Learning in the classroom is highly influenced by the experiences a teacher plans for students. Concerned that students were not achieving adequate conceptual knowledge during traditional undergraduate physics courses, the authors used the Making Sense of SCIENCE curriculum to tailor a course for 21 pre-service elementary teachers at the University of Mississippi. The organization of instruction, facilitation practices, discussion opportunities, and assessment of content are all important aspects of the learning process. We found the changes we implemented significantly impacted the learning of students enrolled in this course.
References
1.
Jay
McTighe
and Grant
Wiggins
, Understanding by Design Framework
(Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
, Alexandria, VA
, 2012
).2.
3.
E.
Etkina
and A.
Van Heuvelen
, “Investigative Science Learning Environment —A science process approach to learning physics,” in Research-Based Reform of University Physics
, edited by E. F.
Redish
and P. J.
Cooney
(American Association of Physics Teachers
, College Park, MD
, 2007
), https://www.compadre.org/per/per_reviews/volume1.cfm.4.
E.
Brewe
, “Modeling theory applied: Modeling instruction in introductory physics
,” Am. J. Phys.
76
, 1155
(Dec. 2008
).5.
F.
Goldberg
, “Design principles for effective physics instruction: A case from physics and everyday thinking
,” Am. J. Phys.
78
, 1265
(Dec.
2010
).6.
Ambitious Science Teaching
, A Discourse Primer for Science Teachers
(2015
), https://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Discourse-Primer.pdf.7.
Michelle K.
Smith
et al, “The Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS): A new instrument to characterize university STEM classroom practices
,” CBE Life Sci. Educ.
12
(4
), 618
–627
(2013
).8.
H.
McLellan
(Ed.), Situated Learning Perspectives
(Educational Technology Publications
, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
, 1996
).9.
K. R.
Daehler
and J.
Folsom
, Making Sense of SCIENCE: Making Sense of Physical Science for Undergraduates; Facilitator Guide
(WestEd
, San Francisco
, 2019
).10.
B. A.
Whitworth
, L. A.
Simpson
, S. A.
Watson
, W.
Jackson
, J.
James
, and A.
Steimle
, “Utilizing physical science educative curriculum materials to impact preservice elementary teachers
” (2021
, in review).© 2022 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by American Association of Physics Teachers.
2022
Author(s)
AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.
