1Physics 4810 / 7810 Week 5 - Learnin!Day 9: Fa2008:Knowledge in PiecesReview of where we areA Little bit of where we are goingKnowledge in Piecesand a word from your professor• Y’all ROCK• Seriously the level of discussion haselevated tremendously this week…• Special thanks to those engaging indialogue• Lots of GREAT ideas showing upT&L Summary- Week 5 :where are we?Top down introduction– practice based– rise to concrete:Large scale structures/ student resultsCourse practices/learning modelsModels of cognitionWhat about the level of practice• Students are NOT learning what we expect.• Difference between– active –engagement– traditional practices / passive students•Variety of strategies to engage people: •study what they know coming in•address misconceptions•build connected representationsTrad’l ApproachTheoretic BackgroundInstructionvia transmissionIndividual Content (E/M)transmissionistPER Theoretic BackgroundInstructionvia transmissionIndividual Content (E/M)transmissionistIndividualPrior knowledgeContent (E/M)Constructionconstructivistbasicconstructivist2PER Course Practice• Tutorials• Concept Tests / Peer Instruction• JITT• ILDCognitive underpinnings of practicesHow to deal with Prior Knowledge:IndividualPrior knowledgeContent (E/M)Constructionconstructivistbasicconstructivist• elicit -confront-resolve -- not really acognitive model -- but basis for practice• bridging -- step from p.k. to scientificknowledgeModels of cognition• Full blown concepts /mis-concepts--– Heavier objects fall faster• Schema -- organized structures that give rise toconcepts• Phenomenological primitives -“phenomenological” = from experience“primitive” = basic / irreducible unitWhere are we going• Build back out …• Realize there is more to education than“concepts”IndividualPrior knowledgeEpistemologySelf-regulationAffectContent (E/M)enhancedconstructivistAnd more to cognition?• In fact we can’t really separate all of thesebecause of CONTEXTContextualconstructivistcontextIndividualPrior knowledgeAttitudes and BeliefsStudent backgroundAffectContent (E/M)Tools / Instructor . . .PER Theoretic BackgroundInstructionvia transmissionIndividual Content (E/M)transmissionistIndividualPrior knowledgeContent (E/M)ConstructionconstructivistbasicconstructivistContextualconstructivistcontextIndividualPrior knowledgeAttitudes and BeliefsStudent backgroundAffectContent (E/M)Tools / Instructor . . .Finkelstein, N. (2005) Context in the Context of Physics Education, IJSEFinkelstein, N. (2005-2010). NSF CAREER Grant: REC# 04481763Theoretical FrameworkContextualconstructivistcontextIndividualPrior knowledgeContent (physics)Instructor/ Tools . . .Finkelstein (2005), adapted from Cole, M. (1996), Cultural Psychologyi. tools mediate our understanding / cognitive processesii. context shapes how we might use these toolsContextual ConstructivismTools allow thoughtTheorem: If a moving particle, carried uniformly atconstant speed traverses two distances, then the timeinterval required are to each other in the ratio of theirdistances. (followed by 2 page geometric proof).! d2= r " t2! d1= r " t1From diSessa (2000) Changing MindsA Story of Galileo: 6 theorems of a genius! t1t2=d1d2algebraMeaning of toolsEvolutionary (biological): If T(x,y)= c (x2 +y2) ʻcʼ is constantWhat is T(r,θ)?Redish, drawing from Manogue, World View on PhysicsEducation in 2005, Delhi, August 21-26, 2005.Physicists: c r2 Mathematician: c (r2 + θ2)And cultural:Departmental LevelEmbedded Context(s)Course (Physics I)Class activity (Tutorial)Task (2-D drawing)ConceptStudentFrames of ContextFinkelstein, N. (2005). Int. J. Science Education.Now Time for Meaning MakingRedish & diSessa• Burning questions?• ClarificationsJigsaw Approach(i) Form groups of disciplinary expertise(ii) Jigsaw / regroup into distributedexpertise in order to solve broaderproblem4Redish Jigsaw1) What are our goals for physics instruction? 2) What is social learning? Does it include lecture? Doestechnology affect it? 3) How can we teach students "how to use multiplerepresentations and pick out the significant pieces ofinformation from a problem?" 4) How do these theories of memory apply to teaching andlearning? 5) What's better, bridging or cognitive conflict? What aretheir advantages/disadvantages? How would weimplement bridging in tutorials?Broad Question (from Redish)Broad Question 1: We've seen evidence thatTutorials are very effective at teachingphysics concepts. Why?b) Is it because they're "well-written"? Is itbecause they encourage social learning? Is itthe extra time spent?a) Should we scrap lectures and focus ontutorials? Is it too expensive? Will it just bethe "blind leading the blind", and thereforeproduce improper learning? What about un-social students?diSesssa Jigsaw1) Can you think of possible p-prims you have used orencountered? #Have you ever had your p-prims challenged byinstruction and learned as a result?$$2) Is physics simply a way of reorganizing, clarifying, andexpressing p-prims?3) DiSessa notes a number of differences between p-prims andlogic. #Do you agree with his contrasts between the two? #Arep-prims not logical?$$4) How does the second section of the paper (on dinosaurcartoons) relate to the first? #Why are these two sections inthe same chapter?$$5) Has anyone experienced one of diSessa's "rare events" thatsparked your interest in physics in particular and science ingeneral? #Has anyone not experienced one of these events?If not, what got you interested in math and science?Broad Question (from diSessa)Broad Question 2: How do you makeuse of p-prims and rare events in