Physics For All Physics First Workshop Cornell University June 30, 2003

Physics First / Physics for All Physics First –Been around for many years –Precocious 9 th graders Strong math backgrounds Physics for All –Relationship to NSES Science for all

ALL includes Learning disabled Reading problems ADHD English as a second language Behavioral problems Motivational problems Not attending college May not graduate high school All the high achieving students that we usually include in physics instruction

ALL The same ALL that is in “freedom for all” History of United States as defining all Equal opportunities  equal access Achievement gap

What is physics? National Science Education Standards – NSES –including Content, Pedagogy and Assessment AAAS benchmarks State Core Curriculum Use of analysis, graphs, numbers to describe phenomenon Use of experimental observations, logic, laws and theories

It’s not real physics NO –Vector cross products –Calculus of variations –Group theory Little League vs. Baseball Cello lessons vs. Yo Yo Ma

Content/text Selection Informed processes –AAAS –BSCS AIM Filters that everybody can use –Cost/benefit Cost = time to learn the concept Benefit = value and multiplicity of references to this topic

BENEFIT High Reflection of light Conservation of energy Medium Low Specific heat of Al = 0.9 J/g ºC Planck’s blackbody radiation LowMediumHigh COST

4 Q Assessment Model What does it mean? How do we know? Why do we believe? Why should I care?

When Are Students Most Engaged Intellectually (Dimensions of Learning) Students help define content and task They had time to wonder - to find a particular direction that interested them. Subject topics had a “strange” quality - something discrepant or seen in a new way evoking a “lingering” question.

When Are Students Most Engaged Intellectually (Dimensions of Learning) Teachers permitted - even encouraged - different forms of expression and respected student views. Teachers were passionate about their work Students created original and public products; they gained some form of expertness.

When Are Students Most Engaged Intellectually (Dimensions of Learning) Students did something - participated in a a political action, wrote a letter to the editor, worked with the homeless. Students sensed that the results of their work were not predetermined or fully predictable.

Equity issues What curriculum works with the diverse cultures, races and ethnicities in our schools? Why? Please discuss

Equity Education Mid-Atlantic Equity Center –Why does Active Physics work? They bring their diverse cultural knowledge into play and we respect it and celebrate it. 3 Rs of equity education –Respect –Relevance –Research

Instructional Models Karplus –three-phrase learning cycle exploration, invention and discovery Lawson –exploration, term introduction, and concept application Bybee  5E –Engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate 7E clarification of 5E

Good instruction What works for special education students works for all students. This is an example of how you must just try harder. Please work harder. Concentrate. You’re not giving it your full attention. I don’t see what your problem is.

Student Learning Poorer math skills Poorer reading skills Poorer learning skills

Writing Help What does it mean? How do we know? Why do we believe? Why should I care?

Graphing Help Graph has a title YesNo X- axis is labeled with units YesNo Y-axis labeled with units YesNo Scales are linear YesNo All data points correctly plotted YesNo Best fit line or curve drawn YesNo Slope of line is calculated YesNo

Student Attitudes Have experienced less success Class management issues Don’t buy into system

Attitudes and Expectations Study 1 Study 2 Study 3

Physics for All We all learn language. We all learn reading. We can all learn physics

“We must be the change we want to see in the world.” - Gandhi