UW
Department of Physics
PUBLICATIONS
Abstracts
D.L. Messina, L.S.
DeWater, and M.R. Stetzer, “Helping preservice teachers implement and
assess research-based instruction in K-12 classrooms,” accepted for
publication in Proceedings of the 2004 Physics Education Research
Conference, Sacramento CA, August 2004, edited by J. Marx, S. Franklin,
and P.R.L. Heron, AIP Conference Proceedings.
The Physics Education Group at the University of Washington offers
special physics courses for preservice teachers. The
three-quarter sequence helps prospective teachers develop an in-depth
understanding of some of the important basic concepts they will
teach. The guided-inquiry pedagogical approach provides them with
an opportunity to learn as they will be expected to teach. As a
result of the course, preservice teachers also come to recognize some
conceptual and reasoning difficulties commonly encountered by
students. A culmination of their experience is a teaching practicum in which the preservice
teachers apply what they have learned to instruction in middle or high
school classrooms. Observations of the preservice teachers as
they design, teach, and assess their lessons contribute to our
understanding of the type of preparation needed for them to be able to
teach physics and physical science by inquiry.
C.H.
Kautz, P.R.L. Heron,
M.E. Loverude, and L.C. McDermott, “Student understanding of the ideal
gas law, Part I: A macroscopic perspective,” Am. J. Phys. 73 (11) 1055-1063 (2005).
Our findings from a long-term investigation indicate that many students
cannot properly interpret or apply the ideal gas law after insruction
in introductory physics and chemistry as well as more advanced
courses. The emphasis in this paper is on the concepts of
pressure, volume, and temperature at the macroscopic level. We
describe some serious conceptual and reasoning difficulties that we
have identified. Results from our research were applied in the
design of a curriculum that has helped improve student understanding of
the ideal gas law.
C.H. Kautz, P.R.L. Heron,
P.S. Shaffer, and L.C. McDermott, “Student
understanding of the ideal gas law, Part II: A microscopic perspective,” Am. J. Phys.
73 (11) 1064-1071 (2005).
Evidence from research indicates that many undergraduate science and
engineering majors have seriously flawed microscopic models for the
pressure and temperature in an ideal gas. In the investigation
described in this paper, some common mistaken ideas about microscopic
processes were identifed. Examples illustrate the use of this
information in the design of instruction that helped improve student
understanding of the ideal gas law, especially its substance
indepenence. Some broader implications of this study for the
teaching of thermal physics are noted.
P.S. Shaffer and L.C.
McDermott, “A research-based approach to
improving student understanding of kinematical concepts,” Am. J. Phys. 73 (10) 921-931 (2005).
In this paper we describe a long-term, large-scale investigation of the
ability of university students to treat velocity and acceleration as
vectors in one and two dimensions. Some serious conceptual and
reasoning difficulties identifed among introductory students also were
common among pre-college teachers and physics graduate students.
Insights gained from this research guided the development of
instructional materials that help improve student learning at the
introductory level and beyond. The results have strong
impoications for the teaching of undergraduate physics, the
professional development of teachers, and the preparation of teaching
assistants.
L.G. Ortiz, P.R.L. Heron,
and P.S. Shaffer, “Investigating student
understanding of static equilibrium and accounting for balancing,” Am. J. Phys. 73 (6) 545-553 (2005).
We report on an investigation of student ability to account for static
equilibrium in the simple familiar case in which an object is balanced
on a frictionless pivot or fulcrum. Written questions were
administered to more than 1000 university students who had completed
the relevant instruction in introductory calculus-based physics.
Almost all the students were able to answer questions about simple
systems composed of point-like objects. However, when the mass
distribution was continuous, most students attributed equilibrium to
forces of equal magnitude applied on both sides of the fulcrum.
Moreover, many students treated horizontal and tilted bodies, even if
they were at rest, as distinct cases. The difficulties we
identified were very persistent. Hands-on activities that were
not influenced by research results had no discernible effect on student
performance. Direct attempts to address specific difficulties
using lecture demonstrations based on the research tasks described in
this article led to some improvement. Greater success has been
achieved by using a tutorial in which students work in small groups on
experiments and exercises suggested by research findings.
P.R.L. Heron and D.E.
