PERC 2013 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Adapting a Novel Curriculum in a Traditional High School Environment |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Adopting novel curricula is difficult in high schools that have strict pacing criteria and standards set forth by the district for general physics classes. In order to adapt a PER-based approach to teaching physics, we alternated novel and traditional classroom structures to capture the essence and pedagogy of an innovative curriculum while still maintaining compliance with district policies. This study investigates how students responded to the alternating implementations of Physics and Everyday Thinking--an innovative curriculum based on the inductive method. The curriculum involves student-centered investigation, group discussions, collecting and interpreting evidence, and generating inferences and principles from observations. Findings include students' trust in their own investigations and data, students' views on working in research groups, and the impact of decentralized authority in the classroom. These findings and lessons learned from adapting a novel curricular approach in a traditional environment will be discussed. |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Emily Knapp University of Colorado Boulder 1435 Willowbrook Drive Longmont, CO 80504 Phone: 303-746-0017 |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Valerie K. Otero, University of Colorado Boulder |
