Adaptation and Implementation of a Radically Reformed Introductory Physics Course for Biological Science Majors: Assessing Success and Prospects for Future Implementation Documents

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Adaptation and Implementation of a Radically Reformed Introductory Physics Course for Biological Science Majors: Assessing Success and Prospects for Future Implementation 

written by Charles J. De Leone, Catherine M. Ishikawa, and Robin Marion

The physics department at California State University San Marcos has nearly completed work on an NSF CCLI-A&I funded project to adapt and implement UC Davis' reformed introductory physics course for students in the biological sciences. As part of the project, a group of physics instructors met to discuss criteria for measuring the implementation's success and the feasibility of implementing the course at other institutions. Criteria for measuring success fell into three areas--student outcomes, institutionalization of the course, and adherence to the original course's core philosophy. This paper describes the criteria in more detail, presents data for outcomes already measured, and discusses the challenges of measuring other outcomes. Finally, the paper briefly discusses the likelihood of instructors at other institutions meeting with the same or better success at implementing the course.

Published January 30, 2007
Last Modified January 28, 2011

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