Meltzer, Guest Editorial, “Future of physics
education research: Intellectual challenges and practical concerns,” Am. J. Phys. 73 (5) 390-394 (2005).
(This Guest Editorial does not have an abstract.)
L.C. McDermott, P.R.L.
Heron, and P.S. Shaffer, “Preparing K-12
teachers to teach physics and physical science,” APS Forum on Education
Newsletter, Summer 2005, pp. 19-22.
(This article does not have an abstract.)
L.C. McDermott, P.R.L.
Heron, and P.S. Shaffer, “Physics by
Inquiry: A research-based approach to preparing K-12 teachers of
physics and physical science,” APS Forum on Education Newsletter,
Summer 2005, pp. 23-26.
(This article does not
have an abstract.)
P.R.L. Heron, P.S.
Shaffer, and L.C. McDermott, “Research as a Guide to
Improving Student Learning: An Example from Introductory Physics,”
Invention and Impact, Proceedings of a Course, Curriculum, and
Laboratory Improvement Conference, April 2004, Washington DC, (AAAS,
2005).
(This article does not
have an abstract.)
L.A. Low, P.R.L. Heron,
B.C. Fabien, and P.G. Reinhall, “Development
and assessment of research-based tutorials for engineering dynamics,”
Proceedings of the American Association for Engineering Education
Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2004.
(This article does not
have an abstract.)
L.C.
McDermott,
"Physics education research: The key to student learning and teacher
preparation," Physics World, January 2004, pp. 40-41.
Physics
education research differs
from traditional education research in that the emphasis is not on
educational
theory or methodology in the general sense, but rather on student
understanding
of physics. Such research requires an in-depth knowledge of the subject
as well as access to students, which means that it can usually only be
carried out by physicists working in physics departments. Their
findings
constitute a rich resource for cumulative improvement in instruction.
L.C.
McDermott,
"Improving student learning in science," LTSN (Learning and Teacher
Support
Network) Physical Science News 4 (2) pp. 6-10. United Kingdom:
University
of Liverpool (2003).
For
more than 30 years, the Physics
Education Group at the University of Washington has been engaged in a
coordinated
program of research, curriculum development, and instruction to improve
student learning in physics (K-20). The work of the group is
guided
by ongoing discipline-based research. This type of research
differs
from traditional education research in that the emphasis is not on
educational
theory or methodology in the general sense but rather on student
understanding
of science content. For both intellectual and practical reasons,
discipline-based education research must be conducted by science
faculty
within science departments.
P.R.L.
Heron,
M.E. Loverude, P.S. Shaffer, and L.C. McDermott, "Helping students
develop
an understanding of Archimedes’ principle, Part II: Development of
research-based
instructional materials," Am. J. Phys.71 (11) 1188
(2003).
This
is the second of two closely
related papers that together describe how research on student
understanding
of Archimedes’ Principle is being used to guide the development of
instructional
materials on this topic. Results reported in the first paper
guided
the design of a tutorial and a laboratory experiment to supplement
instruction
in a standard introductory physics course. Ongoing assessment was
an integral part of the curriculum development process. The
instructional
materials that resulted have proved to be effective at helping students
apply Archimedes’ Principle. Also discussed are instructional
materials
for special courses and workshops for K-8 teachers. Evidence is
presented
that, on some tasks, teachers who have worked through these materials
perform
much better than introductory physics students.
M.E. Loverude,
C.H.
Kautz, and P.R. L. Heron, "Helping students develop an understanding of
Archimedes’ principle, Part I: Research on student understanding," Am.
J. Phys. 71 (11) 1178 (2003)
This
is the first of two closely related papers that together describe how
research
on student understanding of Archimedes’ Principle is being used to
guide
the development of instructional materials on this topic. The
results
reported in this first paper indicate that standard instruction on
hydrostatics
leaves many science and engineering majors unable to predict and
explain
the sinking and floating behavior of simple objects. A number of
serious and persistent difficulties with the concepts and principles
used
to analyze such behavior are identified. While some of these
difficulties
were specific to the concept of the buoyant force, many others seemed
to
reflect lingering confusion about concepts that are widely assumed to
be
understood by university students before the study of hydrostatics
begins.
The second paper details the development and assessment of
instructional
strategies.
R.E.
