During a single week the combined Bristol Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs) outreach team of 8 scientists worked in the island’s primary and secondary schools, delivering lectures and running workshops, thus forming the first ‘Jersey Science Week’. They also gave demonstrations and the opportunity for handson investigation using their Mobile Teaching Unit. The number of students engaged during the week is impressive on its own: they had contact with 22 schools and approximately 4,500 students. This case study gives the background to the ambitious event and the lessons learnt for future events of this scale.
{"title":"Jersey Schools Week: An outreach case study","authors":"T. Harrison","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I4.382","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I4.382","url":null,"abstract":"During a single week the combined Bristol Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs) outreach team of 8 scientists worked in the island’s primary and secondary schools, delivering lectures and running workshops, thus forming the first ‘Jersey Science Week’. They also gave demonstrations and the opportunity for handson investigation using their Mobile Teaching Unit. The number of students engaged during the week is impressive on its own: they had contact with 22 schools and approximately 4,500 students. This case study gives the background to the ambitious event and the lessons learnt for future events of this scale.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"77 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123226422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A learning resource for part-time 1st year foundation degree students was designed to be completed entirely by independent study. The course presented chemistry in the context of sport and investigated the use of a number of alternative methods of teaching/ learning, including: ● The Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development ● Multiple intelligences (MI) Theory ● Problem-Based Learning (PBL) ● Context Based Learning (CBL) ● Mind Mapping ● Case Studies ● Web-based independent learning A website containing questions, hyperlinks to further content and external webpages was produced. The students’ response was positive. They enjoyed the course, found the context interesting and the presentation helpful. The assessment marks improved (a 5-6% increase) compared to a more traditional paper based course. As only eight students took the course these results cannot be seen as statistically significant but provide a good indication that this was an effective approach. In completing their assessments and pre and post questionnaires the students provided valuable feedback that will enable improvements to the learning resource.
{"title":"Context based learning in chemistry: Chemistry in Sport [part 2]","authors":"T. Overton, Nicholas Potter","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I2.477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I2.477","url":null,"abstract":"A learning resource for part-time 1st year foundation degree students was designed to be completed entirely by independent study. The course presented chemistry in the context of sport and investigated the use of a number of alternative methods of teaching/ learning, including: ● The Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development ● Multiple intelligences (MI) Theory ● Problem-Based Learning (PBL) ● Context Based Learning (CBL) ● Mind Mapping ● Case Studies ● Web-based independent learning A website containing questions, hyperlinks to further content and external webpages was produced. The students’ response was positive. They enjoyed the course, found the context interesting and the presentation helpful. The assessment marks improved (a 5-6% increase) compared to a more traditional paper based course. As only eight students took the course these results cannot be seen as statistically significant but provide a good indication that this was an effective approach. In completing their assessments and pre and post questionnaires the students provided valuable feedback that will enable improvements to the learning resource.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"76 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128820580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
What is it like to have HEFCE funding and the opportunity to spend it developing good practice in the learning and teaching of science for both higher education and school sectors? In this article we describe how CETL funding at CELS is being used to develop staff, engage students and promote interest in science amongst over 21,000 young people in the East Midlands. We report on how staff were enabled to develop new resources for the teaching of science from undergraduate to Masters level as well as pioneering innovative outreach activities for schools (for students from 5 years old upwards) through our innovative sabbatical scheme for staff - which also supported early career academics in gaining full lecturing posts. CELS‟ projects cover a wide range of science - both the traditional and interdisciplinary. Examples include work on troublesome knowledge in chemistry, forensic science and physics, new approaches to assessment, e-learning materials for protein purification and biochemistry, new experiments in green chemistry, physics for forensics and astronomy projects for schools. However, this is also a story of pushing boundaries where effective collaborations across subject and institutional boundaries allowed new developments in outreach e.g. at the science-art interface which led to critically acclaimed theatre productions on science.
