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Re: [Phys-l] Algebra based/calculus based laboratory



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ABSTRACT: Jacob Blickenstaff of the Phys-L list asked (paraphrasing): "Can the same introductory laboratory activities be used in labs for both calculus-based course for physics majors and the algebra-based course for non-majors?" To which Texas John Clement replied: "The problems of understanding the concepts are exactly the same for the calculus and algebra based courses, so labs that expose the concepts really need to be the same. I agree. Examples of conceptually-based labs are (in alphabetical order): Bernhard's conceptual labs, "Real Time Physics," "Socratic Dialogue Inducing Labs," "Tools for Scientific Thinking," and "Tutorials In Introductory Physics." Departing from discussion-list protocol, I give *academic references* to the above labs and other relevant articles.
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Jacob Clark Blickenstaff (2010) in his Phys-L post "Algebra based/calculus based laboratory" asked (paraphrasing):

"Do any other institutions use the same laboratory activities in both the algebra based (or non-majors) and calculus based (or majors) introductory course. Some colleagues need convincing that along with revising the 8 year old manual, creating two sets of activities will be worth the time and effort."

To which Texas John Clement responded [bracketed by lines "CCCCC. . . . ."; my inserts at ". . . . . .[[insert]]. . . ."; slightly edited to remove apparent typos]:

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So far there is only 1 type of introductory published labs that is research based. . . . . [What IS that "one type"??]]. . . . But some of them do have extra things or extensions that might be expected to be used for the upper level intro course. The problems of understanding the concepts are exactly the same for the calculus and algebra based courses, so labs that expose the concepts really need to be the same. . . . . . . . . So if you use "Real Time Physics" labs . . . . .[[Sokoloff, Thornton, & Laws (2002, 2004)]]. . . . they are suitable for both levels. The original "Tools for Scientific Thinking" labs. . . . [[see, e.g. CSMT(2010), Clement (2000), Thornton (1987), Vernier (2010)]]. . . . might be more suitable for algebra based students, but the two sets of labs were not actually aimed at different levels. They were aimed at producing better understanding. Similarly, McDermott tutorial. . . . [["Tutorials In Introductory Physics (McDermott et al.. 2002)]]. . . . are aimed at all, and I have seen faculty member challenged by them, so they are not low level labs.
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I agree with John Clement that "the problems of understanding the concepts are exactly the same for the calculus and algebra based courses."

Modesty forbids mention of my own "Socratic Dialogue Inducing Labs," online at <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi>, and explained in "Socratic Pedagogy in the Introductory Physics Laboratory" [Hake (1992)].

The late Arnold Arons (1993) wrote:

"The difficulties experienced by students in mastering the Law of Inertia and the concept of 'force' and the robust preconceptions with which they approach mechanical phenomena have been extensively discussed in the literature and are widely appreciated by teachers. Qualitative hands-on experience in the laboratory furnishes an effective way of helping many students overcome these difficulties. Examples of the questions students can be led to address through such experience are given in Sections 3.10 through 3.12 of . . . . [[Arons (1990, 1997)]]. . . .and a Socratically oriented laboratory aimed at the same objectives has been described in considerable detail by Hake. . . . .[[(1992)]]. . . . "

Nevertheless, "Socratic Dialogue Inducing Labs" and the Socratic Method (as opposed to the so-called "semi-Socratic method" are rarely mentioned in the literature, possibly due to the rampant misidentification of Plato's alter ego in the "Meno" with the *historical* Socrates researched by the late classics scholar Gregory Vlastos - see e.g., "The Socratic Method of the Historical Socrates, Plato's Socrates, and the Law School's Socrates"[Hake (2007)].

More recently, physics education researcher Jonte Bernhard (2008) in "Conceptual labs as an arena for learning: Experiences from a decennium of design and implementation" explains his development of conceptual labs as follows (quoted from his abstract):

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A series of projects focusing on the design and implementation of "conceptual labs", aimed at developing insightful learning, are described. The work commenced in 1994/95 and has been followed by a series of projects. The main focus has been on courses in mechanics and electric circuit theory.

The approach taken in designing these innovative curricula coincides very well with the emergent paradigm described as "design-based research". . . . .[[see, e.g., "Design-Based Research in Physics Education Research: A Review" (Hake, 2008)]]. . . . . In line with this emergent tradition, I describe how our designs have functioned in authentic settings and focus on interactions that have refined our understanding of the learning issues involved. A common feature in these learning environments is the use of technology as a tool for students' inquiry. Systematic variation, based on the theory of variation, has been introduced into task design.