Scherr, P.S. Shaffer, and S. Vokos, "The challenge of changing deeply
held
student beliefs about the relativity of simultaneity," Am. J. Phys. 70 (12)
1238 (2002).
Previous
research indicates that
after standard instruction students at all academic levels often
construct
a conceptual framework in which the ideas of absolute simultaneity and
the relativity of simultaneity co-exist. This article describes
the
development and assessment of instructional materials intended to
improve student understanding of the concept of time in special
relativity,
the
relativity of simultaneity, and
the role of observers in inertial reference frames. Results from
pretests and post-tests are presented
to demonstrate the effect of the
curriculum in helping students deepen their understanding of these
topics.
Excerpts from taped
interviews and classroom interactions
help illustrate the intense cognitive conflict that students encounter
as they are led to
confront the incompatibility of
their deeply-held beliefs about simultaneity with the results of
special
relativity.
M.E. Loverude,
C.H.
Kautz, and P.R.L. Heron, "Student understanding of the first law
of thermodynamics: Relating work to the adiabatic compression of an
ideal
gas," Am.J. Phys. 70 (2) 137 (2002).
This
paper reports on an investigation
of student understanding of the first law of thermodynamics. The
students involved were drawn from first-year university physics courses
and a second-year thermal physics course. The emphasis was on the
ability of the students to relate the first law to the adiabatic
compression
of an ideal gas. Although all had studied the first law, few
recognized
its relevance. Fewer still were able to apply the concept of work
to account for a change in temperature in an adiabatic process.
Instead
most of the students based their predictions and explanations on a
misinterpretation
of the ideal gas law. Even when ideas of energy and work were
suggested,
many students were unable to give a correct analysis. There was
frequent
failure to differentiate the concepts of heat, temperature, work, and
internal
energy. Some of the difficulties that students had in applying
the
concept of work in a thermal process seemed to be related to
difficulties
with mechanics. Findings from this study have strong implications
for instruction in thermal physics and in mechanics.
L.C. McDermott,
Oersted Medal Lecture 2001: "Physics education research: The key to
student
learning," Am.J. Phys. 69 (11) 1127 (2001).
Research
on the learning and teaching
of physics is essential for cumulative improvement in physics
instruction.
Pursuing this goal through systematic research is efficient and greatly
increases the likelihood that innovations will be effective beyond a
particular
instructor or institutional setting. The perspective taken is
that
teaching is a science as well as an art. Research conducted by
physicists
who are actively engaged in teaching can be the key to setting
realistic
standards, to helping students meet expectations, and to assessing the
extent to which real learning takes place.
R.E. Scherr,
P.S. Shaffer, and S. Vokos, "Student understanding of time in special
relativity:
simultaneity and reference frames," Phys. Educ. Res., Am.J. Phys.
Suppl.69 (7)
S24 (2001).
This
article reports on an investigation
of student understanding of the concept of time in special
relativity.
It was found that after standard instruction students at all academic
levels
have serious difficulties with the relativity of simultaneity and with
the role of observers in inertial reference frames. Results are
presented
from a series of research tasks that revealed, step-by-step, a detailed
picture of how students think about these fundamental concepts.
The
evidence suggests that students often construct a conceptual framework
in which the ideas of absolute simultaneity and the relativity of
simultaneity
harmoniously co-exist.
L.C.
McDermott
and P.S. Shaffer, "Preparing teachers to teach physics and physical
science
by inquiry," in The Role of Physics Departments in Preparing K-12
Teachers,
G. Buck, J. Hehn, D. Leslie-Pelecky, eds., College Park, MD: American
Institute
of Physics (2000) pp. 71-85.
A
major reason for the perceived
national crisis in science education is the failure to prepare K-12
teachers
to teach science effectively. Science methods courses taught in
departments
of education cannot help teachers develop the depth of understanding
that
they need to be able to teach science as a process of inquiry.
Responsibility
for the subject matter preparation of teachers lies with science
faculty.
However, in physics and related disciplines, neither courses for majors
nor for non-majors provide the kind of preparation required for
teaching
science by inquiry. Special physics courses expressly designed
for
this purpose on the basis of research have proved successful not only
with
prospective teachers but also with other students. The
intellectual
objectives and instructional methods that characterize these courses
are
discussed in the context of specific examples. These are drawn
from
more than 25 years of experience in the Physics Department at the
University
of Washington.
