Indicates a research-demonstrated benefit

Physics by Inquiry

Overview

A laboratory-based guided-inquiry curriculum that helps future and current teachers develop deep understanding of physics content and scientific reasoning skills. Through in-depth study of simple physical systems and their interactions, students gain direct experience with the process of science. Starting from their own observations, they develop basic physical concepts, use and interpret different forms of scientific representations, and construct explanatory models with predictive capability.

	Type of Method	Full curriculum
	Level	Designed for: Teacher Preparation, Teacher Professional Development, Intro College Conceptual Can be adapted for: Pre-intro course for underprepared students
	Setting	Designed for: Lecture - Small (<30 students), Studio Can be adapted for: Recitation/Discussion Session, Lab
	Coverage	Few topics with great depth
	Topics	Mechanics, Electricity / Magnetism, Waves / Optics, Thermal / Statistical, Astronomy
	Instructor Effort	High
	Resource Needs	Cost for students, Tables arranged for group work, Very well-trained instructors, minimal equipment for experiments
	Skills	Designed for: Conceptual understanding of physics content, Connecting conceptual and mathematical understanding, Coherent framework for physics, Understanding how physics relates to the real world, Think like a scientist, Reflecting on one's own learning, Self-confidence around physics, Representing knowledge in multiple ways, Designing experiments, Ability to teach by inquiry
	Research Validation	Based on research into: how students learn, student ideas about specific topics Demonstrated to improve: scores on written conceptual tests, teacher RTOP scores Studied using: conceptual pre/post exams, student interviews, research conducted at multiple institutions, research conducted by someone other than developers
	Compatible Methods	JiTT, SCALE-UP, LA Program, Diagnoser
	Similar Methods	UW Tutorials, PET, PSET
	Developer(s)	Lillian C. McDermott, Peter S. Shaffer and the Physics Education Group at UW
	Website	http://www.phys.washington.edu/groups/peg/pbi.html