Student-Produced Videos Demonstrate
Practical Physics Learning !
George Muncaster
Scottsdale Community College
Agenda
Abstract
Physics 101 = 1-Semester Survey Course
Change Motivator: Current Environment
Video Assignments
Example Videos
Results & Assessment
Lessons Learned
Future Goals/Plans
Abstract
Among several SCC Physics trial innovations
is substitution of a student-produced video
for the traditional pencil-paper LAB Final
Exam.
Requirement: Short video informing an
experiment NOT performed in the course
“Under duress”, students form teams. Each
chooses an experiment topic & produces a
standalone video
Initial Results are Highly Encouraging:
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Practical Learning Positively Demonstrated
Students more actively engaged than before
Plans to continue & enlarge efforts
Physics 101 – Intro. To Physics
Introductory & TERMINAL physics course
LAB is a Required, BUT “No Credit” course
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Lecture = 4 semester-hr; Lab = 0 semester-hr
Lecture & Lab often taught by different Instructors
PHY101 supports several 2-year Certificate
& several 2- & 4-year-Degree programs
Prerequisite: Introductory Algebra
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High School Algebra 1 / 2, or
Remedial Intro. to Algebra(e.g., MAT090/91/92)
Competencies & Outline published online:
http://www.maricopa.edu/curriculum/M-Z/076phy101.html
Wide diversity in student backgrounds (&
impediments)
“Environmental” Issues
10 – 12 Independent Labs each semester
Time-limited exercises also limit understanding
Most exercises require new & different
equipment to be learned, calibrated, used,
(and often then FORGOTTEN)
IMHO: “+” & “-” Learning Issues
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Many Independent Lab Exercises can  capability
“Follow-the-Leader” (or copied) student results
MAY lead to lack of integrated lecture-lab
knowledge
How to balance Inquiry &/vs. Directed Learning
Difficult to Assess Take-away Learning in a
Terminal Course
Students ARE Grounded in the Information Age!
Some Physics “Innovations”
Lab Classes Twice vs. Once per week
Greater “Less Is More” Assignments
More Home (Out-of-Class) work
Course Notebooks
Even MORE Technology
Online / Hybrid learning components
“Guest” Instructors
Field Trip in lieu of a standard class meeting
Fewer, Longer Labs each semester
Etc. (This talk is about one such Etc.)
Lab Video Final Exam
Assigned in one PHY101 Section during
Summer 2009, Spring 2010, & Summer 2010
Students Design, Produce & Edit a Lab
Experiment Video in place of Lab Final Exam
Value: 25% of Lab (~7% of Course) Grade
Product MUST be a full scientific Experiment
NOT a: Demo, Diorama, Recipe, etc.
2-Person Team Collaborates & Shares Score
Videos Screened at Last (Final Exam) Class
Guidelines
College equipment available for use on a
non-interference basis
Students submit preliminary Plan:
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ID Team & Experiment
Equipment & tools needed
Key Experiment Steps
Key Formulas
Storyboard (Action Sequences)
Storyboard due at (End of Course - 2 weeks)
Example Videos
Electrical Resistance
Rubens’ Tube
Pascal’s Principle
Baseball Energy
Buoyancy
Roller Coaster g-Force
Atmospheric Pressure
Molecular Weight of
Gases on Balloons
Diet Coke-Mentos
Physics
Bullet Velocity
Thermal Expansion
Young’s Experiment
Heat Capacity of BBs,
Chocolate, Salad Oil
Buoyancy
Roller Coaster
g-Forces
Results
Only 1 Team failed to submit a Final Exam video in
the 3 trial Sections (~45 students)
Video Scores Mirror Paper Exam Scores
BUT, NOT Correlated To the Same Students (?!?!?)
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Many overall EXCELLENT (A -  A+ grade) Videos
& Many overall POOR Videos (D grade)
Poorer (lecture) students make BETTER Videos & Raise
their Grades, while Better (lecture) students most often
produce less effective videos.
This effect raises the course average GPA!
Students rate the Video Final experience as
HIGHLY Positive, despite:
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MUCH more work
MUCH more thinking / preparation required
(???): MUCH more takeaway Interest in Science (???)
Assessment
Many Excellent
Videos DO NOT USE ANY
COLLEGE PHYSICS LAB EQUIPMENT !!
Videos production proves the EASY Part !;
Applying Proper Physics TECHNIQUE is the
hard(er) part !
Minor Errors Can Easily Sabotage a
Potentially Excellent Video
Little Instructor Time Needed to Guide
Assignment & Assess Results, ( BUT . . .
In Practice, watching each video many times
is not only inevitable [but (GRRRRRR !)
much FUN!)])
Instructor intervention is NOT Needed to
make Draft Videos Significantly BETTER
Lessons
Learned
Loopholes:
Students WILL
Find Them !
Pay Attention to Student “Progress”
Hands-On Skill Does NOT == Learning
Rigor CAN Easily Be Edited OUT, so must
insure clear and intelligible:
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Graphs
Top-Level Introduction (What does video teach?)
Explanation of In-Process “Why?s”
DRAFT Video Submittal Can Convert a
“C” Product into “A” Product
Don’t Need Much Equipment To Conduct Many
Exciting (YES! WOW!) Experiments!
?? Could Some/Much Existing Lab
Equipment Now Be OBSOLETE ?
Future Work Goals
Revise Existing PHY101 Labs
Move Some Labs Outdoors
SCC to Make & Use a Rubens’ Tube
Address How To Channel Demonstrated
Student Interests into the LECTURE
Classroom ! ? ! ?
Rethink the Utility of Traditional “Modern
Technology” Physics Equipment !
Develop New Labs to Leverage Modern
“Information Technology” Multimedia
Capabilities
To Begin…