L.C. McDermott,
P.S. Shaffer, and C.P. Constantinou, "Preparing teachers to teach
physics
and physical science by inquiry," Physics Education 35, (6)
(November 2000)
In
physics, neither courses for majors
nor for non-majors provide the kind of preparation required for
teaching
physics or physical science by inquiry. Science methods courses cannot
help teachers develop the depth of understanding needed for this type
of
teaching. since appropriate preparation is not available through the
standard
curriculum, a practical alternative is to offer special physics courses
for teachers.
S. Vokos, B.S.
Ambrose, P.S. Shaffer, and L.C. McDermott, "Student understanding of
the
wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles,"Phys.
Educ. Res., Am. J. Phys 68 (S1) S42 (2000).
This
paper reports on a
study of student understanding of the wave nature of matter in the
context
of the diffraction and interference of particles. Students in
first-year,
second-year, and third-year physics courses were asked to predict and
explain
how a single change in an experimental set-up would affect the pattern
produced when electrons or other particles were incident on a single
slit,
double slit, or crystal lattice. The errors made by students after
standard
instruction indicated the presence of similar conceptual and reasoning
difficulties at all levels. Among the most serious was an inability to
interpret diffraction and interference in terms of a basic wave model.
Other errors revealed a lack of functional understanding of the de
Broglie
wavelength. Students often treated it as a fixed property of a
particle,
not as a function of the momentum. An important goal of this
investigation
was to provide a research base for the design of instruction to help
students
develop and apply a basic wave model for matter.
L.C.
McDermott and E.F. Redish, "Resource letter on Physics Education
Research," Am.
J. Phys. 67 (9) 755 (1999). (Click
here for PDF version)
Excerpt
from introduction: Experienced
instructors recognize that in spite of their best efforts many students
emerge from their study of physics with serious gaps in their
understanding
of important topics. In the last two decades, physicists have begun to
approach this problem from a scientific perspective by conducting
detailed,
systematic studies on the learning and teaching of physics. These
investigations
have included a wide variety ofpopulations, ranging from young children
to professional physicists. The purpose of this resource letter is to
provide
guidance through some of the published literature on this research. The
references have been selected to meet the needs of two groups of
physicists
engaged in physics education. The first is the growing number whose
field
of scholarly inquiry is (or might become) research in physics
education.
The second is the much larger community of physics instructors whose
primary
interest is in useing the results from research as a guide for
improving
instruction.
L.C. McDermott
and L.S. DeWater, "The need for special science courses for teachers:
Two
perspectives," an invited chapter in Inquiring into Inquiry in Science
Learning and Teaching, J. Minstrell and E.H. van Zee, eds., Washington,
D.C.: AAAS (2000), pp. 241-257.
A
physics professor and
a classroom teacher present their perspectives on the type of
preparation
that K-12 teachers need in order to be able to teach science as a
process
of inquiry. Both have had more than 25 years of experience in teaching
at their respective levels and in working with precollege teachers.
Although
the context for much of the discussion is physics, analogies to other
sciences
can readily be made.
K. Wosilait, P.R.L.
Heron., P.S. Shaffer, and L.C. McDermott, "Addressing student
difficulties
in applying a wave model to the interference and diffraction of light,"
Phys.
Educ. Res., Am. J. Phys. Suppl. 67 (7) S5 (1999).
This
article illustrates
the use of research as a basis for the development of curriculum on
physical
optics. Evidence is presented that university students who have studied
physics at the introductory level and beyond often do not have a
functional
understanding of the wave model for light. Identification and analysis
of student difficulties guided the design of a tutorial sequence to
supplement
instruction in a standard calculus-based or algebra-based course.
Ongoing
assessment was an integral part of the curriculum development process.
The instructional materials that resulted have proved to be effective
at
helping students construct and apply a basic wave model for light.
B.S. Ambrose.,
Heron, P.R.L., Vokos, S., and L.C. McDermott, "Student understanding of
common representations of light as an electromagnetic wave: Relating
the
formalism to physical phenomena," Am. J. Phys. 67 (10)
891
(1999).