{"title":"What is effective learning in science? Impact and outcome from a CETL","authors":"K. Moss","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.470","url":null,"abstract":"What is it like to have HEFCE funding and the opportunity to spend it developing good practice in the learning and teaching of science for both higher education and school sectors? In this article we describe how CETL funding at CELS is being used to develop staff, engage students and promote interest in science amongst over 21,000 young people in the East Midlands. We report on how staff were enabled to develop new resources for the teaching of science from undergraduate to Masters level as well as pioneering innovative outreach activities for schools (for students from 5 years old upwards) through our innovative sabbatical scheme for staff - which also supported early career academics in gaining full lecturing posts. CELS‟ projects cover a wide range of science - both the traditional and interdisciplinary. Examples include work on troublesome knowledge in chemistry, forensic science and physics, new approaches to assessment, e-learning materials for protein purification and biochemistry, new experiments in green chemistry, physics for forensics and astronomy projects for schools. However, this is also a story of pushing boundaries where effective collaborations across subject and institutional boundaries allowed new developments in outreach e.g. at the science-art interface which led to critically acclaimed theatre productions on science.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"188 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114712522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper examines the incorporation of popular culture into science outreach activities as a means of improving the engagement level of secondary school pupils. Two activities make up the case studies discussed within this paper: „The Science of Sound‟ and „The Music Festival‟. Both case studies utilise the creation and consumption of popular music as a means to; convey physics principles; promote the continued study of physics and raise awareness of the broad range of careers that physics graduates can pursue. Consultation with a range of stakeholders involved in the development, delivery, and participation in the case study activities has been undertaken. This includes a focus group with participating Year 10 students and interviews with secondary school teachers and outreach coordinators. The purpose of this paper is to explore the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges in using popular culture to stimulate engagement in this way, and to share best practise to aid the effective delivery of similar initiatives.
{"title":"Making physics a smash hit: The use of popular culture in science outreach","authors":"Jon Chippindall","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.450","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines the incorporation of popular culture into science outreach activities as a means of improving the engagement level of secondary school pupils. Two activities make up the case studies discussed within this paper: „The Science of Sound‟ and „The Music Festival‟. Both case studies utilise the creation and consumption of popular music as a means to; convey physics principles; promote the continued study of physics and raise awareness of the broad range of careers that physics graduates can pursue. Consultation with a range of stakeholders involved in the development, delivery, and participation in the case study activities has been undertaken. This includes a focus group with participating Year 10 students and interviews with secondary school teachers and outreach coordinators. The purpose of this paper is to explore the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges in using popular culture to stimulate engagement in this way, and to share best practise to aid the effective delivery of similar initiatives.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130726773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A learning resource for part-time 1st year foundation degree students was designed to be completed entirely by independent study. The course presented chemistry in the context of sport and investigated the use of a number of alternative methods of teaching/ learning, including: ● The Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development ● Multiple intelligences (MI) Theory ● Problem-Based Learning (PBL) ● Context Based Learning (CBL) ● Mind Mapping ● Case Studies ● Web-based independent learning A website containing questions, hyperlinks to further content and external webpages was produced. The students’ response was positive. They enjoyed the course, found the context interesting and the presentation helpful. The assessment marks improved (a 5-6% increase) compared to a more traditional paper based course. As only eight students took the course these results cannot be seen as statistically significant but provide a good indication that this was an effective approach. In completing their assessments and pre and post questionnaires the students provided valuable feedback that will enable improvements to the learning resource.
