Analyzing A Discourse-Rich
Physics Teaching Sample Video
to Inform Your Own Physics
Teaching Practice
Dan MacIsaac, Ph.D.
SUNY- Buffalo State College Dept of Physics, <macisadl@buffalostate.edu>
Kathleen Falconer, M.S.
SUNY- Buffalo State College Dept of Elementary Education and Reading,
<falconka@buffalostate.edu>
We have been examining and producing1-3 video
vignettes of physics teaching practices for some
time with the intent of fostering better practices4-6
for student physics learning. In this session we
will view and analyze an unusually discourse-rich
modeling physics vignette taken from an
unusually successful community college physics
classroom together. A brief description of the
Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP)
will also be presented.
Falconer, K.A., Joshua, M., & Desbien D. (2003)
(Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production;
MacIsaac analysis). RTOP Video 4: Modeling via
Intensive Student Discourse. [QuickTime Web
Streamed Video 10:15]. Buffalo, NY: Authors.
Retrieved November 30, 2004, from
<http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/rtop/videos/r
top4play.html>.
• Video of effective (as measured by student
conceptual score gain from pre- and post-testing
with the Hestenes’ Force Concept Inventory)
and deliberately nontraditional mechanics
instruction of community college students.
• What is going on in this classroom?
• What events are promoting learning?
• Watch the video and make a few notes on
noteworthy behaviours that are taking place that
you believe are promoting learning.
• Roughly three main sections:
– student data gathering activity
– student circle whiteboarding discourse,
– teacher warranting knowledge and setting
up next activity (relative sizes and cues)
Student data gathering
• students enter class and go right to work
(cued from last day “model how a ball
bounces”)
• students obviously comfortable with
working on own
• student tools and representations “hammers”
are whiteboarding, SONAR and x-v-a vs. t
plots
• teacher is seeding different groups with
different questions – pushing in different
directions, different parts of the puzzle
• unique tool to some groups – energy pie
charts
Circle Whiteboarding
• student trained in taking turns and sharing
the air
• explicit use of model building and selection
is evident
• new tool (energy pie chart analysis) gets
significant billing
• jargon control (noun Nazis) emphasizes
student thought
Teacher warranting knowledge
• advanced language control -- vocabulary
manipulation (grudgingly allows new jargon,
focuses on few but critical issues)
• warrants certain classroom learning (or
forces agreement)
• sharply limited “closure” setting up next
Overall
• student meaning centered class
• highly motivated and on-task group (sense of
control and empowerment)
• student discourse intensive (Vygotski)
• lots of active instructor manipulation of
classroom activity, environment and student
thought (loaded balls)
• strong scientific thought – observational,
phenomenological, theory building, much
discourse, hopefully will see prediction and
testing yet to come
• quite Machiavellian actually
References
1. M. Piburn, D. Sawada, K. Falconer, J. Turley, R. Benford, and I. Bloom. "Reformed Teaching
Observation Protocol (RTOP)." ACEPT IN-003. (ACEPT, 2000). The RTOP rubric form, training
manual, statistical reference manuals, and sample scored video vignettes are all available from
<http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.EduAZTEC/rtop/> under RESOURCES.
2. Falconer, K.A., Joshua, M., & Desbien D. (2003) (Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production;
MacIsaac analysis). RTOP Video 4: Modeling via Intensive Student Discourse. [QuickTime Web
Streamed Video 10:15]. Buffalo, NY: Authors. Retrieved November 30, 2004, from
<http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/rtop/videos/rtop4play.html>.
3. Falconer, K.A. & MacIsaac, D.L. (2004) (Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production).
Reformed Teaching Methods: Think Pair Share. [QuickTime Web Streamed Video 12:02]. Buffalo,
NY: Authors. Retrieved November 30, 2004, from
<http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/rtop/videos/TPSplay.html>.
4. D.L. MacIsaac and K. A. Falconer. "Reforming physics instruction via RTOP," Phys. Teach. 40 (8),
479-485 (Nov 2002).
5. A.E. Lawson et al., “Reforming and evaluating college science and mathematics instruction:
Reformed teaching improves student achievement,” J. Coll. Sci. Teach. 31, 388–393 (March/April
2002).
6. Thornton, R.K. (2002). Uncommon knowledge: Student behavior correlated to conceptual learning.
Unpublished manuscript available from the author.