During
an investigation
of student understanding of physical optics, we found that some serious
difficulties with interference, diffraction, and polarization may be
due,
at least in part, to a lack of understanding of the nature of light as
an electromagnetic wave. We therefore decided to look carefully at how
students interpret the diagrammatic and mathematical formalism commonly
used to represent a plane EM wave. The results of this research have
guided
the development and modification of tutorials to address the
difficulties
we identified. These instructional materials are an example of how,
within
a relatively short time allotment, a research-based curriculum can help
students interpret the formal representations associated with EM waves
and thus deepen their understanding of the wave model of light.
P.R. L.Heron and
L.C. McDermott, "Bridging the gap between teaching and learning in
geometrical
optics: The role of research," Opt. & Phot. News 9 (9)
30 (1998).
Research on the learning and teaching
of physics is discipline-specific, focuses on the state of the student,
and can be generalized beyond a particular instructor, course, or
institution.
As an example, this article describes how results from research have
contributed
to the improvement of student learning in geometrical optics.
B.S. Ambrose,
P.S. Shaffer, R.N. Steinberg, and L.C. McDermott, "An investigation of
student understanding of single-slit diffraction and double-slit
interference," Am.
J. Phys.67 (2) 146 (1999).
Results
from an investigation
of student understanding of physical optics indicate that university
students
who have studied this topic at the introductory level and beyond often
cannot account for the pattern produced on a screen when light is
incident
on a single or double slit. Many do not know whether to apply
geometrical
or physical optics to a given situation and may inappropriately combine
elements of both. Some specific difficulties that were identified for
single
and double slits proved to be sufficiently serious to preclude students
from acquiring even a qualitative understanding of the wave model for
light.
In addition, we found that students in advanced courses often had
mistaken
beliefs about photons, which they incorporated into their
interpretation
of the wave model for matter. A major objective of this investigation
was
to build a research base for the design of curriculum to help students
develop a functional understanding of introductory optics.
K. Wosilait, P.R.L.
Heron, P.S. Shaffer, and L.C. McDermott, "Development and assessment of
a research-based tutorial on light and shadow," Am. J. Phys. 66
(10)
906 (1998).
Evidence
is presented that university
students who have studied physics at the introductory level and beyond
are often unable to apply basic concepts from geometrical optics to
account
for the effect on a screen when light is incident on a small aperature
or obstacle. Findings from an in-depth, systematic investigation were
used
to guide the design of curriculum to address the underlying conceptual
and reasoning difficulties. Ongoing assessment was an integral part of
the development cycle. The instructional sequence that evolved from
this
iterative process has proved effective both in helping students learn
to
apply basic concepts from geometrical optics and to recognize under
which
circumstances a model based on geometrical or physical optics is
appropriate.
T. O'Brien
Pride, S. Vokos, and L.C. McDermott, "The challenge of matching
learning
assesments to teaching goals: An example from the work-energy and
impulse-momentum
theorems," Am. J. Phys. 66 (2) 147 (1998).
The
issue of how to assess learning
is addressed in the context of an investigation of student
understanding
of the work-energy and impulse-momentum theorems. Evidence is presented
that conceptual and reasoning difficulties with this material extend
from
the introductory to the graduate level and beyond. A description is
given
of the development of an instructional sequence designed to help
students
improve their ability to apply the theorems to real motions. Two types
of assessment are compared. The results demonstrate that responses to
multiple-choice
questions often do not give an accurate indication of the level of
understanding
and that questions that require students to explain their reasoning are
necessary. Implications for the preparation of teaching assistants are
discussed.
L.C. McDermott, "Research in physics education," APS
News 7 (1) 8 (1998).
Abstract not available.
R.N. Steinberg, G.E.
Oberem and L.C. McDermott, "A computer program on the photoelectric
effect:
A research tool and an instructional aid," Am. J. Phys. 64
(11) 1370 (1996).
An
investigation conducted after
standard lecture instruction in a sophomore-level modern physics course
revealed that many students were unable to interpret the photoelectric
experiment in terms of the photon model for light. Findings from this
research
were used to guide the development of an interactive computer-based
tutorial
to address the conceptual and reasoning difficulties that were
identified.
The primary instructional strategy used in the tutorial is the drawing
and interpretation of graphs of current versus voltage for the circuit
in the experiment. The program has been used both as an aid to
instruction
and as a probe to obtain additional information about the nature,
prevalence,
and persistence of specific difficulties. Analysis of student
performance
on examination problems on the photoelectric experiment indicates that
those who have worked through the tutorial make fewer errors and give
better
explanations than those who have not had this experience. This result
suggests
that the intellectual engagement required by the program helps students
improve their understanding of the photoelectric effect.
