Engaging science academics with evidence based practices: Use of concept inventories in chemistry and physics across eight universities

There is ongoing research on how to improve student engagement and attainment in STEM in higher education, with active learning recognised as a feasible approach for several decades now. However, the uptake of active learning, and other evidence-based approaches, is inconsistent. This paper reports on one aspect of an Australian Government funded Fellowship; the specific scholarly practice of the use of concept inventories, widely associated with active learning, to engage academics in evidence-based practices in STEM disciplines. The ultimate aim was to equip lecturers with the tools to measure student attainment. In close collaboration with academics, pre- and post-tests were administered to students in a total of 12 different courses, constituting over 3000 individual student questionnaires collected across eight Australian Universities. We report on the implementation focusing on; engaging staff, the types of concept survey results made visible to staff not generally accustomed to seeing such results, and tentatively offer the possibility of national data on learning gains. Results show that the majority of lecturers engaged and continued the use of concept inventories. Our study demonstrates that concerted use of concept inventories might lead to increased uptake of evidence-based approaches with potential for improved teaching and learning in STEM disciplines

Maternal near miss review: a brief appraisal

Recuperation of maternal health is mandatory for realms signatory to millennium declaration, as MDG 5A aims at reduction in maternal mortality ratio by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. MM is frequently described as “Just the Tip of The Iceberg” with a vast base of maternal morbidity that still remains largely undescribed. Hence, the concept of maternal near miss (MNM) or severe acute maternal Morbidity (SAMM) was instituted in maternal health care to complement information acquired from MDR. Here we present a succinct review to enlighten and update the readers about the concept of maternal near miss and its advantage in providing the modern-day obstetricians and the administrators an edge over maternal mortality in gauging the quality of health care delivered at each facility. This would thus be instrumental in helping them formulating policies to enhance the health care services at each level across the nation

Teaching physics novices at university: A case for stronger scaffolding

In 2006 a new type of tutorial, called Map Meeting, was successfully trialled with novice first year physics students at the University of Sydney, Australia. Subsequently, in first semester 2007 a large-scale experiment was carried out with 262 students who were allocated either to the strongly scaffolding Map Meetings or to the less scaffolding Workshop Tutorials, which have been run at the University of Sydney since 1995. In this paper we describe what makes Map Meetings more scaffolding than Workshop Tutorials—where the level of scaffolding represents the main difference between the two tutorial types. Using a mixed methods approach to triangulate results, we compare the success of the two with respect to both student tutorial preference and examination performance. In summary, Map Meetings had a higher retention rate and received more positive feedback from students—students liked the strongly scaffolding environment and felt that it better helped them understand physics. A comparison of final examination performances of students who had attended at least 10 out of 12 tutorials revealed that only 11% of Map Meeting students received less than 30 out of 90 marks compared to 21% of Workshop Tutorial students, whereas there were no differences amongst high-achieving students. Map Meetings was therefore particularly successful in helping low-achieving novices learn physics

The Achievement Emotions Questionnaire: Validation and implementation for undergraduate physics practicals

Physics is a discipline associated with diverse emotions; some enjoy it, others don’t. Yet, students’ emotions when studying physics are under researched. This study adapts the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ) to measure the emotions of students with first year physics undergraduate practicals. The aims of this research are to validate the AEQ in our context and to probe students’ emotions towards two practicals; the control which is of standard format and the intervention which incorporates colour and historical aspects seeking to produce more positive emotions. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and descriptive statistics conducted with a sample of 320 students confirm the reliability and internal validity of the adapted AEQ (AEQ-PhysicsPrac) for the purposes of this study. Differences in emotions between the control and intervention are detected indicating that the AEQ-PhysicsPrac has utility in physics education

UNDERSTANDING DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY THROUGH LEARNER EXPECTATIONS OF AN UNDERGRADUATE PHYSICS LABORATORY PROGRAM

BACKGROUND Education can be thought of as a system formalising cross-generational knowledge transfer, allowing learners to participate in society. ‘Folk knowledge’ acquired from their environment is added to by accumulated secondary knowledge (Geary, 2008). Science as a discipline is informed by the nature of science. Teaching scientific inquiry must adapt to the learner’s prior development (Cornish et. al., 2019). At university, the learner starts transitioning into communities of practice (Vygotsky, 1978). This is captured and measured at the Australian level by the Science Learning Threshold Learning Outcomes (Jones, Yates & Kelder, 2001; Barrie et. al., 2015). AIMS The aim of the study is to understand learner’s expectations of the development of scientific inquiry skills in the transition between learning environments. DESIGN AND METHODS A newly developed survey instrument was delivered to first-year undergraduate physics students in 2015 and 2017, receiving 1493 responses. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in IBM SPSS 24 and AMOS to generate factors corresponding to scientific inquiry. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Regardless of their prior development, learners start university with similar expectations of developing their understanding of science inquiry. This study informs the development of students as they integrate into the community of practice of science. REFERENCES Barrie, S., Bucat, R., Buntine, M., Burke Da Silva, K., Crisp, G., George, A., Jamie, I., Kable, S., Lim, K., Pyke, S., Read, J., Sharma, M., & Yeung, A. (2015). Development, Evaluation and Use of a Student Experience Survey in Undergraduate Science Laboratories: The Advancing Science by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory Student Laboratory Learning Experience Survey. International Journal of Science Education, 37(11), 1795–1814. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2015.1052585 Cornish, S., Yeung, A., Kable, S. H., Orgill, M., & Sharma, M. D. (2019). Using teacher voices to develop the ASELL Schools professional development workshops. Teaching Science, 65(1), 4. Geary, D. (2008). An Evolutionarily Informed Education Science. Educational Psychologist: Evolution of the Educated Species, 43(4), 179–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520802392133 Jones, S., Yates, B. & Kelder, J. A. (2001). Science Teaching and Learning Academic Statement. Support for the original work was provided by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council Ltd, an initiative of the Australian Government. Retrieved from http://www.acds-tlcc.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2016/11/altc_standards_SCIENCE_240811_v3-1.pdf. Vygotsky, L. (1978) Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press

