Contact information

Zahi Haddad
Springfield Technical Community College
1 Armory Square
Springfield, MA 01105

Montana (STEP)

Course Description

This course is an entirely hands-on introduction to physics course for elementary education majors. It It replaces a traditional lecture and laboratory course, with and interactive class using Physics By Inquiry materials. The course emphasizes the development of basic concepts, reasoning skills, and active engagement of students in the learning process. Staff-to-student ratio supports use of Socratic dialog, viewing science as a process, rather than a body of facts. Available computer technology will be utilized as appropriate.

Instructor Contact information

Greg Francis
Montana State University-Bozeman Physics Dept.
Bozeman, MT 59717

Course Description

This course is an entirely hands-on introduction to physics. It replaces a traditional lecture and laboratory course, with an interactive class using PHYSICS BY INQUIRY materials. The course emphasizes the development of basic concepts, reasoning skills, and active engagement of students in the learning process. Staff-to-student ratio supports use of Socratic dialog, viewing science as a process, rather than a body of facts. Available computer technology will be utilized as appropriate.

Instructor Contact information

Greg Francis
Department of Physics Montana State University-Bozeman
Bozeman, MT 59717

Course Description

Revision replaces traditional labs with inquiry-based tutorial sessions and strategies to increase student participation. Teaching assistants and work study students are trained in weekly sessions to promote student centered instruction. Large lectures incorporate srategies like THINK-PAIR-SHARE to replace a passive listening environment with interactive student sessions. Instructors actively research student misconceptions and study instructional methods to deal with the tenacity of student misconceptions.

Instructor Contact information

Greg Francis
Department of Physics Montana State University-Bozeman
Bozeman, MT 59717

Course Description

Revision replaces traditional labs with inquiry-based tutorial sessions and strategies to increase student participation. See Physics 205.

Instructor Contact information

Greg Francis
Dept. of Physics, MSU-Bozeman
Bozeman, MT 59717

Course Description

Introduces the concepts and methodology of science by integrating biology, chemistry, physics and geology to investigate specific relevent topics such as organization, energy transformation and diversity. Hands-on laboratory is required.

Instructor Contact information

Matt Benacquista
Dept. of Physics Montana State University-Billings 201 SCI 1500 North 30th St.
Billings, MT 59101-0298

Course Description

Revisions emphasize integration of science fields and thematic approaches, together with hands-on discovery laboratory methods transferable to K-8 classrooms. Undergraduate teaching assistants have weekly debriefing sessions on laboratory activities.

Instructor Contact information

Tom Zwick
Dept. of Geology & Earth Sciences Montana State University-Billings 212 SCI 1500 N. 30th St.
Billings, MT 59101-0298

Course Description

Reform changed three lecture hours to two lecture hours and one lab. Lab introduces new topics and reinforces concepts through individual investigations.

Instructor Contact information

Craig Zaspel
Dept. of Environmental Sciences Western Montana College of UM 710 S. Atlantic
Dillon, MT 59725

Pennsylvania (CETP, Philadelphia County)

Course Description

Straightforward implementation of McDermott's Physics by Inquiry.

Instructor Contact information

C. J. Martoff
Barton Hall Temple University
1900 N. 13th St
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6082
E-mail: cmartoff@nimbus.temple.edu

Last modified 20 December 1999
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