D.J. Grayson, and L.C.
McDermott, "Use of the computer for research on student thinking in
physics," Am.
J. Phys. 64 (5) 557 (1996).
This
paper describes the use of
the computer-based interview as a research technique for investigating
how students think about physics. Two computer programs provide the
context:
one intended for instruction, the other for research. The one designed
for use as an instructional aid displays the motion of a ball rolling
along
a track that has level and inclined segments. The associated motion
graphs
are also shown. The other program, which was expressly designed for use
in research, is based on the simulated motion of a modified Atwood's
machine.
The programs require students to predict the effect of the initial
conditions
and system parameters on the motion or on a graph of the motion. The
motion
that would actually occur is then displayed. The investigation focuses
on the reasoning used by the students as they try to resolve
discrepancies
between their predictions and observations.
L.C.McDermott, P.S.
Shaffer and M. Somers, "Research as a guide for curriculum development:
An illustration in the context of the Atwood's machine," Am. J.
Phys.62 (1)
46-55 (1994).
A
problem on the Atwood's machine
is often introduced early in the teaching of dynamics to demonstrate
the
application of Newton's Laws to the motion of a compound system. In a
series
of preliminary studies, student understanding of the Atwood's machine
was
examined after this topic had been covered in a typical calculus-based
course. Analysis of the data revealed that many students had serious
difficulties
with the acceleration, the internal and external forces, and the role
of
the string. The present study was undertaken to obtain more detailed
information
about the nature and prevalence of these difficulties and thus provide
a sound basis for the design of more effective instruction. The context
for the investigation is a group of related problems involving less
complicated
compound systems. Specific examples illustrate how this research, which
was conducted primarily in a classroom setting, has served as a guide
in
the development of tutorial materials to supplement the lectures and
textbook
in a standard introductory course.
L. C. McDermott, Guest Comment: "How we
teach and how students learn -- A mismatch?" Am. J. Phys.60
(4) 295 (1993).
Abstract not available.
L.C.McDermott and P.S.
Shaffer, "Research as a guide for curriculum development: An example
from
introductory electricity, Part I: Investigation of student
understanding." Am.
J. Phys. 60 (11), 994 (1992); Erratum to Part I, Am. J.
Phys.61
(1), 81 (1993).
This
is the first of two closely
related articles that together describe how results from research can
be
used as a guide for curriculum development. This first article shows
how
the investigation of student understanding of electric circuits by the
Physics Education Group has contributed to the building of a research
base.
The second article describes how the group has drawn on this resource
both
in developing a curriculum for laboratory-based instruction and in
adapting
this curriculum to fit the constraints of a traditional introductory
course.
Also discussed is how, in turn, development and implementation of the
curriculum
have enriched the research base.
P.S. Shaffer and L.C.
McDermott, "Research as a guide for curriculum development: An example
from introductory electricity, Part II: Design of instructional
strategies." Am.
J. Phys. 60 (11), 1003 (1992).
This
is the second of two closely
related articles that together describe how results from research can
be
used as a guide for curriculum development. The first article shows how
the investigation of student understanding of electric circuits by the
Physics Education Group has contributed to the building of a research
base.
This second article describes how the group has drawn on this resource
both in developing a curriculum for laboratory-based instruction and in
adapting this curriculum to fit the constraints of a traditional
introductory
course. Also discussed is how, in turn, development and implementation
of the curriculum have enriched the research base.
L.C. McDermott, "What we teach and what
is learned: Closing the gap," Am. J. Phys. 59 (4), 301
(1991).
Abstract not available.
L.C. McDermott, "A
perspective on teacher preparation in physics and other sciences: The
need
for special courses for teachers," Am. J. Phys. 58 (8),
734
(1990).
This
article proceeds from the
premise that one of the major reasons for the perceived crisis in
science
education is the failure of our colleges and universities to provide
the
type of preparation that precollege teachers need to teach science
effectively.
The perspective taken is based on many years of teaching physics and
physical
science to prospective and practicing teachers at all grade levels. The
inadequacy of the present system of preparing teachers is examined and
an argument is presented for offering special physics courses for
teachers.
