Re: [Phys-l] teaching physics conceptually

[Joseph Bellina <inquirybellina@comcast.net>]

Yours is a very interesting note because you raise the issue of more conceptual work in your classroom and then only ask how to summatively assess it.  That seems to me to be the least of your problems.  The first is what to do, the second is how to formatively assess what you are doing...are they learning anything, and then finally if you have evidence that that they are, only then would you summatively assess to see who is doing better and who is doing worse.

Have I missed something
Joseph J. Bellina, Jr. Ph.D.
Retired Professor of Physics
Co-Director
Northern Indiana Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Collaborative
574-276-8294
inquirybellina@comcast.net




On Feb 12, 2011, at 3:55 PM, Kirsten Manning wrote:

> For my graduate class at UVa, I am working on an assignment that I will use with my high school students.  This assignment increases the amount of questions in tests and homework sets that are both qualitative and conceptual in nature .  I’ve always tried to incorporate some conceptual aspects to my labs, homework, and test questions, but I struggle with it in several areas.  Obviously, “plug and chug” is easier to teach than the conceptual nature of physics.  Show the students the pattern to a formula and they can find numbers to plug into an equation with very little effort.   Some areas that I would like to work on are:
> 1) I’d like to increase the conceptual nature of my class without losing the quantitative component. What is an appropriate balance to the number of conceptual type questions versus the number of quantitative problems found on a test (or even a homework assignment) for a high school physics class?
> 2)  Remaining objective in grading questions that are qualitative.  I don’t always have time to make out rubrics for every question.  What characteristics do you look for in short essay answers?  What about grammar and spelling issues?
> 3)  Preparing students for these types of test questions.  What techniques do you use to help them develop the skills necessary to think conceptually?
> 4)  Finding resources that show the conceptual nature of physics.  Typically, when I look for conceptual type questions, I either use Hewitt’s book or use <physicsclassroom.com>.  What other resources are available for this type of assessment?
> Any suggestions that you could offer would be most appreciated.  Thank you.
> Kirsten Manning
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