Unlike fields in the humanities and social sciences, mathematics is traditionally taught through lectures in which students are expected to passively learn material. Research has shown that this didactic method leaves students with little conceptual understanding and discourages them mathematically. The Calculus Concept Inventory (CCI) is an exam which was developed to determine the impact of different teaching methodologies on students' conceptual understanding. The results have demonstrated that teaching methods which fall under the category of Interactive Engagement have the largest positive impact on conceptual knowledge. These methods actively engage students through social interactions with their peers and instructors in addition to providing immediate feedback and time for second attempts. The purpose of this report is to describe the current status of calculus reform and the ways in which the CCI is affecting mathematics pedagogy. For example, the University of Texas at Austin Mathematics Department has implemented flipping, an interactive engagement method delivering instruction on-line outside of class and bringing homework into the classroom. / text

Den här undersökningen inom fysikdidaktik utförs enligt ramverket The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Det didaktiska verktyget som ska utvärderas benämns Pictionary Physics. Studien börjar med en litteraturöversikt av multipla representationer och interaktivt engagemang. Översikten syftar till att utforska hur lärandet kan möjliggöras vid användningen av det didaktiska verktyget. Pictionary Physics användes sedan för att främja en interaktiv användning av multipla representationer i en grupp bestående av fyra studenter. Studenternas agerande studerades och analyserades kvalitativt, följt av en utvärdering av studenternas upplevelser när de använde det didaktiska verktyget. Utvärderingen visar att Pictionary Physics kan gynna konceptuell förståelse för begrepp inom fysik. Utvärderingen visar även att det didaktiska verktyget skulle kunna bidra till förbättrat studieresultat då studenter uppmuntras att använda multipla representationer på ett interaktivt sätt. Fortsatt förädling av Pictionary Physics föreslås. Detta är stommen för SoTL, där tanken är att konsekvent utöka var kunskap om lärandet av fysik. / This physics education research project is carried out following the framework of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). The didactic instrument investigated is termed Pictionary Physics. The study begins with a literature review of research on multiple representation, and interactive engagement. This review is used to evaluate the learning potential of the intended didactic instrument. Pictionary Physics was then used to facilitate the multi-representational interaction of a group of four physics students. The students’ behavior was studied and analyzed qualitatively, followed by an evaluation of the students’ experiences when using this didactic instrument. The investigation shows that Pictionary Physics may promote conceptual understanding of physics phenomena. The investigation also implies that this didactic instrument can contribute to improved learning outcomes when students are encouraged to interact by using multiple representations. Continued refinement of the Pictionary Physics concept is suggested. Such refinement is the essence of SoTL, incrementally expanding our knowledge of the teaching and learning of physics.

I detta arbete så vill jag studera hur praktisk fysikundervisning och bedömning i några svenska gymnasieskolor överensstämmer med modern forskning om fysikpedagogik. Denna forskning spänner över ett brett spektrum av metoder och teorier, varav jag har fokuserat på om lärarnas undervisning kan beskrivas som -elevaktiv eller inte, -mer eller mindre baserad på bokstudier, -inriktad på konceptuell förståelse eller mer förmågan att räkna specifika uppgifter. Dessa aspekter diskuteras även i relation till de inblandade lärarnas utbildning. För att kunna jämföra de olika klasserna och lärarna har jag använt ett test av konceptuell förståelse (FCI, se sektion 3.2) samt enkäter till lärare och elever. Ur ett tyvärr skevt urval av klasser och lärare framgår att det finns stora skillnader på hur lärarna ser på undervisningen och vilka undervisningsmetoder de använder, samt hur styrt de upplever sitt arbete. Korrelationerna mellan elevernas resultat på FCI och på ordinarie prov på motsvarande mekanik är små, vilket tyder på att reguljära prov mäter konceptuell förståelse i liten utsträckning. Det finns även skillnader i resultaten i form av elevernas konceptuella förståelse mellan skolorna, i linje med tidigare forskningsresultat att nyare metoder faktiskt ger bättre resultat, även om denna preliminära studie inte förmår ge underlag för direkta slutsatser. Resultaten tyder även preliminärt på att manliga elever lyckas få en bättre konceptuell förståelse än kvinnliga elever i skolan.

