Developing an inquiry-based physical science course for preservice elementary teachers

Preservice elementary teachers should experience science through inquiry in order to be effective in teaching science. In addition, inquiry as a mode of teaching is mandated by Kansas and National Science Education Standards. As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, teachers also need to be prepared to include basic skills in reading and mathematics in all instruction. To address these issues, Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is adapting and extending the NSF-developed teacher enhancement materials Operation Primary Physical Science (OPPS) for use in a physical science course for preservice elementary teachers. This paper presents main features of OPPS, describes advantages of using it as a template in developing desired course material and discusses results collected with students enrolled in the adapted course during 2004/2005 academic year

Impact of tablet PCs and Dyknow software on learning gains in inquiry-learning oriented courses

Tablet PCs and DyKnow software were utilized at Fort Hays State University in the teaching of an inquiry-based physical science course for elementary education majors since the summer semester of 2006. This course was originally developed in 2004 and 2005 through an NSF sponsored research effort. In this paper we compare learning gains obtained in this course during three semesters when pen-based computing technology was not utilized (Fall 04 - Fall 05) with gains obtained during three later semesters (Fall 07 - Fall 08) in which we utilized Tablet PCs and DyKnow software in teaching the course. We also report on students’ attitudes toward DyKnow software and compare them with obtained learning gains

Identifying Students\u27 Models of Sound Propagation

We investigated students’ mental models of sound propagation in introductory physics classes. In addition to the scientifically accepted wave model, students used the “entity” model. In this model sound is a self-standing entity, different from the medium, and propagating through it. All other observed alternative models are composed of entity and wave ingredients, but at the same time they are distinct from each of the constituent models. We called these models “hybrid” models. We will discuss how students use these models in various contexts before and after instruction

Remedying shortcomings of lecture-based physics instruction through pen-based, wireless computing and DyKnow software.

The effectiveness of lecture format of physics instruction has been demonstrated to be inferior to that of more recently developed, research based methods (R. R. Hake, 1997; L. C. McDermott, 1993; E. F. Redish, 2003b). The information retained from traditional lecture frequently has a short lifetime and is unreliable. Our earlier study identified various types of misunderstandings that may occur in a lecture type setting. They include recording facts incorrectly, concentrating on particularities and details in the instructor’s statements at the expense of the more general concept, hearing “what makes sense” while overlooking what was actually stated, using the same terminology that experts use but with very different meaning attached to it and so on (Hrepic et al., 2007). This occurs even when learning conditions are in many aspects better than those during typical lecture. Nonetheless, the lecture is still by far the most widely used format of instruction due to its primary advantage of reaching large numbers of students simultaneously. In this chapter we analyze the shortcomings of a lecture identified in previous studies and explore opportunities that wireless pen-based computing technology accompanied by DyKnow software offer in addressing these shortcomings. We finally present data on the effectiveness of DyKnow obtained in our and other studies. Metrics include test score comparisons, students’ end-of-semester teacher/course evaluations and students’ input and feedback related to the instructional value of the software and hardware (Hrepic, 2007)

Students\u27 Concepts in Understanding of Sound

The article describes alternative concepts in understanding of sound observed among students at the elementary, high school and college level. The research confirmed some previously found alternative concepts and pointed to several others. A majority of the difficulties were found to be common to all levels. Also the percentage of students, who express alternative concepts, is nearly the same at all educational levels. However the percentage of students who clearly don’t have alternative concepts, in general increases with educational level. One set of observed difficulties, as a whole, compose conceptually structured and coherent, but naive picture on propagation of sound. Data were collected through written open-ended test questions on sample of 287 pupils and students in Split, Croatia 1997