According to results using conceptual inventories . . . . .[[seek e.g., <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_inventory> and National Academy (2008)]]. . . ., the conceptual labs have been very successful. However, it has also been shown that learning is not determined by the technology but by the design of the tasks. In the later projects we studied students' courses of action in labs using video recordings. I describe how these studies have provided insights into critical conditions for learning and have helped us to improve learning environments further.
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Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
24245 Hatteras Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Honorary Member, Curmudgeon Lodge of Deventer, The Netherlands
President, PEdants for Definitive Academic References (PEDAR)
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi>
<http://HakesEdStuff.blogspot.com>
<http://iub.academia.edu/RichardHake> >

REFERENCES [Tiny URL's courtesy <http://tinyurl.com/create.php>; all URL's were accessed on 9 April 2010.]
Arons, A.B. 1990. "A Guide to Introductory Physics Teaching." Wiley; reprinted with minor updates in Arons (1997).

Arons, A.B. 1993. "Guiding Insight and Inquiry in the Introductory Physics Laboratory," Phys. Teach. 31(5): 278-282; online to subscribers at <http://scitation.aip.org/dbt/dbt.jsp?KEY=PHTEAH&Volume=31&Issue=5>.

Arons, A.B. 1997. "Teaching Introductory Physics." Wiley. A slightly updated version of Arons (1990) plus "Homework and Test Questions for Introductory Physics Teaching" and "Introduction to Classical Conservation Laws." Amazon.com information at <http://tinyurl.com/y4u5zef>. Note the searchable "Look Inside" feature.

Bernhard, J. 2008. "Conceptual labs as an arena for learning: Experiences from a decennium of design and implementation," paper presented at the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 36th Annual Conference, 2-5 July 2008, Aalborg, Denmark: online at <http://www.sefi.be/wp-content/abstracts/1061.pdf> (1 MB).

Blickenstaff, J.C. 2010. "Algebra based/calculus based laboratory" post of 8 Apr 2010 12:15:50-0500; online on the OPEN! Phys-L archives at <https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/archives/2010/4_2010/msg00041.html>. This post initiated an 8-post (as of 09 April 2010 15:09:00) thread accessible at <https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/archives/2010/4_2010/threads.html>.

Clement, J.M. 2000. "Tools For Scientific Thinking: Applets for Motion Investigations, " online at <http://tinyurl.com/y3fwtng>.

Clement, J.M. 2010. "Re: Algebra based/calculus based laboratory," post of 8 Apr 2010 19:48:06 -0500, online on the OPEN! Phys-L archives at <https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/archives/2010/4_2010/msg00046.html>.

CSMT. 2010. Center for Science Mathematics Teaching, Tufts University. "Tools for Scientific Thinking and Student-Oriented Science," online at <http://ase.tufts.edu/csmt/>.

Hake, R.R. 1992. "Socratic Pedagogy in the Introductory Physics Laboratory," Phys. Teach 30: 546-552; updated version (4/27/98) at <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi/SocPed1.pdf> (88 kB).

Hake, R.R. 2007. "The Socratic Method of the Historical Socrates, Plato's Socrates, and the Law School's Socrates," online on the OPEN! AERA-L archives at <http://tinyurl.com/y753vx8>. Post of 21 Jun 2007 13:43:05-0700 to AERA-J, AERA-L, Phys-L, PhysLrnR, & POD.

Hake, R.R. 2008. "Design-Based Research in Physics Education Research: A Review" in Kelly et al. (2008). A pre-publication version of Hake's chapter is online at <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/DBR-Physics3.pdf> (1.1 MB).

Kelly, A.E., R.A. Lesh, J.Y. Baek. 2008. "Handbook of Design Research Methods in Education: Innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Learning and Teaching." Routledge Education; publisher's information at <http://tinyurl.com/4eazqs>. Amazon.com information at <http://tinyurl.com/ygbotlh>.

McDermott, L.C. , P.S. Shaffer, and the Physics Education Research Group. 2002. "Tutorials In Introductory Physics and Homework Package." Addison-Wesley aka Pearson, publisher's information at <http://tinyurl.com/yd99vj5>. Amazon.com information at <http://tinyurl.com/yymw4cf>.

National Academy. 2008. "Workshop on Linking Evidence and Promising Practices in STEM Undergraduate Education" online at <http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/PP_Commissioned_Papers.html>.

Sokoloff. D.R., R.K. Thornton, & P.W. Laws. Wiley. "RealTime Physics Active Learning Laboratories." Amazon.com information on "Module 1 - Mechanics, 2004" at <http://tinyurl.com/ybnrxdc> (note the searchable "Look Inside" Feature); "Module 2 - Heat and Thermodynamics," 2004 at <http://tinyurl.com/ya285m7>; "Module 3 - Electric Circuits, 2000 at <http://tinyurl.com/ybb5hax> (note the searchable "Look Inside" Feature); "Module 4 - Light and Optics, 2004 at <http://tinyurl.com/y6gwe3f>.

Thornton, R.K. 1987. "Tools for scientific thinking-microcomputer-based laboratories for physics teaching." Phys. Educ. 22: 230; online to subscribers at <http://tinyurl.com/y5psor9>.

Vernier. 2010. "Tools for Scientific Thinking," online at <http://www.vernier.com/cmat/tst.html>.