Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-L] Indicators of quality teaching (Was:MOOC:EdxOffers Mechanics course by Prof.Walter Lewin)

?? Rick has just told you that he both gets good gains and spends more time - and you give a knee-jerk response of "It doesn't work very well". Is no one's experience valid but yours?

I have attended many workshops on using research based material and using the FCI as a test of "gain". I have to agree with Rick - the extra time needed (and please don't say that extra time is not needed - every workshop I have attended contradicts that assertion) and the pedagogy used is definitely a form of "teaching to the test".

I am not questioning that different pedagogies produce different gains on the FCI - but beyond that - I am still in the "so what?" stage.

To me, quality teaching depends on what I am trying to learn. If I want to learn how to spin an aircraft, I want a competent flight instructor to show me how to do it. If I want to know the workings of the electrical or fuel systems in the plane, I want a good book or video lecture.

Likewise, the pedagogy I use in my class depends on the purpose of the class - is it a one time only experience for the students in a core level course, a course with a main focus on getting Biology Majors to pass the MCAT, or is it an introductory survey course for students who are going to take more advance physics courses.

The "one size fits all" mantra of the "gains" people just doesn't make sense to me.

Bob at PC
________________________________________ -
From: Phys-l [phys-l-bounces@phys-l.org] on behalf of John Clement [clement@hal-pc.org]
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 12:12 AM
To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
Subject: Re: [Phys-L] Indicators of quality teaching (Was:MOOC:EdxOffers Mechanics course by Prof.Walter Lewin)

Have you tried the approach of spending more time to get higher gain??? It
doesn't work very well. But research based material does work. It is not
the time spent, but the way in which the time is spent which is the key.
Others have tried to improve their lectures to get better gain, and it has
been a dismal failure. Joe Redish tried to improve gain in a conventional
class and couldn't. But just using Real Time Physics Labs did improve gain
markedly.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX



rwt (who does spend more time on Newton's Laws, gets good
gains with the FCI, but doesn't see that as a validation of
my teaching techniques...only my decision to spend the more time.)



_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l