Rochester AAPT Meeting (July/25/01): Pg 1 Helping Under-prepared Students Learn Calculus-Based...

Rochester AAPT Meeting (July/25/01): Pg 1

Helping Under-prepared Students Helping Under-prepared Students Learn Calculus-Based University Learn Calculus-Based University

PhysicsPhysics (Mats Selen, UIUC Department of Physics, July 25, AAPT-2001)

Building a foundation: Physics 100What motivates us:

» Brief overview of our intro physics sequence.» Why we need a preparatory course like Physics 100.

Identifying students at risk:» Self evaluation test.

Class structure:» Pre-flight, Discussion, Homework and Quizzes.

Preliminary Results.» Is it helping?

Follow-up:» Physics 199M.

The Future:» Web based lectures with audio.» NSF sponsored minority scholarship program.


Overview of the UICU calc-basedOverview of the UICU calc-basedintroductory physics sequenceintroductory physics sequence

Taken by all physics & engineering undergradsPhysics 111 (4 hrs, mechanics)Physics 112 (4 hrs, E&M) Physics 113 (2 hrs, thermo/stat-mech)Physics 114 (2 hrs, waves/quantum)

Taken by about 4000 students per year

Summer

Fall

Spring

500 in 111

1000 in 112

400 in 113/114

1000 in 111

500 in 112

600 in 113/114

In PhaseOut of Phase

Most freshmen start here


Why a preparatory course?Why a preparatory course?

Despite the University of Illinois’ C of E high admission standards, nearly 20% of accepted students are inadequately prepared to pass our introductory mechanics course (i.e. they earn a D or F).The failure rate is even higher for minority groups.

» As high as 68% for African Americans.

Many students do not realize that they are poorly prepared.

We need to identify inadequately prepared students and help them gear up for Physics 111 and beyond.


Student SelectionStudent Selection Self evaluation quiz is offered in the Fall semester

to all freshman in the College of Engineering as well as all students enrolled in physics 111.

Students receiving a score below a certain cutoff are invited to take Physics 100 (1 credit-hour).Much less than half of identified students choose

to participate initially.» This should really be a placement exam!

Physics 100 does not officially start until about 3 weeks into the fall semester.Gives students time to evaluate their situationMany decide to take Physics 100 after doing

poorly on the first Physics 111 mid-term exam.

Typical Physics 100 enrollment ~ 100


The Self EvaluationThe Self Evaluation

Tests basic math and physics background.

Students take this (individually) on the web.No time pressure while taking test.They can try the test as many times as they want

to (before deadline), although they are not given feedback until after the deadline.

Consists of 16 multiple choice questions.8 of these (found the most predictive) are used

to arrive at their “score”.

Students that get less than half right are invited to take Physics 100.


Example Self Evaluation Questions…Example Self Evaluation Questions…

Did you take high school physics?

(a) Yes

(b) No

(c) Yes but it was lousy

(Background)



Here we have two vectors V and W. The angle between these vectors is A.

1) What is the component of V parallel to W in terms of A and the magnitudes of V and W?

(a) V

(b) W

(c) V sin(A)

(d) V cos(A)

(e) W sin(A)

(f) W cos(A) x

y

A

W

V

(Basic trig)



An oarsman can row his boat 3 mph is still water. He sets out on the Illinois River, which flows at 5 mph. We are interested in what an observer on shore measures.

1) When the man heads the boat directly downstream and rows as fast as he can, how fast does the observer on shore see the boat going?

(a) 2 mph (b) 3 mph (c) 5 mph (d) 7 mph (e) 8 mph

2) When the man heads the boat directly downstream and rows as fast as he can, which direction does the observer on shore see the boat going?

(a) upstream (b) downstream(reasoning)



The force on an object in uniform circular motion is given by F = mv2/r.

1) Consider two equal mass objects moving around the same circle, one with speed V1 and one with speed V2, where V1 = 2V2. What is the ratio of the forces on these objects?

(a) F1/F2 = 1

(b) F1/F2 = 2

(c) F1/F2 = 4

(d) F1/F2 = 1/2

(e) F1/F2 = 1/4(scaling)


Self evaluation – Physics 111 Self evaluation – Physics 111 correlation:correlation:

Self Evaluation Score

Ph

ysic

s 11

1 G

rad

e


Class Structure:Class Structure: Weekly cycle:

Textbook reading assignmentWeb Based Homework (based on reading)

» Traditional problems.» Interactive Examples (IE’s).» Unlimited tries before deadline, immediate feedback.

