Development of active learning tools for a course on physics of music
-
Upload
heather-whitney -
Category
Education
-
view
822 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Development of active learning tools for a course on physics of music
Development of Active Learning Tools for a Course on Physics and Music
Heather M. Whitney, Ph.D.Wheaton College (IL)
Course Profile: PHYS205, Physics of Music
• PHYS *205. Physics of Music. Basic concepts of sound and acoustics; vibrations, waves, fundamentals and overtones, musical scales, harmony, noise, physical and physiological production, and detection of sound waves; acoustical properties of materials and enclosures. (2)
• Half-semester course• Has been taught since at least 1994, avg of 30
students• Fulfills gen ed requirement for conservatory students
(and others)
Student Profile: PHYS205, Physics of Music
Learning ObjectivesAfter completing the course, you should have• An understanding of the nature and production
of sound in terms of basic physical principles.• Developed problem-solving skills and the ability
to think/reason critically and quantitatively.• Greater knowledge of how physical principles
are used in the design and use of musical instruments and spaces.
Personal Goals for the Course
• Support active learning through course elements that utilize the best of PER (that has been developed primarily for intro courses)
• Appeal to the students’ wide variety of interest, backgrounds, and training• Middle 50% scored between 1230 and 1400 on the Critical
Reasoning and Math portions of the SAT, and between 26 and 32 on the ACT
Logistical Supports
• Muddiest points• Reading quizzes• Summary before class of previous class
Lab Activities: 1D Motion and Measuring the Speed of Sound
• Vernier Motion Detector + Logger Pro
“Classic” Clicker Questions and Peer Instruction (many topics)
Student feedback: “The clicker questions were very helpful as well. It was nice to know we weren't going to move on from a problem until we actually understood it. It also allowed for stimulating conversation and the interesting opportunity to learn from my peers. “
Materials from Knight, Jones, Field, College Physics
Clicker Interactive Lecture Demonstration: Simple Harmonic Motion
Adapted from Interactive Lecture Demonstrations: Active Learning in Introductory Physics by David R. Sokoloff and Ronald K. Thornton (Wiley, 2004)
Scaffolded Context-rich problems
Why do many people find that they sound better when they sing in the shower?– What is a shower made of?
How large is it? What structure does this approximate?
– What types of standing waves will be observed?
– What possible frequencies of standing waves will be observed?
– How do these frequencies relate to voice production?
Image Creative Commons licensed / Flickr user Miss Shari
Collaborative Problems (Quantitative)
Collaborative Problems (Qualitative) Adapt a performance space
Criteria Bluegrass Musicals Progressive Metal
Beyonce Unplugged
Chamber Music Jazz 1 Jazz (big band)
Filmscore
Liveness + - - + | ~ ~ +
Intimacy + + +/~ - + ++ - -
Fullness 60 - 30 + - - - +
Clarity 40 + 70 + + + + -
Warmth +????? + +/- + + ~- - +
Brilliance - - +/- + - + + +
Texture - - + | - | +
Blend - + amp - + ~- + +
Ensemble + +/- amp + + + + +
Image credit: Nashville Symphony
Student Feedback• Dr. Whitney made class sessions very interactive,
helping us to learn the material in formats other than pure direct instruction.
• She was great about doing experiments and using different methods to relate to different learning styles.
• Dr. Whitney made physics seem so accessible. I came to class, understood what was going on, and felt as though I could contribute. This was the first T-Th class I've taken where the 2 hrs actually seemed to go by quickly.
Recommendations• Know your audience• Don’t reinvent the wheel: maintain familiarity
with PER developments (especially for intro courses)
Next Steps• Get more quantitative in analysis of learning• Work with a music theorist on campus• Is a better text needed?
Resources http://heathermwhitney.com/resources/Your Voice: An Inside View by Scott McCoy
Contact [email protected]
@drhmw