FROM CONCEPT TESTS TO STUDENT
IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT – WHAT
TO LOOK FOR WHEN ASSESSING
YOUR CLASSROOM
Dr. Dedra Demaree
Assistant Professor of Physics
Oregon State University
History

Paradigms in Physics program for 400 level courses

Faculty hire to extend reform to 200 level courses
Context





Large-lecture, calculus-based physics
~200 students per section
2-3 sections per term (typically multiple instructors)
Primarily ‘service’ course, predominately male
Active-engagement even in lecture hall
GOAL: CONTENT
Standard Assessment Tests

Force Concept Inventory
ACCEPTED that
active engagement
Is necessary but
not sufficient for
Improving student
learning gains!!
FCI scores for multiple sections/terms

Red circled sections are the reformed sections,
scores are significantly different
0.45
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Checking Statistics
Potential concerns:
Is the reform favoring the already successful?
Or just boosting up the weak? Women/minorities?
Thankfully, NO!
Male
Female
White
Minority
C
B
A
Traditional
0.197
0.222
0.220
0.172
0.187
0.239
0.243
Studio
0.319
0.369
0.330
0.331
0.259
0.365
0.372
What about drop-out/fail rate?
Averages for traditional sections:
8.34% of students get below a C
18.0% of students have an I/F/W
 Averages for studio sections:
6.50% of students get below a C
8.84% of students have an I/F/W

GOAL: Sophistication
Attitude/Reasoning surveys



Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey
Lawson Test of Scientific Reasoning
Dr. Sissi Li (PhD OSU, Sept 2011): Physics Identity
Survey
Self-image,
self evaluation as a physics
learner
Expectations of roles and
behaviors in a physics
learning community
Physics Learning Identity (PLI)
Perception of how others view
them as physics learners
Feedback from social
interactions with others
Goal: Increasing Physics Identity
Preliminary Physics Identity Findings
Pre-day 1







Week 10
1= Strongly
Agree
Mean = 4.35
Shared responsibility
for learning
4.20*
5 = Strongly
Disagree
Mean = 3.53
Value group work for
learning physics
3.76*
Mean = 3.44
SE for communicating and
explaining physics knowledge
3.51
Mean = 3.31
SE for problem solving
using ISLE cycle
3.46
Mean = 3.88
SE for academic success in
math and physics
3.48*
How
confident
are you…?
1= Not at all
5 = Totally
Goal: Improving reform
In-class observations
Post-discussion with observer





The instructor wasn't happy
1:30 – 1:58 Observer can clearly state what the
problem was with the students – they didn't
understand the task – I was confused/surprised
1:58 – 2:33 Observer noticed the difference
between my instruction in the two classes that made
an improvement
2:33 – 2:47 Observer can tell clearly when students
are on/off topic
2:47 – 3:06 Observer can explain student behavior
Goal: Assessing teaching & learning
More extensive data collection
Green is non-recorded area
Gap in Participation between Classrooms
Fall ’08
Winter ‘09
Spring ‘09
p-value:
0.0019
Instructor Actions Yielding High Participation
•
Listening to students’ reasoning, answering student
questions, or recognizing students as contributors to
the classroom community in a whole-class discussion
before a small group activity.
•
Referring to the small group activity as a chance for
students to take an active role in their learning.
•
•
Asking students to “convince” a peer of their
reasoning, rather than simply asking them to discuss
or talk.
Voicing the expectation that students will perform
well on the activity or problem.
Analysis of teacher/student discourse
One student in a group asked a question too
softly for the teacher to hear.
T: Hmm?
Teacher
listens but
does not
respond until
the group
members
have their
chance to
speak.
Authority to teacher, asking
for the ‘right answer’
S1: Will the bullet have a trajectory like
that or will it just go straight?
Student taking authority to
express understanding
Student validating S2’s right
to answer in place of the
teacher
S2: The bullet’s gonna drop a little bit…
S1: Yeah.
Teacher taking authority but
also validating both students’
ideas and return meaning
making to the students with
question
T: It will drop a little bit. So you are both
right, the bullet’s gonna slow down
but does that tell us what’s going to
happen?
Discourse analysis: do students adopt skills?
Skills and practices demonstrated: Origin choices,
assumptions, interpreting task/open-ended question,
sense-making, system choices, analysis of set-up,
justifying choices, checking if reasoning makes sense
S1
You’re assuming it’s not rolling off with speed.
S3
It’s at the very edge so it’s not sliding off the roof, it’s just tipped over.
S1
Right. [turns face to nod and acknowledge S3’s comment]
S3
[turns to S1 who turns to face S3] Would the system be the… I know it’s the cat and Earth at least, but
would the… roof be part of the system or…
S1
S3
S1
It wouldn’t need to be.
Yeah…
Cause the only thing interacting is the cat with the ground, with the Earth due to gravity.