DICKINSON SUMMER SEMINARS ON TEACHING PHYSICS USING
INTERACTIVE TEACHING METHODS AND COMPUTERS (ITMC)
Summary of the Program Evaluation for 1990-1996
James M. Hoeffler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Political Science
Dickinson College, Carlisle PA 17013
April 1998
I. Introduction
A series of two-week NSF funded summer seminars on
introductory physics teaching were held at Dickinson College between 1990 and
1996. These seminars were designed to introduce instructors from colleges and
high schools to interactive teaching methods enhanced by computer tools and
curricular materials of proven effectiveness (ITMC). A survey was designed to
evaluate the effectiveness of the seminar instruction, the introductory physics
curricular materials and computer tools used in the seminars, and seminar
recruitment. The survey results
should be of interest to those who are concerned with the development of
curricular materials and computer tools in the sciences or who are planning to
use workshops or extended seminars to disseminate new educational materials in
the sciences.
Results of the survey are presented in a 40 page report
that includes an analysis of the survey results, 30 charts, 8 tables, and a
series of recommendations for improving the seminar series as well as the
curricular materials and computer tools being disseminated in the seminars. A
56 page appendix includes a copy of the survey form and correspondence with
seminar participants. The appendix also includes transcripts of the answers to
free response questions, information about the seminar series curriculum and
instructors as well as a sample flyers and advertisements used for recruitment
purposes. Evaluation highlights of other sections of the report follow.
II. Survey Population
- Survey data were obtained from 91 of the 235 physics
instructors who attended a seminar including 39 college level instructors and 9
high school teachers. [p. 4].
III. Impact of the ITMC Seminars
- 81% of the respondents were optimistic about the value
of ITMC methods (48% were very optimistic and another 33% were mildly
optimistic). [p. 10]
- major reasons for pessimism about the use of ITMC
methods identified in the free response portion of the survey includedÜ time
needs to implement the methods (13%), problems securing funding (12%),
inflexibility of colleagues (12%) and student resistance to the use of new
methods (10%). [p. 11]
- 66% of respondents reported devoting less time to
lecturing as a result of attending an ITMC seminar. Overall, 28% less time was spent on lecturing [p.12]
- About 2/3rds of respondents retained a separation of
lecture and laboratory and about 1/3rd reported using a ÒWorkshop Modelî in
which lecture and lab functions are not separated. Respondents made frequent
use of some combination of the Workshop Physics, Tools for Scientific Thinking
and RealTime Physics curricula. Overall use of each curriculm is about the
same[pp. 14-15]
- The most popular ITMC approaches included the use of
interactive lecture demonstrations, small group and plenary discussions,
MBL/CBL interfacing and spreadsheet graphing. [pp. 14-15]
- Based on the survey responses, the seminar series
impacted 84,000 students between 1990 and 1997. Assuming continued use of ITMC
approximately 30,000 new students
will be exposed to ITMC methods each year. [pp. 17-18]
VI. Students
- Respondents report that 62% of students enjoy ITMC
methods while a vocal minority of 9% of the students express frustration with
ITMC. [pp. 17-18].
- Respondents believe that conceptual learning has improved
for over half of their students with ITMC methods while an estimated
one-quarter are unaffected. Only 5% of students seem to do worse. [p. 19].
V. Communications and Recruitment
- Respondents reported disseminating ITMC methods via
direct contact with a total of 380 colleagues inside and outside of their
institutions. Additionally, 31% of the respondents reported spreading the word
by means of presentations and workshops. [p. 25]
- Most participants have learned about the seminars by
means of direct mail, ads in The Physics Teacher, and word of mouth. Although very few learned about the
seminars via email and the web, the increased use of these modalities will make
them more important in future recruitment efforts. [p. 24]
VI. Funding
- About
three-quarters of the respondents applied for a total of $4.6M to implement
ITMC methods and received $3.3M from a combination of institutional and outside
sources. [pp. 28-30]
VII. Conclusions
- Only 60% of respondents submitted written suggestions
for improving the seminars, and nearly half of these ended up writing Òchange
nothing.î [p. 32]
- Ò...ITMC seminars are viewed in a very positive light
by an overwhelming majority of the seminar alumni who took part in this study.î
[p. 37]
VIII. Recommendations [pp. 34-38]
- A series of 7 recommendations were made for improving
the seminar series and the curricular materials and computer tools being
disseminated. Some key recommendations included:
(1) coordinating existing curricular materials and
computer tools for use in a range of learning environments;
(2) helping teachers and instructors prepare their
students to experience ITMC ; and
(3) developing and refining evaluation instruments so
instructors can do action research on the impact of ITMC on their own students.
NOTE: A printed copy of the report can be requested from
Gail Oliver at Dickinson College. Email:
oliver@dickinson.edu. Alternatively, a Microsoft Word¬ folder containing
this summary and the full report is available at the Dickinson College Physics
Department Website: http://physics.dickinson.edu