Some subscribers to TIPS and TeachEdPsych might be interested in discussion-list post "Physics Education Research - Not Widely Known in Higher Education " [Hake (2011)].
The abstract reads: ******************************************* ABSTRACT: Economist Bill Goffe in his PhysLrnR post "Re: Business agenda for K-12 STEM education: not research-informed" wrote (paraphrasing): ". . . it appears that Physics Education Research isn't widely known even in higher ed. For example Trudy Banta and Charles Blaich in a "Change Magazine" article "Closing the Assessment Loop" <http://bit.ly/lQyEYp> bemoan the fact that they can find very few instances of improved learning after a teaching innovation. The extensive physics education research that so convincingly demonstrates such a connection is not even mentioned." That Trudy Banta <http://bit.ly/mKElpt> and Charles Blaich <http://bit.ly/iNrXrL> are evidently either unaware or dismissive of physics education research is typical of the near total disconnect between (a) Psychologists, Education specialists, and Psychometricians (PEP's), and (b) education researchers in STEM disciplines - see e.g. "Evidence on Promising Practices in Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education" <http://bit.ly/ceg1Bx>, and "Possible Palliatives for the Paralyzing Pre/Post Paranoia that Plagues Some PEP's" [Hake (2006) <http://bit.ly/caWtWl>]. ******************************************* To access the complete 15 kB post please click on <http://bit.ly/iT4YsN>. Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University Honorary Member, Curmudgeon Lodge of Deventer, The Netherlands President, PEdants for Definitive Academic References which Recognize the Invention of the Internet (PEDARRII) <[email protected]> <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake> <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi> <http://HakesEdStuff.blogspot.com> <http://iub.academia.edu/RichardHake> "There is substantial evidence that scientific teaching in the sciences, i.e., teaching that employs instructional strategies that encourage undergraduates to become actively engaged in their own learning, can produce levels of understanding, retention and transfer of knowledge that are greater than those resulting from traditional lecture/lab classes. But widespread acceptance by university faculty of new pedagogies and curricular materials still lies in the future. . . . . We conclude that widespread promotion and adoption of the elements of scientific teaching by university science departments could have profound effects in promoting a scientifically literate society and a reinvigorated research enterprise." Robert DeHaan (2005) "One of the most striking findings [came from comparison of the learning outcomes (as measured by the FCI and a related inventory on mechanics) from 14 traditional courses (2,084 students) and 48 courses using "interactive-engagement" (active learning) techniques (4,458 students). . . . .[[Hake (1998a,b)]]. . . . . The results on the FCI assessment showed that students in the interactive engagement courses outperformed students in the traditional courses by 2 SDs. Similarly, students in the interactive-engagement courses outperformed students in the traditional courses on the Mechanics Baseline Test, a measure of problem-solving ability. This certainly looks like evidence that active learning works! Research in physics education is having a profound effect on the development of instructional materials." Joel Michael (2006) REFERENCES [All URL's shortened by <http://bit.ly/> and accessed on 27 April 2011.] DeHaan, R.L. 2005. "The Impending Revolution in Undergraduate Science Education," Journal of Science Education and Technology 14(2): 253-269; the abstract and first page are online at <http://bit.ly/cqIK1w>. Hake, R.R. 2011. "Physics Education Research - Not Widely Known in Higher Education" online on the OPEN! AERA-L archives at <http://bit.ly/iT4YsN>. Post of 27 Apr 2011 17:07:07-0700 to AERA-L and Net-Gold. The abstract and link to the complete post are being transmitted to various discussion lists and are also on my blog "Hake'sEdStuff" at <http://bit.ly/msoLwx> with a provision for comments. Michael, J. 2006. "Where's the evidence that active learning works?" Advances in Physiology Education 30: 159-167, online at <http://bit.ly/fjJ2Lj>. --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=10251 or send a blank email to leave-10251-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
