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

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

This project extends the development of "Interactive Examples" (IEs), web-based exercises that promote concept-based problem solving, to include an initial course for under-prepared students and the calculus-based thermal physics and quantum physics courses. This extension compliments the already produced modules that include complete sets of IEs for calculus-based mechanics and electricity & magnetism courses. In addition to already demonstrated statistically significant improvements in student performance after IEs were introduced into these courses, the project is also engaged in an ongoing evaluation process to understand the mechanisms responsible for this improvement. Guided by the principles learned from this evaluation process, we are refining our existing IEs, and creating new IEs for the remaining components of the introductory sequence. All IEs are maintained on a website (http://wug.physics.uiuc.edu/courses/ie.html) and freely available to the general public. Fourteen institutions, ranging from community colleges to research universities, are adopting IEs for credit use in their courses. Dissemination beyond the web site is available through a publishing agreement and the results of our investigations into the effectiveness of IEs on enhancing learning gains are presented at national meetings and in peer-reviewed journals.