<p>I detta arbete så vill jag studera hur praktisk fysikundervisning och bedömning i några</p><p>svenska gymnasieskolor överensstämmer med modern forskning om fysikpedagogik.</p><p>Denna forskning spänner över ett brett spektrum av metoder och teorier, varav jag har</p><p>fokuserat på om lärarnas undervisning kan beskrivas som</p><p>-elevaktiv eller inte,</p><p>-mer eller mindre baserad på bokstudier,</p><p>-inriktad på konceptuell förståelse eller mer förmågan att räkna specifika uppgifter.</p><p>Dessa aspekter diskuteras även i relation till de inblandade lärarnas utbildning.</p><p>För att kunna jämföra de olika klasserna och lärarna har jag använt ett test av</p><p>konceptuell förståelse (FCI, se sektion 3.2) samt enkäter till lärare och elever. Ur ett</p><p>tyvärr skevt urval av klasser och lärare framgår att det finns stora skillnader på hur</p><p>lärarna ser på undervisningen och vilka undervisningsmetoder de använder, samt hur</p><p>styrt de upplever sitt arbete. Korrelationerna mellan elevernas resultat på FCI och på</p><p>ordinarie prov på motsvarande mekanik är små, vilket tyder på att reguljära prov</p><p>mäter konceptuell förståelse i liten utsträckning. Det finns även skillnader i resultaten</p><p>i form av elevernas konceptuella förståelse mellan skolorna, i linje med tidigare</p><p>forskningsresultat att nyare metoder faktiskt ger bättre resultat, även om denna</p><p>preliminära studie inte förmår ge underlag för direkta slutsatser. Resultaten tyder även</p><p>preliminärt på att manliga elever lyckas få en bättre konceptuell förståelse än</p><p>kvinnliga elever i skolan.</p>

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness one of the interactive engagement method which is peer instruction enriched by concept test on students&#039 / achievement and attitudes toward physics. In this study two types of teaching were used. These are / (1) Peer Instruction enriched by concept test, and (2) Traditional Instruction. For this study, Physics Attitude Test (PAT), Physics Achievement Test (PACT), Observation Checklist (OC), Teaching/Learning Materials were developed. Physics Attitude Test, Physics Achievement Test and Observation Checklist were used as measuring tools. The PACT and PAT were used to assess students&#039 / achievement and their attitudes toward Newton&#039 / s Laws of Motion respectively. The OC was used for treatment verification. The PACT was developed by the help of the findings from the literature. The OC was developed by the researcher. The PAT was adapted from TaSlidere&#039 / s thesis. This study was conducted with 3 teachers, 6 classes and total of 192 10th grade students in the public high schools at Yenimahalle district of Ankara in the fall semester of 2002-2003 academic years. For each teacher, 2 classes were used in the study. The teachers were trained for how to implement Peer Instruction in the classroom. Students from 3 classes participated in Traditional Instruction group and referred as control group, whereas the other 3 classes instructed by Peer Instruction referred as experimental group. The PAT and PACT were applied twice as pre-test and after a three-week treatment period as a post-test to both groups to assess and compare the effectiveness of two different types of teaching utilized in physics course. The data obtained from the administration of post-tests were analyzed by statistical techniques of Multivariate Analyses of Covariance (MANCOVA). The statistical results indicated that Peer Instruction was more effective than Traditional Instruction. Whereas the statistical analysis failed to show a significant differences between the experimental and control groups attitudes toward physics.

