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Problems that don’t stay solved:�Big questions in Physics Education Research

Eric Brewe

Drexel University

7 October 2021

Promotion Colloquia at Drexel University

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Acknowledgements

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Overview

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Big questions in PER

Active Learning in Physics
Equity in Physics
Physics Instruction and Learning

Funded efforts at Drexel

CALE-P
RAPID
Motivational Factors

Yet to be funded efforts at Drexel

CALE-P 2
RAPID Follow Up
Networks in Labs

Unfunded efforts

Adapting Modeling Instruction
Assessment of Computational Thinking

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Physics Education Research: �A subfield of physics that attends to the teaching and learning (broadly) in physics

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Replication

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From: https://simplystatistics.org/2016/08/24/replication-crisis/

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Replication

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From: https://simplystatistics.org/2016/08/24/replication-crisis/

Physics Education Research

?

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Big results in PER

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Students in intro classes tend to hold onto commonsense understanding rather than understanding the underlying physics even if they are adept at solving problems (Hestenes, Wells, Swackhamer, 1992; Mazur, 1997)

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Big results in PER

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Certain types of classes/instruction are better at helping students to develop understanding of classes (McDermott, 2001; Hake, 1998; Freeman et al, 2014)

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Big results in PER

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Students in intro classes tend to have more negative attitudes toward learning physics after taking intro physics (Adams et. al., 2006; Madsen et. al., 2015)

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Big results in PER

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Certain types of classes/instruction can promote students’ attitudes (Brewe, Kramer, O’Brien, 2009; Madsen, McKagan, Sayre, 2015)

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Big results in PER

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Physics has issues with representation by gender (Blue, Traxler, & Cid, 2018; Blue, Traxler, & Cochran, 2019; Brewe & Sawtelle, 2016)

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Big results in PER

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Physics has issues with representation by ethnicity (Rosa, Blue, Hyater-Adams, Cochran, & Prescod-Weinstein, 2021)

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Big results in PER

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PER has an issue with studying student populations that are not representative (Kanim & Cid, 2020)

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Big results in PER - What generalizes?

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Active Learning is better than passive lecture, but what is active learning? What about it makes it better?
Have students’ conceptions changed?

Many studies were ~30 years ago.
HS teaching has changed.

The demographics of students have changed.

How does this impact our findings?
How do classes/structures adapt?

How well do findings translate to new technologies and new instructional formats?
How do our institutionalized structures impact the future composition of physics as a field?

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Physics Education Research at Drexel: �Funded Efforts

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics (DUE 1711017)

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Active Learning is not a thing.
Need to transition to comparisons of different active learning environments (Freeman et al., 2014)
What are the characteristics of different versions of active learning in physics?

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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What are the characteristics of different versions of active learning in physics?

Non judgemental
Network Analysis
Classroom Observations

Modeling Instruction,
Peer Instruction,
SCALE-UP,
Context Rich Problem Solving,
Tutorials in Intro Physics,
Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE)

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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Commeford, Brewe, & Traxler (2021a)

Modeling Instruction

SCALE-UP

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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Commeford, Brewe, & Traxler (2021a)

Modeling Instruction

SCALE-UP

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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Commeford, Brewe, & Traxler (2021b)

Observation Data

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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Commeford, Brewe, & Traxler (2021b)

Observation Data

Latent Profile Analysis

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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Commeford, Brewe, & Traxler (2021b)

Observation Data

Latent Profile Analysis

Profile Solutions

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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Commeford, Brewe, & Traxler (2021b)

2 Profile solution split into Lecture-like & Everything else

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Characterizing Active Learning in Physics

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Commeford, Brewe, & Traxler (2021b)

5 Profile solution split into Lecture-like, Modeling, ISLE, CRP & Recitation-based

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Motivational factors for women in physics (PHY 2011766, GRF 2021314028)

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Two waves of survey data from CUWiP (2015 & 2019)

Written responses to question about interest in physics
810 responses in 2015, 1325 in 2019
Qualitative analyses first
Train Natural Language Processing
Follow up with AIP Graduation Survey.

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Motivational factors for women in physics

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Price, Kline, Brewe, Hazari, & Hodapp, in development

Qualitative analysis of text data, identifying major themes in responses among women in physics.

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Motivational factors for women in physics

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Franklin, Brewe, Ponnock, Goertzen, 2021

Qualitative analysis of text data, focused on Self Efficacy and Expectancy Value Theory

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Motivational factors for women in physics

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Next Steps:

Build NLP Algorithm(s) based in qualitative analyses
Deploy NLP to data from AIP Graduation Survey -
How does NLP differ when men are included?
How do the themes identified relate to graduation / careers?

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RAPID - Faculty Responses to COVID

(DUE 2027958)

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How did faculty adapt instruction to COVID?

Survey national sample of physics faculty, ~642 responses
How did instruction change?
How did they adapt to new environment/technology?
Whom did they learn from?
How did they feel?
Open ended questions
16 Interviews

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RAPID - Faculty Responses to COVID

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Brewe*, Traxler* & Scanlin, 2021

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RAPID - Faculty Responses to COVID

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Brewe*, Traxler* & Scanlin, 2021

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RAPID - Faculty Responses to COVID

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Brewe*, Traxler* & Scanlin, 2021

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Physics Education Research at Drexel: �Yet to be Funded Efforts

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Characterizing Active Learning Part Deux

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We see promising signals around COPUS and Network Analysis in Classrooms

Submitted Phase Two funding - under review (11/30/20)
Reduce number of pedagogies
Increase number of classes/pedagogy
Remote Observation
Incorporating student outcome data

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Faculty Responses to COVID - Part Deux

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Under review since 7/2021
Surprising results about sources of information about teaching
Changes to instructional practices

Follow up one year later
Further interviews
What technology is used?
How has returning to classroom impacted faculty?

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Physics Education Research at Drexel: �Unfunded Efforts

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Adapting Modeling Instruction

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Modeling Instruction has been a highly successful instructional strategy (Brewe, 2008; Brewe, Kramer, O’Brien, 2010)

Replicating the success at Drexel is an ongoing process

2018-19: Establishing curricula for quarter system

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Adapting Modeling Instruction

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2019-20: Expanding to larger classroom

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Adapting Modeling Instruction

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2020-21: Adapting to online instruction

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The big finish

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Big Results and Questions in PER

Active Learning in Physics
Physics Instruction and Learning
Equity in Physics

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The big finish

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Efforts at Drexel aim to address some of these:

CALE-P → What is active learning?
RAPID/Assessment of Computational Thinking → What are impacts of instructional change?
Motivational Factors → How are institutional structures related to who participates in physics?
Adapting Modeling Instruction/Networks in Labs → How replicable are instructional changes?

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THANK YOU!

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