{"title":"Context based learning in chemistry: Chemistry in Sport [part 1]","authors":"T. Overton, Nicholas Potter","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I2.476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I2.476","url":null,"abstract":"A learning resource for part-time 1st year foundation degree students was designed to be completed entirely by independent study. The course presented chemistry in the context of sport and investigated the use of a number of alternative methods of teaching/ learning, including: ● The Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development ● Multiple intelligences (MI) Theory ● Problem-Based Learning (PBL) ● Context Based Learning (CBL) ● Mind Mapping ● Case Studies ● Web-based independent learning A website containing questions, hyperlinks to further content and external webpages was produced. The students’ response was positive. They enjoyed the course, found the context interesting and the presentation helpful. The assessment marks improved (a 5-6% increase) compared to a more traditional paper based course. As only eight students took the course these results cannot be seen as statistically significant but provide a good indication that this was an effective approach. In completing their assessments and pre and post questionnaires the students provided valuable feedback that will enable improvements to the learning resource.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"74 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116657142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
An increasing number of post-graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh do not have English as their first language. Indeed some researchers have barely acquired the minimum standard of English required by the College. This hinders their own development as scientists and engineers and also has implications for undergraduate tutoring and laboratory demonstrating in their science and engineering disciplines. To address this issue, an English Language Skills course was developed in collaboration with the Institute for Applied Language Studies (University of Edinburgh). The course uses the techniques and activities of science communication training for Public Engagement in sessions dedicated to learning English. Part of the rationale was that students would find comfort and confidence in their scientific knowledge, and would therefore feel empowered to speak out and improve their English skills. This case study outlines the development and implementation of the course, includes feedback from the participants and observations on the course.
{"title":"Public engagement with a twist","authors":"E. Stevenson, T. Lynch, J. Palfrey","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.446","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.446","url":null,"abstract":"An increasing number of post-graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh do not have English as their first language. Indeed some researchers have barely acquired the minimum standard of English required by the College. This hinders their own development as scientists and engineers and also has implications for undergraduate tutoring and laboratory demonstrating in their science and engineering disciplines. To address this issue, an English Language Skills course was developed in collaboration with the Institute for Applied Language Studies (University of Edinburgh). The course uses the techniques and activities of science communication training for Public Engagement in sessions dedicated to learning English. Part of the rationale was that students would find comfort and confidence in their scientific knowledge, and would therefore feel empowered to speak out and improve their English skills. This case study outlines the development and implementation of the course, includes feedback from the participants and observations on the course.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130354245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Being able to discover students‟ conceptions and more importantly alternate - and misconceptions about a topic is vital in order to be able to assess and thus be able to improve student learning. It is well known that this can be achieved via the use of well-designed diagnostic tests, a widely used example of which is the Force Concept Inventory. Creating the right questions in order to form a reliable diagnostic test can be a lengthy and complicated process. This article reports work on a Development Project funded in 2008 to develop such a test for introductory Quantum Mechanics courses in both physics and chemistry. We present details of our methodology, which involves augmenting a „standard‟ multiple -choice question set with free-response boxes to determine the reasons for a student choosing a particular answer, and a self-assessment of their level of confidence in their choice. The responses from piloting this initial test in different institutions are used to inform the subsequent refinement of the test, as well as assessing the reliability and validity of the questions. We highlight examples of misconceptions that have been found during the development of the diagnostic tests.
{"title":"Asking the right questions: Developing diagnostic tests in undergraduate physics","authors":"Rachel M Archer, S. Bates","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.448","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.448","url":null,"abstract":"Being able to discover students‟ conceptions and more importantly alternate - and misconceptions about a topic is vital in order to be able to assess and thus be able to improve student learning. It is well known that this can be achieved via the use of well-designed diagnostic tests, a widely used example of which is the Force Concept Inventory. Creating the right questions in order to form a reliable diagnostic test can be a lengthy and complicated process. This article reports work on a Development Project funded in 2008 to develop such a test for introductory Quantum Mechanics courses in both physics and chemistry. We present details of our methodology, which involves augmenting a „standard‟ multiple -choice question set with free-response boxes to determine the reasons for a student choosing a particular answer, and a self-assessment of their level of confidence in their choice. The responses from piloting this initial test in different institutions are used to inform the subsequent refinement of the test, as well as assessing the reliability and validity of the questions. We highlight examples of misconceptions that have been found during the development of the diagnostic tests.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130869111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The use of problem-based learning (PBL) within undergraduate chemistry courses is increasing in popularity. Despite several previous reports describing the impacts of PBL in terms of students‟ motivation and interest in chemistry, evaluations of its impact with respect to student learning are virtually absent. Here, an evaluation of PBL case studies in chemistry is made by consideration of assessment performance data over a six year period. The performance data are considered at different stages of the undergraduate courses and are compared against related data from laboratory work and closed-book examinations. These performance data are complemented by student feedback. The analysis reveals that, regardless of level, students find PBL case studies enjoyable and motivating. In contrast, performance in assessed work is found to depend strongly on assessment criteria. Students perform comparably with other modes of assessment when the PBL case study assessment criteria are familiar to them. In contrast, when the assessment criteria demand wider consideration of PBL outcomes, typical of those appropriate for the latter stages of degree courses, lack of familiarity with such criteria appears to result in lower performance in assessments, despite careful counselling from the tutor.
