An E-Learning Strategy in Academic Physics Education Franz Embacher Christian Primetshofer Talk given at the World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications (ED-Media) Vienna, July 3, 2008 Faculty of Physics University of Vienna

The Project eLearnPhysik and its goals: Overview eLearnPhysik is a strategic project of the Faculty of Physics: runs since 2005 project team of 6 persons, that is in contact with the lecturers of the Faculty involves on the average 8 e-tutors at a time since 2005, 69 courses and approximately 400 students have been involved combines „new media“ with „new learning culture“

The Project eLearnPhysik and its goals: Overview Problems in academic physics education: considerable variation in the pre-knowledge and competencies lack in understanding concepts of physics and operating with them Goals of the project eLearnPhysik: strengthen the responsibility of the students for their learning process provide and optimize up-to-date learning scenarios (collaborative work, online publishing,...) enhance the use of electronic tools (computer algebra,...) provide appropriate electronic content

Implementation – The Content Strategy various types of content: pre-existing electronic material (mainly lecture scripts), distributed at numerous web sites additional material created, like videos of demonstration experiments, an e-learning environment for the physics lab, supplementary texts, computer algebra notebooks,.... Content created by students (scripts, seminar works,...) Wiki of the Faculty of Physics PHAIDRA – university-wide hosting and archiving system  Best-practice lecture Harald Höller and Peter Reisinger: Wiki Based Teaching and Learning Scenarios at the University of Vienna Friday, 4 July, FH 4 (2nd Fl) 3:10 PM

Implementation – Collaborative Student Work Several scenarios, e.g. the following: Within a course, small learning groups of students are formed. Every groups gets a special problem to be worked out during a semester (several months). Students organize themselves, an e-tutor is available for questions. Results shall be published in the Wiki of the Faculty of Physics. Although voluntary, almost 100% of the students participated in this activity!

Implementation – Collaborative Student Work

Implementation – E-learning in the Physics Lab technical modernisation of the physics lab (computer aided data acquisition and procession) content-based, learner-centered online-environment ongoing activities: didactical reconstruction of the lab for nutrition scientists interactive screen experiments cooperation with the University of Düsseldorf  Best-practice lecture Clemens Nagel and Brigitte Wolny: eLearning in the Introductory Physics Lab Thursday, 3 July, FH 6 (2nd Fl) 5:50 PM

Implementation – Computer Algebra Computer algebra is a state of the art technique in physics student licence for Mathematica integration into regular courses encourage students to use it by their own combine with collaborative work

Implementation – Student Teacher Education Pre-service teacher students must become familiar with e- learning techniques and technologies as used in school. In the framework of eLearnPhysik: Wiki of the Faculty Moodle platform BSCW – shared workspace

Implementation – University-wide E-learning Platform WebCT Vista  Blackbord Vista Some severe disadvantages: closedness mathematical symbols and formulae students often report technical problems instead the Wiki of the Faculty became the major learning environment!  Best-practice lecture Harald Höller and Peter Reisinger: Wiki Based Teaching and Learning Scenarios at the University of Vienna Friday, 4 July, FH 4 (2nd Fl) 3:10 PM

Implementation – Supplementary Actions regular meetings of the project team and the team of e-tutors regular e-lunch qualification of the academic staff – was behind expectations integration of elements of e-learning in the new curricula (Diploma  Bachelor/Master) refining the technical infrastructure (IT equipment for lecture halls, WLAN, PC labs for students)

Evaluation and Experiences content strategy, collaborative work, CAS, e-learning platform qualitative and quantitative analysis questionaires and interviews with teachers and students logfile analysis (user statistics) no problems with IT e-tutors were essential for the project

Evaluation and Experiences – content strategy Production of content is very time consuming supplementary content is used by one third of the students supplementary content is used for exam preparation integration into the course

Evaluation and Experiences – collaborative work enhance learning motivation strengthen the feeling of responsibility for their work group building was partly influenced equal work enthusiasm is an important variable for the group building process optimal group size 2 or 3 soft skills, software-skills, special topics talented support

Evaluation and Experiences – physics lab Clemens Nagel and Brigitte Wolny qualitative case study followed by pre-test/post-test evaluation questionnaires  Best-practice lecture Clemens Nagel und Brigitte Wolny: eLearning in the Introductory Physics Lab Thursday, 3 July, FH 6 (2nd Fl) 5:50 PM

Evaluation and Experiences – CAS integration in the course is an important variable visualizations and simulations contribute to a better understanding talented support

Evaluation and Experiences – CAS

Evaluation and Experiences – teacher education implementation was exemplary students learned methods and different tools as a preparation for lesson practice

Evaluation and Experiences – plattform WebCT Vista caused problems closedness of learning platforms no online-communication Wiki of the Faculty of Physics  Best-practice lecture Harald Höller and Peter Reisinger: Wiki Based Teaching and Learning Scenarios at the University of Vienna Friday, 4 July, FH 4 (2nd Fl) 3:10 PM

Outlook The project eLearnPhysik officially ends in January 2009 negotiation on target agreement by the faculty community bridge courses and self assessment tests further cooperations

Thank you for your Attention! Project Documentation