1. Assessing New Technologies as Effective Tools for Learning Physics - and the attainment of broad educational objectives by Dr Graham Dettrick Monash University, Australia Co-Authors: Dr Leslie Wessman: Hope College Dr Robert G Fuller: University of Nebraska - Lincoln Part 1- The Instructors

2. Research Project Calculus-based Physics Instructors’ and university freshman students’ outlooks and performances:  “new technologies” “hands-on” open- ended inquiry vs  conventional textbook/laboratory

3. Research Model Both Instructors* and Students Mixed methods, action research Tools:  Pre-post interviews*  Questionnaires *  Progressive Diary Reports *  Progressive Student Evaluations  Summative Achievement Test

4. Research Instruments  Nature of Science/Physics (NOSP)  Attitude to Physics & E-technology (ATP)  Strategies in Teaching Physics (SITP)  Force Concept Inventory (FCI) ( students only)  Interviews

5. Some of the Research Questions  What are the students’ and instructors’ approaches to the teaching and learning of physics? (SITP Questionnaire)  What are the students’ and instructors’ attitudes to social and educational contexts of physics - including the use of electronic technology? (ATP Questionnaire)  What are the students’ and instructors’ approaches to the nature of science (physics)? (NOSP Questionnaire)

6. Strategies in Teaching Physics (SITP) Administered to Instructors and Students 80 items - 3 subtests - 6 point scale  Subtest 1: Neo-classicism (reproducible physics facts and concepts)  Subtest 2: Liberal-Progressivism (achievement of a self-actualizing person)  Subtest 3: Social Criticism (emancipated co-participant in work and life)

7. SITP Results Individual Instructor Subtest Profile Four instructors exhibited noticeable differences in preferred teaching strategies.

8. Subtests:  Scientific inquiry in physics: SP  Applications of physics: AP  Teaching/learning physics: TP  Physics as a personal threat: PTP  Physics as a hands-on activity: HP  Socio-cultural value of physics: VP  E-technology in learning/teaching physics: ET Attitude to Physics and E-Technology (ATP) - 1 87 questions - 7 Subtests - 7 point scale

9. Graph shows instructors’ variability in attitudes.

10. Attitude to E-Technology (ATP) – 2 4 sub-tests  Interest (7 ZIP items)  Usefulness to study (7 ZUP items)  Multi-tasking (6 ZMP items)  Personal Control (7 ZCP items)

11. Instructors do not exhibit a uniformly high response to all E-technology subtests.

12. Nature of Science Profile (NOSP) 24-item, 11 point Likert scale, 5 subtests Philosophical approach to the nature of science (physics) along five axes:  Relativism Positivism (RPP axis)  Inductivism Deductivism (IDP axis)  Contextualism Decontextualism (CDP axis)  Process Content (PCP axis)  Instrumentalism Realism (IRP axis)

13. For the Relativist-Positivist subtest (RPP), the more negative the score, the stronger the Relativist position. The higher the positive score, the stronger the Positivist position – similarly for IDP, CDP, PCP & IRP.

14.  The NOSP graph shows strongly differing ideas amongst the instructors about the nature of science (physics).  Such differences about the nature of science (physics) are NOT INCONSEQUENTIAL.  Such fundamental differences undercut attempts at curriculum reform. Conflicts of Instructors’ Ideas about the Nature of Science (Physics)

15. Concluding Remarks Part 1 - The Instructors  If a Physics Department is genuinely interested in developing effective physics instruction, then the attitudes of the instructors toward science (physics) must be taken into account.

16.  Disclaimer: This poster presentation offers just a fraction of the information gathered and analyzed in the research study. No interview data appears here.  For a complete discussion of the student data and interviews, please go the project website: www.hope.edu/girep2006  The website also contains a complete set of the instruments used and the interview protocols.  Email: gwdettrick@vic.australis.com.au rfuller@neb.rr.com wessman@hope.edu