{"title":"Impacts of assignment in problem-based learning: A case study from chemistry","authors":"S. Belt","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.454","url":null,"abstract":"The use of problem-based learning (PBL) within undergraduate chemistry courses is increasing in popularity. Despite several previous reports describing the impacts of PBL in terms of students‟ motivation and interest in chemistry, evaluations of its impact with respect to student learning are virtually absent. Here, an evaluation of PBL case studies in chemistry is made by consideration of assessment performance data over a six year period. The performance data are considered at different stages of the undergraduate courses and are compared against related data from laboratory work and closed-book examinations. These performance data are complemented by student feedback. The analysis reveals that, regardless of level, students find PBL case studies enjoyable and motivating. In contrast, performance in assessed work is found to depend strongly on assessment criteria. Students perform comparably with other modes of assessment when the PBL case study assessment criteria are familiar to them. In contrast, when the assessment criteria demand wider consideration of PBL outcomes, typical of those appropriate for the latter stages of degree courses, lack of familiarity with such criteria appears to result in lower performance in assessments, despite careful counselling from the tutor.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"80 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122247646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The period of transition for students from school to university is of great importance, however it is also potentially fraught with difficulties. Incoming students are faced with a study environment very different to anything they have known before and often face a steep learning curve of new study skills and learning methods in order to keep afloat. Whilst these factors are well recognised and have been addressed in literature, there is a growing recognition of the fact that how students perceive their chosen subject has a large impact on how they perform. In fact it has been suggested that students‟ expectations of a subject may be better predictors of performance in tertiary education than the previous performance of students in school examinations.
{"title":"Mapping the transition: Content and pedagogy across the school-university boundary","authors":"K. Slaughter, S. Bates","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.451","url":null,"abstract":"The period of transition for students from school to university is of great importance, however it is also potentially fraught with difficulties. Incoming students are faced with a study environment very different to anything they have known before and often face a steep learning curve of new study skills and learning methods in order to keep afloat. Whilst these factors are well recognised and have been addressed in literature, there is a growing recognition of the fact that how students perceive their chosen subject has a large impact on how they perform. In fact it has been suggested that students‟ expectations of a subject may be better predictors of performance in tertiary education than the previous performance of students in school examinations.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"394 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134523458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Image Banks, which are collections of images with associated data and captions, are a valuable teaching tool for Astronomy courses at the Open University. Until now web pages have been created for each image and its associated information. This paper examines how a database, front-ended by a multimedia authoring tool, can provide a much more flexible and maintainable architecture for producing Image Banks. Accessibility issues are discussed.
{"title":"The design of an image bank","authors":"R. Lucas","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.449","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I5.449","url":null,"abstract":"Image Banks, which are collections of images with associated data and captions, are a valuable teaching tool for Astronomy courses at the Open University. Until now web pages have been created for each image and its associated information. This paper examines how a database, front-ended by a multimedia authoring tool, can provide a much more flexible and maintainable architecture for producing Image Banks. Accessibility issues are discussed.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123364922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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