11 research outputs found
Constructing a Multiple-Choice Assessment For Upper-Division Quantum Physics From An Open-Ended Tool
As part of an ongoing investigation of student learning in upper-division
quantum mechanics, we needed a high-quality conceptual assessment instrument
for comparing outcomes of different curricular approaches. The 14 item
open-ended Quantum Mechanics Assessment Tool (QMAT) was previously developed
for this purpose. However, open-ended tests require complex scoring rubrics,
are difficult to score consistently, and demand substantial investment of
faculty time to grade. Here, we present the process of converting open-ended
questions to multiple-choice (MC) format. We highlight the construction of
effective distractors and the use of student interviews to revise and validate
questions and distractors. We examine other elements of the process, including
results of a preliminary implementation of the MC assessment given at Cal Poly
Pomona and CU Boulder.Comment: 4 pages pd
Development and Uses of Upper-division Conceptual Assessment
The use of validated conceptual assessments alongside more standard course
exams has become standard practice for the introductory courses in many physics
departments. These assessments provide a more standard measure of certain
learning goals, allowing for comparisons of student learning across
instructors, semesters, and institutions. Researchers at the University of
Colorado Boulder have developed several similar assessments designed to target
the more advanced physics content of upper-division classical mechanics,
electrostatics, quantum mechanics, and electrodynamics. Here, we synthesize the
existing research on our upper-division assessments and discuss some of the
barriers and challenges associated with developing, validating, and
implementing these assessments as well as some of the strategies we have used
to overcome these barriers.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, submitted to the Phys. Rev. ST - PER Focused
collection on Upper-division PE
Characterizing and monitoring student discomfort in upper-division quantum mechanics
We investigate student comfort with the material in an upper-division
spins-first quantum mechanics course. Pre-lecture surveys probing students'
comfort were administered weekly, in which students assigned themselves a
"discomfort level" on a scale of 0--10 and provided a written explanation for
their choice. The weekly class-wide average discomfort level was effectively
constant over the semester, suggesting that the class found no single unit
especially jarring nor especially easy. Student written responses were coded
according to their reported source of discomfort---math, math-physics
connection, physics, and notation. The relative prevalence of these categories
varied significantly over the semester, indicating that students find that
different units present different challenges, and also that some of these
challenges fade in importance as the semester progresses. Semi-structured
interviews with students in a similar quantum mechanics course at a different
institution provided additional context and insight into these results.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in 2020 Physics Education
Research Conference Proceeding
Using multimedia learning modules in a hybrid-online course in electricity and magnetism
We have been piloting web-based multimedia learning modules (MLMs), developed by the Physics Education Research Group at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC), as a “prelecture assignment” in several introductory physics courses at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. In this study, we report the results from a controlled study utilizing modules on electricity and magnetism as a part of a blended hybrid-online course. We asked students in the experimental section to view the MLMs prior to attending the face-to-face class, and to make sure this would not result in additional instructional time, we reduced the weekly class time by one-third. We found that despite reduced class time, student-learning outcomes were not hindered; in fact, the implementation of the UIUC MLMs resulted in a positive effect on student performance on conceptual tests and classroom discussion questions
Controlled study on the effectiveness of multimedia learning modules for teaching mechanics
We have investigated the impact of using multimedia learning modules (MLM) on the learning of students enrolled in introductory physics courses at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. One hundred fifty-nine students were randomly registered in two sections of an introductory mechanics course, one of which featured the MLMs. Both sections had the same instructor, participated in class discussions on identical topics, and used the same problem-solving examples. The students in the multimedia group outperformed the students who did not experience the MLMs in a final course examination and across identical discussion questions
Quantum mechanics concept assessment: Development and validation study
As part of an ongoing investigation of students’ learning in first semester upper-division quantum mechanics, we needed a high-quality conceptual assessment instrument for comparing outcomes of different curricular approaches. The process of developing such a tool started with converting a preliminary version of a 14-item open-ended quantum mechanics assessment tool (QMAT) to a multiple-choice (MC) format. Further question refinement, development of effective distractors, adding new questions, and robust statistical analysis has led to a 31-item quantum mechanics concept assessment (QMCA) test. The QMCA is used as post-test only to assess students’ knowledge about five main topics of quantum measurement: the time-independent Schrödinger equation, wave functions and boundary conditions, time evolution, and probability density. During two years of testing and refinement, the QMCA has been given in alpha (N=61) and beta versions (N=263) to students in upper division quantum mechanics courses at 11 different institutions with an average post-test score of 54%. By allowing for comparisons of student learning across different populations and institutions, the QMCA provides instructors and researchers a more standard measure of effectiveness of different curricula or teaching strategies on student conceptual understanding of quantum mechanics. In this paper, we discuss the construction of effective distractors and the use of student interviews and expert feedback to revise and validate both questions and distractors. We include the results of common statistical tests of reliability and validity, which suggest the instrument is presently in a stable, usable, and promising form
Positive attitudinal shifts with the Physics by Inquiry curriculum across multiple implementations
Recent publications have documented positive attitudinal shifts on the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) among students enrolled in courses with an explicit epistemological focus. We now report positive attitudinal shifts in classes using the Physics by Inquiry (PbI) curriculum, which has only an implicit focus on student epistemologies and nature of science issues. These positive shifts have occurred in several different implementations of the curriculum, across multiple institutions and multiple semesters. In many classes, students experienced significant attitudinal shifts in the problem-solving categories of the CLASS, despite the conceptual focus of most PbI courses