Web Based Preflight (JITT)» Provides information to instructor prior to discussion

section.» Graded on participation only

Discussion (2-hour capstone) » Group problem solving facilitated by instructor» Graded on participation

Also:Three web-based quizzesWritten (M/C) final exam

No Lecture


Traditional Homework:Traditional Homework:


Limited help available…


Interactive Examples (Socratic Interactive Examples (Socratic Dialogue)Dialogue)

when students click in “Help”…

Start by asking a numeric question(usually multi-step)


…”Help” results in a discussion followed by some multiple-choice questions that lead them toward the answer…


This dialogue can take several steps…


…these steps are designed toteach students problem solvingapproaches as well as physics…


Eventually they get another (simpler) numeric question whoseanswer is needed to solve the primary numeric question.


Clicking on “Help” again results in asimilar dialogue as the first time,although one level “deeper”.

- Problems can be 4-5 levels deep

- Eventually they get enough info to solve the problem.


Once they get right the answer

And somefollow-upquestions

They get arecap


Interactive Example Features:Interactive Example Features:

Created to develop concept based problem solving skill.

Quantitative Problems Socratic help

Conceptual Analysis Strategic Analysis Quantitative Analysis

Recap Follow up questions


Student LogsStudent Logs We record all student submissions on IEs: (the conversation)


This is Research data!This is Research data!

How much time do students spend on the IEs?

How well do the students do on their first response to questions?

How deep into the IE do students go?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

trig

vecto

r

cartra

in

catch

ba

ll

arro

w

ba

lloo

n

carp

en

d

two

string

s

be

lt

inclin

e

bo

bsle

d

Av

era

ge

Tim

e S

pe

nt

(min

)

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

trig

vector

cartrain

catchball

arrow

balloon

carpend

twostrings

belt

incline

bobsled

IE Question #

Avg

Gra

de

on

Rad

io Q

ues

tio

ns

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

trig

vecto

r

cartra

in

catch

ba

ll

arro

w

ba

lloo

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carp

en

d

two

string

s

be

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bo

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d

IE Question #

Av

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IE


Pre-FlightsPre-Flights Due before discussion (6am Monday) Used by instructor to guide discussion work Graded on participation only

(This was Mondays talk)


Discussion Section:Discussion Section:

Students work in groups on problems designed after examining homework & preflight answers. Purpose is to tie up loose ends. Students should leave understanding everything

done during the previous week.» i.e. reading, homework, preflights are capped

off by discussion. Graded on attendance & participation


Are we helping students ?Are we helping students ?

Performance on Hour Exams

65

67

69

71

73

75

77

79

0 1 2 3 4

Exam

Pe

rce

nti

le G

rad

e

Physics 111

Physics 100


Are we helping students…Are we helping students…

Can we reduce the failure rate of under-prepared students in Physics 111/112/113/114 ?

Probably YES (research by Gladding & Shoaf)

All students

Average physics 100 students

Average physics 111 students

Self Evaluation Score

Ph

ysic

s 11

1 G

rad

e


DISTRIBUTION OF FINAL GRADESDISTRIBUTION OF FINAL GRADES

Physics 100 alumni All Physics 111 taking Physics 111 students

FINAL GRADE IN PHYSICS 111

16%

36%

34%

14%

A

B

C

D,F,W

FINAL GRADE IN PHYSICS 111

22%

29%

32%

17%

A

B

C

D,F,W


So…are we helping ??So…are we helping ??

It seems like we might be, however there is a is a big caveat: Physics 100 students are self selected !

Are we getting only those students that were going to do well anyway ?

We need more data to study this.

» A real placement test would be very helpful !


Alumni of Physics 100 test to need/want more help with physics as they work through the Physics 111/112 sequence.

We now offer 1-hour courses for Physics 100 graduates that parallel the regular Physics 111 (spring) and 112 (fall) courses.Weekly 2-hour tutorial sections.Graded on participation only.

Although we know the students are very happy with these, we are presently attempting to quantify the effect.Small statistics so far.

Follow Up:Follow Up:


So far, results are encouraging; however, we would like to verify the validity of the Self Evaluation test.Placement test.Quantify the effects of the course.

Increase Minority Participation.NSF Grant to fund minority participation program.Working together with office of Minority Engineering

Program ( M.E.P.) at U. of I.

Web-based interactive lectures with audio.Students want to have a formal lecture.

» Cant do this “formally” and keep low time impact.Next best thing may be web-based lecture notes.

» Sound will provide extra dimension.

The Future:The Future:

Rochester AAPT Meeting (July/25/01): Pg 1 Helping Under-prepared Students Learn Calculus-Based...

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