Innovative physics teaching spaces

There are often heated debates around teaching and learning spaces, from collaborative spaces for student centred learning to abolishing teacher centred lecture theatres. In both school and university contexts, economics and practicalities have led to designing multi-purpose learning spaces which can be used by different disciplines and for different purposes. Consequently, it is often a challenge to justify and advocate for dedicated discipline-based laboratory teaching and learning spaces.  In this workshop we will share a particular innovative space specifically designed as a physics laboratory, with the functionality of being used as a recitation/tutorial space, project space as well as for studio teaching with mini lectures.  We will also share our experience of running Physics labs in this space. We will show how particular demands:  to be ‘multipurpose’ across different modes of physics teaching allowing for in-depth learning of physics, be able to accommodate various level of experimental classes, provide ability of skills development including open-ended projects, grant effective teaching technical support, could be implemented in design solutions. We will discuss how features of teaching space influenced teaching modes. Participants are requested to bring designs of their teaching and learning spaces, share experiences of fit-for-purpose learning spaces as well as pick up some tips if designing new learning spaces. In particular, the space could be welcoming, has a pleasant ambience and has been well received by both staff and students. Given the current context of ‘going online’, physical learning spaces need to be something extra special as we move into the future. Bring along your future-looking extra special learning space designs! Intended Audience: University and Secondary-School Physics Educator

Indian Legal Framework on the Right to Privacy in Cyberspace-Issues and Challenges

Right to privacy is nowhere cited in the Constitution of India in any specific and express words. However, this right is culled from Article 21 read with Directive Principle of State Policy by the judiciary. It is to be noted that like other fundamental rights, right to privacy is not an absolute right. Privacy is not just confined to some specific place or domain.  But recent developments in technology and internet usage has rapidly exposed privacy to potential threats. On the one hand, technology has provided endless possibility to human beings of development but on the other hand, it has posed numerous challenges in front of us.  Unreasonable interference upon person’s domain, disclosure of personal information, misappropriation of some one’s identity, hacking, digital stalking etc. will lead to violation of privacy. The present paper discusses the relationship between privacy and the increasing usage of technology. In this regard, protection provided by Indian laws as well as international instruments will be discussed to protect privacy right in digital world. After discussing issues and challenges, viable solutions will be discussed at the end of the article

Just how different are they? Learning physics in the wake of the NSW HSC syllabus changeover

In February 2001 we began research into the different ways incoming first year students experience their studies in physics. We designed a survey instrument to measure the 2001 cohort of students’ approaches to learning, their ideas about the nature of the subject, their perspectives on the learning environment at university and their performance on assessment. Interrelations between these different factors form a broad picture of student learning and groups of students with distinct patterns of experience have been identified. In 2002 we are repeating this study with the aim of examining any qualitative or quantitative changes in these patterns of experience that coincide with the changeover to the new NSW Higher School Certificate syllabus. An understanding of our students’ experiences will provide the necessary background to review our own tertiary physics courses and tune them to meet the needs of future students

WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?

Since the mid 1950s-1960s, scholars like Schwab (1960) regarded inquiry and laboratory learning as important. As well as responding to national policy, teachers and academics needed to respond to changing ideas, where traditional methods of education of the time would not be appropriate. Schwab called for a radical overhaul of aims, methods and structure of science education to cope with changing content and ideas. Focus continued on practical work and laboratories through the development of three types of experiment to be carried out in physics courses. Those being a) unusual or surprising, b) common or relevant materials and/or experiences c) problem solving and knowledge integration (White, 1979), laid out in detail by Leonard (1997) and formalised by the National Research Council (2000). The Australian context to this work was outlined by Cornish (2019) and applied by Gordon (2019). In this project, we build on the previous work done on the importance of investigations in laboratories and classrooms which underpin five inquiry based investigations which are being used in a high school outreach context. The investigations were done during an established outreach program run by a university physics department. Surveys asking if the investigations helped with the understanding of concepts and then probing “What makes you say that?” were given to 990 students with responses qualitatively and quantitatively coded. Results show that students were overwhelmingly positive that physically seeing the practical helped them understand concepts, with students being able to notice the nuanced differences in inquiry features between the investigations, boding well for the learning of inquiry skills in science education. Their answers to conceptual physics questions demonstrated that they did get the physics. Our findings indicate that carefully designed investigations can offer a range of valuable learning opportunities. REFERENCES Cornish, S., Yeung, A., Kable, S. H., Orgill, M., & Sharma, M. D. (2019). Using teacher voices to develop the ASELL Schools professional development workshops. Teaching Science, 65(1), 4. Gordon, T., Georgiou, H., Cornish, S., & Sharma, M. (2019). Science in your pocket: Leaving high school students to their own 'devices' while designing an inquiry-based investigation. Teaching Science, 65(1), 17. Leonard, W. H. (1997). How do college students learn science. Methods of effective teaching and course management for university and college science teachers, 10-13. National Research Council. (2000). Inquiry and the national science education standards: A guide for teaching and learning. Washington DC: National Academic Press. Schwab, J. J. (1960). Inquiry, the science teacher, and the educator. The School Review, 68(2), 176–195. White, R. T. (1979). Relevance of practical work to comprehension of physics. Physics Education, 14(6), 384