Supported by the Gates Foundation & NSF (DUE ) An Introductory Physics MOOC with a Lab
The Physics Paradox + Leads in innovation (education research) + Lags in (systemic) implementation NRC Report: “Adapting to a changing world” Jack M. Wilson “Over the past several decades, active research by physicists into the teaching of their subject has yielded important insights….. But this new knowledge is slow to find significant adoption, nor is it fully understood by physics faculty.”
Education Energy Landscape Traditional Implementation w/ Erin Rericha
MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) + Online videos + Virtual discussion forums + Free + “Certificate” instead of credit
MOOC Provider: coursera.org
How do you do a lab in an online course?
(a web cam works, too.)
Video Capture & Analysis of Motion Observations
Model Motion Observations
Report & Peer Evaluate
Course Activities Labs Video lectures Textbook readings Homework Forum
Rethinking Lecture Content & Delivery
Rethinking Lecture Content & Delivery (More Examples)
Whiteboard-Animated Lectures with Student-created Content + Low cost (Labor, Tools) + Better science than professional animators + Expresses student creativity, enthusiasm
Textbook Challenges
Homework Challenges
Forum + Third-party provider (Piazza) + MOOC discussion: Wide dynamic range
The Labs (1) Constant Velocity (2)Free Fallin’ (1D force & motion) (3) Black Holes (>1D force & motion) (4) Rope Physics in Sport (Energy, Oscillations) (5) Capstone: Choose Your Own Adventure
Lab Reports Each student creates a 5-minute video lab report, uploads to YouTube
Peer Evaluation: Rubric + Students grade 5 peer videos + self with 5-item rubric
Training to Evaluate + Beforehand…. * View sample videos and apply rubric * Guided video critique + Afterward…. * TA-moderated discussion in forums
Peer Evaluation Implementation (Ideal) Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) (Arlene Russell, UCLA) + Student performance in training used to weight evaluations
Peer Evaluation Implementation (Actual) Coursera + No calibration---student score is item median.
MOOC numbers + Large enrollments * (Summer 2013) * (Fall 2013) * 7119 (Spring 2014—on going) + 58% Bachelor’s degree or beyond + 55% outside of U.S. & Canada
Persistence in Course
Age Distribution At the StartEnd of Course % Of Total
Reaching New Audiences
The Future
US State System Partners
Georgia On-line Pre-calculus Charles Kutal (U. Georgia) and collaborators
$7000 Masters Degree (CS) Aug. 17, 2013 NY Times
Acknowledgements Georgia Tech Scott Douglas, Shih-Yin Lin, Emily Alicia-Munoz, Ed Greco Georgia State John Aiken, Brian Thoms NC State Ruth Chabay Bruce Sherwood Michigan State University Danny Caballero Supported by the Gates Foundation & NSF DUE St. Andrew’s School John Burk Highpoint University Aaron Titus Hamline University Andy Rundquist