[Phys-L] Re: Goals of the Introductory Course

["RAUBER, JOEL" <Joel.Rauber@SDSTATE.EDU>]

What about the Turing test?

________________________
Joel Rauber
Department of Physics - SDSU

Joel.Rauber@sdstate.edu
605-688-4293



| -----Original Message-----
| From: Forum for Physics Educators
| [mailto:PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu] On Behalf Of Joseph Bellina
| Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 2:01 PM
| To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
| Subject: Re: Goals of the Introductory Course
|
|
| Sadly, I don't believe the ability to solve a problem or set
| of problems, no matter has carefully crafted, will tell you
| if students understand the content.  There is lots of data,
| not just the FCI which strongly suggests that students can
| solve the problems at the end of the chapter and not
| understand the conceptual content.  I suspect problem solving
| is a necessary but not sufficient indicator of learniing.
|
| cheers,
|
| joe
|
| Larry Woolf wrote:
|
| >A. Regarding what students should know:
| >The grade 9-12 national science education standards provide
| a consensus
| >framework that may be of use: <
| >http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6e.html>
| >
| >B. Regarding the comment by Joe below and an earlier one by
| John Denker
| >"4) Sometimes I find it helpful to work backwards from the
| final exam.
| >Think of a couple of beautiful problems that you would like
| to put on
| >the final, and then ask yourself what you have to teach so that the
| >kids will be able to handle those problems."
| >
| >These ideas are the focus of the book "Understanding by Design" by
| >Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. They discuss the Backward Design
| >Process: 1. Identify desired results 2. Determine acceptable evidence
| >3. Plan learning experiences and instruction
| ><http://shop.ascd.org/productdisplay.cfm?productid=103055>
| ><http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem.b66696ac45f924
addeb3ffdb62108
> a0c/>
>
> Larry Woolf
> General Atomics
> www.sci-ed-ga.org
> www.ga.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Forum for Physics Educators On Behalf Of Joseph Bellina
> Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 11:22 AM
> Subject: Re: Goals of the Introductory Course
>
> I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but it seems to me that it
> is important to establish how you will know these goals are met.  Since

> if you can't tell, its not a very useful goal.What data will establish
> with reasonable certainty that your students have achieved the list
> below?  Some may be easy to assess, others may be much more difficult.

--
Joseph J. Bellina, Jr. Ph.D.
574-284-4662, 4968
Saint Mary's College
Dept. of Chemistry and Physics
Notre Dame, IN, 46556
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