[Phys-L] Re: Partners in Innovation: Teaching Assistants in College Courses

[jbellina <jbellina@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

Oh if it were so easy Jack.  There is currently a meta-study being
done by the Educational Development Center to evaluate inquiry based
curricular experiences in grades K-12.    The website is http://
cse.edc.org/work/research/inquirysynth/default.asp

The problem has been, from what I read and hear, that it is very
difficult to get good data on what actually happens in the classroom,
so, while there are quite a few papers reporting the results, fewer
provide enough information about the classroom, so it becomes
difficult to correlate classroom environment with outcomes.

On the other hand I think I can say that in my experience using
Physics By Inquiry with preservice eled students, the active
conversation within each group facilitates learning and thinking in a
way that is entirely new to these students.  In the beginning most
students are resistant.  By now, so still are, but most have come to
realize that getting in there and getting your hands dirty, and then
reflecting on the work is a fundamentally different learning
experience from being in a lecture environment no matter how well
constructed.

Hardly a longitudinal study since I have only been doing it for about
4 years.

cheers,

joe

Joseph J. Bellina, Jr. Ph.D.
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556

On Nov 25, 2005, at 4:42 PM, Jack Uretsky wrote:

> I would have thought that a responsive answer to my question would
> have
> been, "Yes, as follows:
>         The results suggest that active and cooperative learning
> methods
> facilitate both learning and a variety of interpersonal and thinking
> skills, and that while these methods may initially provoke student
> resistance, the resistance can be overcome if the methods are
> implemented
> with care."
>                                 Regards,
>                                         Jack
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, 24 Nov 2005, Vern Lindberg wrote:
>
> > Many of Felder's papers are at
> > <http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/Education_Papers-
> > Chronological.html>
> >
> > Vern Lindberg
> > RIT
> >
> > On Nov 24, 2005, at 10:05 PM, Jack Uretsky wrote:
> >
> > > Does he provide a summary of his conclusions?
> > >                                 Regards,
> > >                                         Jack
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Thu, 24 Nov 2005, Robert Beichner wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Nov 23, 2005, at 4:00 AM, Rick Tarara wrote:
> > > > >  Is there now any longitudinal data that shows how students react
> > > > > when course after course is done in interactive mode?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Richard Felder did a study of just the sort you are talking about
> > > > (except this was done in a five semester Chemical Engineering
> > > > sequence rather than Physics).
> > > >
> > > > Hope this is helpful.
> > > >
> > > > Bob Beichner
> > > > NCSU Physics
> > > >
> > > > R.M. Felder, "A Longitudinal Study of Engineering Student
> > > > Performance
> > > > and Retention. IV. Instructional Methods and Student Responses to
> > > > Them," J. Engr. Education, 84(4), 361-367 (1995). Instructional
> > > > methods designed to reach the full spectrum of learning styles, as
> > > > applied in an ongoing longitudinal study of engineering students.
> > > > R.M. Felder, G.N. Felder, and E.J. Dietz, "A Longitudinal Study of
> > > > Engineering Student Performance and Retention. V. Comparisons with
> > > > Traditionally-Taught Students" J. Engr. Education, 87(4), 469-480
> > > > (1998). Performance and attitude differences between students
> > > > taught
> > > > with an active/cooperative learning model and students taught
> > > > with a
> > > > traditional instructor-centered model.
> > >
> > > --
> > > "Trust me.  I have a lot of experience at this."
> > >                 General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
> > >                 just before leading them into the Little Big Horn
> > > Valley
>
> --
> "Trust me.  I have a lot of experience at this."
>                 General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
>                 just before leading them into the Little Big Horn
> Valley
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