Implementing a Studio Format in Medium-Sized Physics Classes

1. Implementing a Studio Format in Medium-Sized Physics Classes P.W. Young University of Wisconsin-Platteville Sponsored by NSF-DUE CCLI #0633583

2. Studio Class • Class designed to encourage interactive engagement between instructor and students and amongst students • Students sit and work in groups of 3 or 4 • Laboratory activities are integrated into the instruction rather than separate • Studio Physics • Workshop (~25 students) • Studio (~50 students) • SCALE-UP (~100 students)

3. Studio Classrooms at UWP • Three identical studio classrooms (32’ x 60’) • 14 stations, 4 students per station = 56 per class • Instructor station with computer & document camera in front corner • Demonstration table with video projection • Dual projection • Whiteboards around room (>80’) • 2 sinks in back corners • Some storage in back of room • All 3 classrooms are connected to a storeroom

4. Student Station • Lab Table (3’ x 6’) • Oriented length-wise with respect to front • Two post mounts per table • Storage slot for low-friction tracks, posts, and meter sticks under table • Storage Cabinet (1½’ x 3’) • Data acquisition, carts, etc. • PC

6. Instruction in Studio Physics • Lecture • Group Work • Concepts • Problems • Computer Simulations • Peer Instruction • Hands-on learning activities • Labs Note: Two instructors are present during major laboratory activities

7. Studio Instruction at UWP • The studio classrooms are designed to support all the methods of instruction listed in the previous slide. • All introductory physics classes are taught in the studio classrooms, but instructors are not required to adopt any particular style of instruction

8. Assessment of Studio Instruction in Calculus-based Physics I • Pre- and post- Force Concept Inventory (FCI) has been administered for 3 years • 3 semesters in classes taught in traditional classroom with separate labs but with some interactive engagement • 1 semester in studio classrooms with separate labs • 2 semesters in studio classrooms with lab • FCI administered on-line via Desire to Learn course management platform • Voluntary participation but with some reward • Reward equivalent to 1 or 2 points on an exam or a homework assignment • Reward independent of performance • Participation levels vary with instructors, sometimes very poor, other times quite good

9. Assessment of Studio Instruction in Calculus-based Physics I • In order to assess the effectiveness of studio instruction, I established a 10-point Studio Index to reflect the degree of studio instruction taking place in a particular class, as opposed to lecture. • 0 – 5 based on % of class time spent in active learning • 0 – 1 for group problem solving in class • 0 – 1 for group discussions of concepts • 0 – 1 for integration of lab into the class • 0 – 1 for use of hands-on learning activities • 0 – 1 for full class discussions/sharing

10. Assessment of Studio Instruction in Calculus-based Physics I • I assigned a studio index to each class based on an interview with the instructor. • I then looked at how the normalized gains and the post-FCI scores compared to the studio indices.

11. Assessment of Studio Instruction in Calculus-based Physics I FCI Post-Test Score versus Studio Index

12. Assessment of Studio Instruction in Calculus-based Physics I FCI Normalized Gain versus Studio Index

13. Conclusions • Interactive Engagement in a physics class is a lot of work • I’m not sure whether the Studio Index is a proper measure of the interactive engagement taking place in a class • Still too little data to draw any conclusions about the effectiveness of the studio classes • Large turnover in instructors • Not enough classes with Studio Index > 5