Preliminary Results of Gender Equity Variations in a Large Active-Learning Introductory Physics Course Due to Laboratory Activity Instructions

AbstractIn the present work we carried out a qualitative educational research to assess the perceptions of a group of students that attended (weekly and non-mandatory) complementary classes of a physics course during 2017. In these classes the teaching method called peer instruction (PI) was implemented, which involves collaborative learning among students. From the students’ responses to a simple questionnaire we assessed some basic aspects of these classes from which we can conclude that, in the first place, students considered that PI had positively influenced their comprehension of physical concepts and that, secondly, they positively valued the activities performed and the dynamics of these classes. These results, which are part of a series of previous works that have been published elsewhere, are relevant in a context were active and collaborative learning strategies are practically non-existent and push us to continue and broaden the implementation of this and other active learning methods in physics courses.

Download Full-text

VARIOUS KINDS OF PROBLEMS IN AN ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM ASSESSMENT WITHIN AN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS COURSE FOR CHEMISTRY MAJORS

10.33225/balticste/2017.108 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Lukáš Richterek ◽

◽

František Látal ◽

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Introductory Physics ◽

Choice Test ◽

Multiple Choice Test ◽

Assessment Data ◽

Score Difference ◽

Electricity And Magnetism ◽

Graph Reading ◽

Conceptual Problems ◽

Physics Course

An assessment is described in the introductory physics course for chemistry major students with the focus on solving problems from the electricity and magnetism. The experiences are summarised, obtained during the academic years 2014/2015, 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 from a multiple-choice test passed by 390 chemistry majors at the Faculty of Science in Olomouc. Various kinds of quiz problems were used, which can be divided into three categories: conceptual questions, numerical questions, questions with chart reading and interpretation. In the study assessment data are summarised and the score difference, achieved in the mentioned problem categories, is identified. The results did not prove that conceptual problems were more difficult for the set of students, but it is suggested, that students are more successful in the whole test to reach better scores in graph reading questions. Keywords: chemistry majors, physics course, university students.

Download Full-text