Re: Computer Interfaces in the Physics Lab

[Herbert H Gottlieb <herbgottlieb@JUNO.COM>]

On Sat, 02 Sep 2000 15:53:51 -0400 John Gastineau <john@GASTINEAU.ORG>
writes:
> > Is there a convincing evidence (from our Physics Education
> > Research groups, or from anybody else) that under identical
> > and realistic conditions computer-based labs are more effective
> > than traditional labs in physics? I never saw one.
>
> Sure. Bob Beichner of NCSU has given a number of talks about his
> work with the SCALE-UP class there. At one point he was in a position
of
> teaching one section of traditional physics, doing the best he could in
that
> format, and also another section where he was free to use all the new
teaching
> tools he could, including MBL. The students in his traditional class
didn't
> do nearly as well as his research-based class by multiple measures. Was
it the
> MBL that made the difference?
> Yes, a gifted teacher will do better regardless of the situation.
>  Even teachers who get rave reviews and win
> teaching awards don't do very well at all if all they do is lecture.

Was this also true of Feynman's lectures????   I don't think so

> A computer is not the only way to engage students in
> what they are doing, but it is one possible way that has been shown to
> work well.
> John E. Gastineau

I urge everyone on this list-serv to be a bit more careful in quoting the
results
of "educational research" results that compare to or more methods of
teaching.
It is very difficult or even impossible to do any testing on several
student classes that are supposedly identical in all respects.

1. Regardless of how carefully the students in each class are matched,
one of the classes is likely to meet at a time when the students are more
refreshed and receptive  than they are at other times of the day.

2. One of the clases is likely to have one or two student leaders who set
the pace for the rest of the class. Without such student leaders other
classes cannot be considered to be "equal" or identical.

3. It is not only impossible to find two or more teachers who are "equal"
but even the same teacher is not "equal" to himself during different
times of the day...
or fid "equal" stimulation from each of his classes to give "equal "
performances.

Herb Gottlieb  from New York City
(Where we take all reports of educational research with a grain or two of
salt)