Development of Interactive Examples for Concept-Based Problem Solving in Introductory Undergraduate Physics Courses

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Physics (13) Traditional introductory physics courses typically fail to significantly improve students' conceptual understanding of, and attitude towards, physics. Recently, several groups have documented significant improvements in these areas by applying insights from physics education research to improve curricular content and instructional methods for lectures, labs and recitation sections. This project addresses the remaining critical component of undergraduate physics education-the homework problems-with a careful integration of technology and instruction, based on knowledge gained from physics education research. The primary goal of the project is to create instructional materials that students in introductory physics courses can use to develop problem-solving strategies based on conceptual analysis. In particular, the project is creating a complete set (about 60 total) of research-based "Interactive Examples" (IEs) that can be used in introductory calculus-based physics courses in undergraduate institutions. These IEs are web-based exercises that actively engage students in a Socratic dialog designed to help them develop a concept-based strategy to solve a homework problem. The problems developed address documented student difficulties and are guided by collaborations with researchers at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Washington. These new IEs also exploit the lessons learned from previous successful development of IEs for introductory algebra-based physics courses. Quantitative evaluation is being done of the effectiveness of the new IEs in improving students' functional understanding of basic physics principles. Initial dissemination of these IEs will be to community colleges and peer institutions, and further dissemination is being refined during the course of the project.