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The aim of this study was firstly to evaluate the impact of two interactive-engagement models of instruction, namely Whole Class Discussions (WCD) and Computer Simulations (CS) on first year physics student-teachers’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics, and on their epistemological beliefs about physics. The force concept inventory was used to evaluate the impact on conceptual understanding while the Epistemological Beliefs About Physical Science questionnaire was used to evaluate the impact on their epistemological beliefs. The findings suggest that interactive engagement models had a positive impact on students’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics, and on their epistemological beliefs about physics. The study also contributed WCD and CS activities that can be used or adapted with an aim of enhancing conceptual understanding in physics. The study did not show any direct relationship between students’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics and their epistemological beliefs about physics. Key words: Interactive-engagement, Whole Class Discussion, Computer Simulations, epistemological beliefs about physics. / Physics / M.Sc. (Physics Education)

This thesis examines meaning-making in three different areas of undergraduate physics: the refraction of light; electric circuits; and, electric potential and electric potential energy. In order to do this, a social semiotic perspective was constituted for the thesis to facilitate the analysis of meaning-making in terms of the semiotic resources that are typically used in the teaching and learning of physics. These semiotic resources include, for example, spoken and written language, diagrams, graphs, mathematical equations, gestures, simulations, laboratory equipment and working practices. The empirical context of the thesis is introductory undergraduate physics where interactive engagement was part of the educational setting. This setting presents a rich data source, which is made up of video- and audio recordings and field notes for examining how semiotic resources affect physics teaching and learning. Theory building is an integral part of the analysis in the thesis, which led to the constitution of a new analytical tool – patterns of disciplinary-relevant aspects. Part of this process then resulted in the development of a new construct, disciplinary affordance, which for a discipline such as physics, refers to the inherent potential of a semiotic resource to provide access to disciplinary knowledge. These two aspects, in turn, led to an exploration of new empirical and theoretical links to the Variation Theory of Learning. The implications of this work for the teaching and learning of physics means that new focus is brought to the physics content (object of learning), the semiotic resources that are used to deal with that content, and how the semiotic resources are used to create patterns of variation within and across the disciplinary-relevant aspects. As such, the thesis provides physics teachers with new and powerful ways to analyze the semiotic resources that get used in efforts to optimize the teaching and learning of physics.

This study intented to investigate the effects of activities based on role-play on ninth grade students&rsquo / achievement and attitudes at simple electric circuits. In this study, Physics Achievement Test was developed to evaluate students&rsquo / achievement on simple electric circuits and role-play activities about simple electric circuits were prepared. In addition, Physics Attitude Scale was administered to explore students&rsquo / attitude towards physics. The present study was conducted at one of the high schools in Acipayam during 2003-2004 Spring Semester with a total number of 104 (51 female and 53 male) 9th students from four classes of two physics teachers. One class of each physics teacher was assigned as experimental and instructed by role-play activities on the other hand the other classes of each physics teacher was as control group and instructed by traditional method. The teachers were trained for how to implement role-play activities in the class before the study began. Physics Attitude Scale and Physics Achievement Tests were applied twice as a pre-test and after a three-week treatment period as a post-test to both groups to assess and compare the effectiveness of two different types of teaching / role-play versus traditional teaching method. Data were collected utilizing Physics Achievement Test and Physics Attitude Scale. Data of this study were analyzed utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics. The scores of the post-tests were analyzed by statistical techniques of Multivariate Analyses of Covariance (MANCOVA). Experimental group compared to control group tended to favor a significant difference in the achievement. However the statistical analysis failed to show any significant differences between the experimental and control groups&rsquo / attitude towards physics at simple electric circuits.

The aim of this study was firstly to evaluate the impact of two interactive-engagement models of instruction, namely Whole Class Discussions (WCD) and Computer Simulations (CS) on first year physics student-teachers’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics, and on their epistemological beliefs about physics. The force concept inventory was used to evaluate the impact on conceptual understanding while the Epistemological Beliefs About Physical Science questionnaire was used to evaluate the impact on their epistemological beliefs. The findings suggest that interactive engagement models had a positive impact on students’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics, and on their epistemological beliefs about physics. The study also contributed WCD and CS activities that can be used or adapted with an aim of enhancing conceptual understanding in physics. The study did not show any direct relationship between students’ conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics and their epistemological beliefs about physics. Key words: Interactive-engagement, Whole Class Discussion, Computer Simulations, epistemological beliefs about physics. / Physics / M.Sc. (Physics Education)