Interactive Modern Physics Worksheets Methodology and Assessment

  • Ken Podolak
  • Jordyn Danforth

Abstract

There are a variety of teaching tools available for use in introductory modern physics classrooms. Determining which
teaching tool students support can help the teacher structure classroom instruction to include more effective teaching tools.
Student participants were surveyed at the end of four separate semesters after using different teaching tools throughout the
semester. They were asked to rate which teaching tools they found to be most effective in aiding their understanding of the
course material and provide comment where necessary. Students on a “least effective” to “most effective” scale rated each
teaching tool. This scale was transferred into a number scale with 1 being “least effective” and 5 being “most effective.”
Through use of the quantitative and qualitative analysis, it was determined that students strongly prefer the use of in-class
worksheets. The normalized data shows that 68% of students strongly favored the worksheets over textbooks (29%) and
homework (32%). Students gave positive comments that the in-class worksheets allowed for teacher-student interaction and
guided learning.

References

Beatty, I.D., Gerace, W.J., Leonard, W.J., and Dufresne, R.J. (2006). Designing effective questions for classroom response system teaching. Am. J. Phys. 74, 31.
Beichner, R., Saul, J., Abbott, D., Morse, J., Deardorff, D., Allain, R., Bonham, S., Dancy, M., and Risley, J. (2007). The Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project, in Research-Based Perform of University Physics, edited by E. Redish and P. Cooney. American Association of Physics Teachers: College Park, MD.
Deslauriers L. and Weiman, C. (2011). Learning and retention of quantum concepts with different teaching methods. Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 7, 010101.
Ding, L., Chabay, R., Sherwood, B., and Beichner, R. (2006). Evaluating an electricity and magnetism assessment tool: Brief electricity and magnetism assessment. Phys. Rev. ST Physics Ed. Res. 2, 010105.
Fagen, A., Crouch, C. and Mazur, E. (2002). Peer instruction: results from a range of classrooms. Phys. Teach. 40, 206.
Finkelstein, N.D., and Pollock, S.J. (2005). Replicating and understanding successful innovations: implementing tutorials in introductory physics. Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 1, 010101.
Hake, R. (1998). Interactive-engagement versus traditional methods: A six-thousand-student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses. Am. J. Phys. 66, 64.
Hestenes, D., Wells, M. and Swackhamer, G. (1992). Force Concept Inventory. The Phys. Teach. 30, 141.
Leslie-Pelecky, D.L. (2000). Interactive worksheets in large introductory physics courses. The Phys. Teach. 38, 165.
Mazur, E. (1996). Peer Instruction: A User’s Manual. Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. McDermott, L.C., Shaffer, P.S., and the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington,
(1998). Tutorials in Introductory Physics. Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ. McKagan, S.B., Perkins, K.K., and Wieman, C.E. (2010). Design and validation of the Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey. Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 6, 020121.
Podolefsky, N.S., Perkins, K.K. and Adams, W.K. (2010). Factors promoting engaged exploration with computer simulations. Phys. Rev. ST Physics Ed. Research 6, 020117.
Redish, E.F. (1994). Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics, ibid. 62, 796.
Redish, E.F. (2003). Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite. John Wiley & Sons: Somerset.
Scherr, R.E., Russ, R.S., Bing, T.J. and Hodges, R.A. (2006). Initiation of student-TA interactions in tutorials. Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 2, 020108.
Published
2017-02-28
How to Cite
PODOLAK, Ken; DANFORTH, Jordyn. Interactive Modern Physics Worksheets Methodology and Assessment. European Journal of Physics Education, [S.l.], v. 4, n. 2, p. 39-43, feb. 2017. ISSN 1309-7202. Available at: <https://eu-journal.org/index.php/EJPE/article/view/88>. Date accessed: 25 apr. 2024.
Section
Classroom Physics