University Physics I: Calculus-based physics for scientists (including
future high school physical science teachers) and engineers, primarily
mechanics. The course
has an average normalized Hake gain of over 50% over the project, with FCI post
test scores similar to, and well correlated with, exam averages.
-- Two hours a
week in a large-classroom setting, and two two-hour
labs/week, with no separate recitation. Exam times are outside of normal
class time.
-- Students
either love it or hate it. Evidence on this is anecdotal, but some students in
general seem resistant to active engagement learning techniques and state they
would prefer simply to be “told the right stuff”. None of them actually like
the amount of writing they do in the course, although some students recognize
its value. Some of the students who hate the class later come back to apologize
and say that some of the things they were forced to do in physics, they now do
in their other classes, or that physics is the only class from which they actually
still know anything. A few physics majors and (and sometimes future teachers)
are recruited each semester.
-- This class
needs careful scheduling to not require additional rooms,
and preferably some undergraduate learning assistants or apprentices to enrich
the available learning experience, but other than that we have fit the course
requirements within those available to the course before the reform.
-- Available
materials: full course and policies.
Background and details of implementation