Experience at the University of Washington provides the basis for a
discussion
of the type of intellectual objectives and instructional methods that
should
characterize such courses.
L.C. McDermott, "Research
and computer-based instruction: Opportunity for interaction," Am.
J.
Phys. 58 (5), 452 (1990).
This
article describes the fruitful
interaction that can occur between research in physics education and
the
development of instructional software. The first part illustrates how
results
from research can guide the design of instructional software; the
second
part demonstrates how the computer itself can be used as an
investigatory
tool for conducting research on student understanding in physics. The
discussion
is in the context of specific examples based on work by the Physics
Education
Group at the University of Washington.
L.C. McDermott, "A view from physics,"
in Toward a Scientific Practice of Science Education, M.
Gardner,
J. Greeno, F. Reif, and A. Schoenfeld (Eds.), Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum,
Inc., p. 3-30 (1989).
Abstract not available.
R.A. Lawson and L.C.
McDermott, "Student understanding of the work-energy and
impulse-momentum
theorems," Am. J. Phys. 55 (9), 811 (1987).
Student
understanding of the impulse-momentum
and work-energy theorems was assessed by performance on tasks requiring
the application of these relationships to the analysis of an actual
motion.
The participants in the study were undergraduates enrolled in either
the
honors section of a calculus-based introductory physics course or in
the
regular algebra-based course. The students were asked to compare the
changes
in momentum and kinetic energy of two frictionless dry-ice pucks as
they
moved rectilinearly under the influence of the same constant force. The
results of the investigation revealed that most of the students were
unable
to relate the algebraic formalism learned in class to the simple motion
that they observed.
L.C. McDermott, M.L.
Rosenquist, and E.H. van Zee, "Student difficulties in connecting
graphs
and physics: Examples from kinematics," Am. J. Phys. 55
(6),
503 (1987).
Some
common errors exhibited by
students in interpreting graphs in physics are illustrated by examples
from kinematics. These are taken from the results of a descriptive
study
extending over a period of several years and involving several hundred
university students who were enrolled in a laboratory-based preparatory
physics course. Subsequent testing indicated that the graphing errors
made
by this group of students are not idiosyncratic, but are found in
different
populations and across different levels of sophistication. This paper
examines
two categories of difficulty identified in the investigation:
difficulty
in connecting graphs to physical concepts and difficulty in connecting
graphs to the real world. Specific difficulties in each category are
discussed
in terms of student performance on written problems and laboratory
experiments.
A few of the instructional strategies that have been designed to
address
some of these difficulties are described.
M.L. Rosenquist and
L.C. McDermott, "A conceptual approach to teaching kinematics," Am.
J. Phys. 55 (5), 407 (1987).
Results
from research on student
understanding of velocity and acceleration have been used to guide the
development of a conceptual approach to teaching kinematics. This paper
describes how instruction based on the observation of actual motions
can
help students: ( I ) develop a qualitative understanding of velocity as
a continuously varying quantity, of instantaneous velocity as a limit,
and of uniform acceleration as the ratio of the change in instantaneous
velocity to the elapsed time; ( 2 ) distinguish the concepts of
position,
velocity, change of velocity, and acceleration from one another; and (
3 ) make connections among the various kinematical concepts, their
graphical
representations, and the motions of real objects. Instructional
strategies
designed to address specific difficulties identified in the
investigation
are illustrated by example.
F.M. Goldberg and L.C.
McDermott, "An investigation of student understanding of the real image
formed by a converging lens or concave mirror," Am. J. Phys.55
(2), 108 (1987).
Student
understanding of the real
images produced by converging lenses and concave mirrors was
investigated
both before and after instruction in geometrical optics. The primary
data
were gathered through interviews in which undergraduates taking
introductory
physics were asked to perform a set of prescribed tasks based on a
simple
demonstration. The criterion used to assess understanding was the
ability
to apply appropriate concepts and principles, including ray diagrams,
to
predict and explain image formation by an actual lens or mirror.
Performance
on the tasks, especially by students who had not had college
instruction
in geometrical optics, suggested the presence of certain naive
conceptions.
