Lesson #3 of the physics education reform effort [ignored by the NRC
(1997, 1999, 2003), McCray et al. (2003), and most professors] is:
"HIGH-QUALITY STANDARDIZED TESTS OF THE COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE
IMPACT OF COURSES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR GAUGING THE RELATIVE
EFFECTIVENESS OF NON-TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL METHODS.
". . . . so great is the inertia of the educational establishment (see
lesson #13) that three decades of physics-education research
demonstrating the futility of the passive-student lecture in
introductory courses were ignored until high-quality standardized
tests that could easily be administered to thousands of students
became available. These tests are yielding increasingly convincing
evidence that interactive engagement methods enhance conceptual
understanding and problem solving abilities far more than do
traditional methods methods . . . .[Most disciplines] have yet to
develop any such tests and therefore cannot effectively gauge either
the need for or the efficacy of their reform efforts."
Partially as a result of the above lesson, more and more such tests
for formative evaluation - NOT high stakes testing - are becoming
available in various disciplines [Hake (2004e)].
REFERENCES
Doss-Hammel, H. 2004. "Hands-On Research Summary," San Diego State
University Center for Research in Mathematics & Science Education;
online at
<http://www.sci-ed-ga.org/standards/index.html>.
Hake, R.R. 2002. "Lessons from the physics education reform effort,"
Conservation Ecology 5(2): 28; online at
<http://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss2/art28>. Conservation Ecology is a
free "peer-reviewed journal of integrative science and fundamental
policy research" with about 11,000 subscribers in about 108 countries.
Hake, R.R. 2004a. "Science Article on Scientific Teaching," online at
<http://listserv.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0404&L=pod&O=D&P=23211>.
Post of 27 Apr 2004 22:12:20-0700 to AERA-J, ASSESS, Biopi-L,
Chemed-L, EvalTalk, Math-Teach, Phys-L, PhysLnrR, and STLHE-L (later
sent to AERA-D, AERA-K, and DrEd). See also Hake (2004c).
Hake, R.R. 2004b. "Re: Science Article on Scientific Teaching," online at
<http://listserv.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0404&L=pod&O=D&P=25757>.
Post of 29 Apr 2004 14:52:14-0700 to AERA-J, ASSESS, Biopi-L,
Chemed-L, EvalTalk, Math-Teach, Phys-L, PhysLnrR, and STLHE-L (later
sent to AERA-D, AERA-K, and DrEd).
Hake, R.R. 2004c. "Direct Science Instruction Suffers a Setback in
California - Or Does It?" 11 April, contributed to the 129th National
AAPT meeting in Sacramento, CA, 1-5 August 2004; online as reference
33 at <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>, or download directly as
a 420
kB pdf by clicking on
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/DirInstSetback-041104f.pdf>
[about 160 references and 180 hot-linked URL's].
Hake, R.R. 2004d. "Re: Measuring Content Knowledge", online at
<http://listserv.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0403&L=pod&O=D&P=16472>.
Post of 14 Mar 2004 16:29:47-0800 to ASSESS, Biopi-L, Chemed-L,
EvalTalk, Physhare, Phys-L, PhysLnrR, POD, and STLHE-L.
Handelsman, J., D. Ebert-May, R. Beichner, P. Bruns, A. Chang, R.
DeHaan, J. Gentile, S. Lauffer, J. Stewart, S.M. Tilghman, W.B. Wood.
2004. "Scientific Teaching," Science 304 (23): 521-522, April; online
for free (entire article to "Science" subscribers, abstract to
guests) at <http://www.sciencemag.org/search.dtl>, search for Volume
304, First Page 521. Supporting Online Material (SOP) material may be
freely downloaded at
<http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/data/304/5670/521/DC1/1>. The complete
article may be downloaded for free at Handelsman's homepage as a 100
kB pdf <http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/fac/joh/scientificteaching.pdf>.
McCray, R.A., R.L. DeHaan, J.A. Schuck, eds. 2003. "Improving
Undergraduate Instruction in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics: Report of a Workshop" Committee on Undergraduate STEM
Instruction," National Research Council, National Academy Press;
online at <http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10711.html>.
Physicists/astronomers attending the workshop were Paula Herron,
Priscilla Laws, John Lehman, Ramon Lopez, Richard McCray, Lillian
McDermott, Carl Wieman, Jack Wilson, and Mike Zeilik.
NRC. 1997. "Science Teaching Reconsidered: A Handbook," National
Research Council, Committee on Undergraduate Science Education,
National Academy Press; online at
<http://www.nap.edu/catalog/5287.html>.
NRC. 1999. "Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science,
Mathematics,Engineering, and Technology," National Research Council,
Committee on Undergraduate Science Education, National Academy Press;
online at <http://www.nap.edu/catalog/6453.html>.
NRC. 2003. "Evaluating and Improving Undergraduate Teaching in
Science and Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics," ed. by M.A.
Fox & N. Hackerman, National Research Council, Committee on
Undergraduate Science Education, National Academy Press; online at
<http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10024.html>.
Schoenfeld, A.H. 2002. "Making Mathematics Work for All Children:
Issues of Standards, Testing, and Equity," Educational Researcher
31(1): 13-25; online at <http://www.aera.net/pubs/er/toc/er3101.htm>.
Wells, M., D. Hestenes, G. Swackhamer. 1995. "A modeling method for
high school physics instruction," Am. J. Phys. 63(7): 606-619; online
at <http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html>.