PERC 2009 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Research Projects in Introductory Physics: Impacts on Student Learning and Attitudes |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Over the last two years UBC has completely revamped their introductory course for non-physics majors to present physics in terms of everyday situations and real-world issues of energy and climate change. These changes attempt to reinforce connections between classroom physics and real-world phenomena through the lecture examples, weekly context-rich tutorials, and incorporation of real-world model problems in lab experiments. A key change was the incorporation of a final project where groups of students research and present on a topic of their choice related to the course. Students were asked to quantitatively model a real-world situation to make a choice or settle a dispute. Near the end of the second year of implementation students were surveyed to examine the project's impact on their attitudes towards physics and were tested for transfer using novel real-world problems. This poster will present the results of these assessments and discuss their implications for the course. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster |
| Contributed Poster: | Download the Contributed Poster |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Mathew "Sandy" Martinuk University of British Columbia 6224 Agricultural Rd Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1 Phone: 604 822 3853 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Rachel Moll UBC Department of Curriculum Studies rfmoll -at- gmail.com Andrzej Kotlicki UBC Department of Physics and Astronomy kotlicki -at- physics.ubc.ca |