Students who had just completed the study of geometrical optics in
their
physics courses were frequently unable to relate the concepts,
principles,
and ray-tracing techniques that had been taught in class to an actual
physical
system consisting of an object, a lens or a mirror, and a screen. Many
students did not seem to understand the function of the lens, mirror,
or
screen, nor the uniqueness of the relationship among the components of
the optical system. Difficulties in drawing and interpreting ray
diagrams
indicated inadequate understanding of the concept of a light ray and
its
graphical representation.
F.M. Goldberg and L.C. McDermott, "Student
difficulties in understanding image formation by a plane mirror," The
Phys. Teach. 24, 472 (1986).
Abstract not available.
L.C. McDermott, "Research on conceptual
understanding in mechanics," Physics Today 37, 24 (July
1984).
Abstract not available.
L.C. McDermott, M.L. Rosenquist, and E.H.
van Zee, "Instructional strategies to improve the performance of
minority
students in the sciences," New Directions for Teaching and Learning16,
59 (1983).
Abstract not available.
D.E. Trowbridge and
L. C. McDermott, "Investigation of student understanding of the concept
of acceleration in one dimension," Am. J. Phys. 49 (3),
242
(1981).
This
paper describes a systematic
investigation of the understanding of the concept of acceleration among
students enrolled in a variety of introductory physics courses at the
University
of Washington. The criterion for assessing understanding of a
kinematical
concept is the ability to apply it successfully in interpreting simple
motions of real objects. The main thrust of this study has been on the
qualitative understanding of acceleration as the ratio delta v/at. The
primary data source has been the individual demonstration interview in
which students are asked specific questions about simple motions they
observe.
Results are reported for the success of different student populations
in
comparing accelerations for two simultaneous motions. Failure to make a
proper comparison was due to various conceptual difficulties which are
identified and described. Some implications for instruction are briefly
discussed.
D.E. Trowbridge and
L. C. McDermott, "Investigation of student understanding of the concept
of velocity in one dimension," Am. J. Phys. 48 (12),
1020
(1980).
This
paper describes a systematic
investigation of the understanding of the concept of velocity among
students
enrolled in a wide variety of introductory physics courses at the
University
of Washington. The criterion selected for assessing understanding of a
kinematical concept is the ability to apply it successfully in
interpreting
simple motions of real objects. The primary data source has been the
individual
demonstration interview in which students are asked specific questions
about simple motions they observe. Results are reported for the success
of different student populations in comparing velocities for two
simultaneous
motions. It appease that virtually every failure to make a proper
comparison
can be attributed to use of a position criterion to determine relative
velocity. Some implications for instruction are briefly discussed.
L.C. McDermott,
"Teacher education and the implementation of elementary science
curricula," Am.
J. Phys. 44 (5), 434 (1976).
A
program is described to prepare
in-service elementary school teachers in the subject matter and
reasoning
skills needed to teach science as a process of inquiry. Included is a
procedure
for introducing experience-oriented curricula into the schools.
Selected
teachers are prepared in a university physics department to serve,
under
close supervision, as instructors for their colleagues. The program has
yielded results with implications for what physics departments should
provide
for elementary school teachers. Intellectual difficulties encountered
by
the teachers are discussed that have a bearing not only on successful
implementation
of school science programs but on physics education in general.
L.C. McDermott, "Improving high school
physics teacher preparation,"Phys. Teach. 13 (12), 523
(1975).
Abstract not available.
L.C. McDermott, "Practice
teaching program in physics for future elementary school teachers," Am
J. Phys. 42, 737 (1974).
A
practice teaching program directly
related to a physics course f or future elementary school teachers has
been developed. Several student teaching experiences are described
which
demonstrate how this activity helps prepare future teachers to make
effective
use of the new inquiry oriented science curricula. The contributions of
the practice teaching program to the total effort in teacher education
in the Physics Department are discussed.
L.C. McDermott, "Combined
physics course for future elementary and secondary school teachers," Am
J. Phys. 42, 668 (1974).
In order to
improve the preparation
of both future elementary school teachers to teach physical science and
secondary school teachers to teach physics. a combined physics course
which
includes both groups Or students has been developed . The course
content.
which emphasizes depth of understanding, is discussed in some detail.
.4
description is given of the techniques used to encourage the
development
of the skills and attitudes necessary for teaching the new nationally
developed.
inquiry-oriented science curricula.
Return
to the Publications page
Return to
the main page.