William J. Gerace

Classtalk: A Classroom Communication System for Active Learning

TRADITIONAL METHODS for teaching science courses at the post-secondary level employ a lecture format of instruction in which the majority of students are passively listening to the instructor and jotting down notes. Current views of learning and instruction challenge the wisdom of this traditional pedagogic practice by stressing the need for the learner to play an active role in constructing knowledge. The emerging technology of classroom communication systems offers a promising tool for helping instructors create a more interactive, student-centered classroom, especially when teaching large courses. In this paper we describe our experiences teaching physics with a classroom communication system calledClasstalk. Classtalk facilitated the presentation of questions for small group work as well as the collection of student answers and the display of histograms showing how the class answered, all of which fed into a class-wide discussion of students’ reasoning. We foundClasstalk to be a useful tool not only for engaging students in active learning during the lecture hour but also for enhancing the overall communication within the classroom. Equally important, students were very positive aboutClasstalk-facilitated instruction and believed that they learned more during class than they would have during a traditional lecture.

Solving physics problems with multiple representations

We present a teaching strategy to encourage flexible, non algorithmic problem solving. Students create several problem representations to answer questions about a single problem situation. Through reflection students learn the value of non algebraic representations for analyzing and solving physics problems.

Assessing-To-Learn: Formative Assessment in Physics Instruction

Assessment designed to enhance teaching and learning is called “formative assessment.” During formative assessment, teachers and students seek information about the state of student learning and then use the acquired information to adapt teaching and learning to meet student needs. “Classroom formative assessment” (CFA) requires that teachers explicitly engage in formative assessment during classroom learning activities. At a basic level, CFA occurs naturally and is a common part of most instructional settings. Nevertheless, the systematic practice of CFA is rare in secondary and post-secondary science education. Here we provide suggestions for those interested in formative assessment for use in teaching introductory physics. A simple model of classroom formative assessment is presented. Included are examples of formative assessment activities and suggestions for implementation.

Marking sense of students' answers to multiple-choice questions

A detailed example is used to illustrate the difficulties making sense of students’ answers to multiple-choice questions. We explore how correct answers can be false indicators of student knowledge and understanding. We caution against excessive reliance on multiple-choice questions for instructional decisions.

Promoting active learning in large classes using a classroom communication system

We provide an overview of an instructional strategy aimed at promoting active learning in introductory physics courses. Although a classroom communication system called Classtalk was used to facilitate the interactions among students, and between the students and the instructor, the use of Classtalk is not essential for implementing the instructional strategies described herein. A major focus of this article is a discussion of the types of questions that we have found work well in generating group, and class-wide discussions of physics concepts. We also discuss the types of reasoning used by students to answer specific conceptual questions.

How novice physics students deal with explanations

An extensive study was conducted of students’ explanations written in response to ‘what if...?’ questions in elementary mechanics. The study showed that the structure of students’ explanations yields roughly the same ranking of students as do problem‐solving tests, but in addition provides a wealth of insights into (1) context dependence and categorization in students’ use of concepts, (2) the effect of misconceptions on context dependence, and (3) the types of explanations that students tend to produce. A follow‐up study, in which students were presented with pairs of pre‐written explanations to ‘what if...?’ questions and asked to indicate a preference, showed that students do not necessarily prefer the types of explanations they write, and have greater difficulty assessing the correctness of explanations that are counter to preference type. Evidence is presented that, for many students, the links between physics thinking and real‐world thinking are all too tenuous.

Probing Physics Students' Conceptual Knowledge Structures through Term Association

Traditional tests are not effective tools for diagnosing the content and structure of students’ knowledge of physics. As a possible alternative, a set of term-association tasks (the ConMap tasks) was developed to probe the interconnections within students’ store of conceptual knowledge. The tasks have students respond spontaneously to a term or problem or topic area with a sequence of associated terms; the response terms and time-of-entry data are captured. The tasks were tried on introductory physics students, and preliminary investigations show that the tasks are capable of eliciting information about the stucture of their knowledge. Specifically, data gathered through the tasks is similar to that produced by a hand-drawn concept map task, has measures that correlate with in-class exam performance, and is sensitive to learning produced by topic coverage in class. Although the results are preliminary and only suggestive, the tasks warrant further study as student-knowledge assessment instruments and sour...

A Study of the Algebra Acquisition of Hispanic and Anglo Ninth Graders: Research Findings Relevant to Teacher Training and Classroom Practice.

Abstract This article summarizes a one-year study conducted with five Anglo and nine Hispanic ninth grade students enrolled in beginning algebra. The clinical interview approach used throughout the academic year allowed a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the students’ manipulative skills, their problem solving habits and their attitudes toward algebra. Findings from this study revealed a number of factors that inhibit the acquisition of problem solving skills among both Anglos and Hispanics. Recommendations are proposed aimed at improving the algebraic problem-solving skills of students in general, and of Hispanics in particular.

The Current Status of Hispanic Technical Professionals: How Can We Improve Recruitment and Retention∗

∗ Work supported by National Institute of Education Grant NIE‐G‐79‐0094. The contents of this study do not necessarily reflect the position, policy, or endorsement of the National Institute of Education.

Shell-model and β-decay calculations for the A = 211 isobars

Abstract Shell-model wave functions and energies are obtained for 211 Pb, 211 Bi and 211 Po in the basis [ v2 g 9 2 ] n [πh 9 2 ] 3− n . In 211 Bi the 2 f 7 2 proton orbital is also included for the case of paired neutrons. Electromagnetic and β-decay transition rates are calculated and compared with experiment. In particular the resulting wave function for the first excited state of 211 Bi reproduces the log ft value for β-decay from 211 Pb and the angular correlation coefficient A 2 , but not the electromagnetic properties.