NEXUS – new ways of teaching physics

University of Maryland’s Biology Education Research Group +Physics Education Research Group

Teaching is like tapping

What some students hear

Sir Ken Robinson

Sometimes teaching is humming

What the best students hear

But what the teacher hears:

Teaching students

• Biology Physics

What

How

Why

What

Physics – Two pronged approach

• Pedagogy reform – Joe Redish and PERG

• Curriculum reform – HHMI project NEXUSJoe Redish, Todd CookeKaci Thompson, Joelle Presson, Gili Marbach-AdWolfgang Losert, Karen CarletonPD: Chandra Turpen, Julia Svoboda, Vashti SawtelleGrad: Ben Dreyfus, Ben Geller, Kristi HallBiologists: Marco Colombini, Richard Payne

Project NEXUS

• National EXperiment in Undergraduate Science Education

• Response to Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians report (2009)

• Four university “collaboration” reimagining pre-med education based on competenciesPurdue University: ChemistryUMCP: PhysicsUMBC: MathUniv Miami: Medical case studies

Timeline

Dec 2009 June 2010 March 2011 Summer 2011

UMd submitproposal

Develop collaborative proposal

NEXUS kickoff meeting

Develop 1st semester materials

Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013 Spring 2014

Joe Redish teaches 20 students

Joe Redish + Wolfgang Losert each teach 20 students

Phys 131 / 132 goes LIVE replacing 121/122

New labsOld labs

NEXUS Workshop 9

Meta-goal

• To create a course that both physicists and biologists will see as authentic to their discipline AND

• that students will see as giving them insight into biology that is important to them in their vision of their future selves as scientists.

1/11/11

10

Think about teaching physics…

• “Physics should be as simple as possible – but no simpler.” (Einstein)

• “The physics we are learning in this class is simple – but seeing that it is simple can be exceedingly difficult.” (Redish)

Redish 2011 NEXUS Workshop

Why this is hardPhysics BiologyReasons from a few core principles with simplest possible examples

Biological organisms are complex

Quantify the world and model with math

Intro bio is qualitative

Thinks with equations Think descriptivelyNo link to chemistry Relies on chemistryApproach from overarching macroscopic principles

Makes micro to macro connections

Principles true for all time Historical = evolutionary

Negotiating the curriculumIt has to build

from first principles

It has to apply to real

organisms

Energy is key Forces are a must

Content decisionsExpand or include Reduce or eliminate

• Atomic and molecular models of matter

• Energy, including chemical energy• Fluids, including fluids in motion

and solutions• Diffusion and gradient driven flows• More emphasis on dissipative

forces (viscosity)• Electrostatics in fluids• Kinetic theory, implications of

random motion, statistical picture of thermodynamics

• Projectile motion• Universal gravitation• Inclined planes, mechanical

advantage• Linear momentum• Rotational motion• Torque, statics, and angular

momentum

Key topics – Semester 1

. . . . .

Homework

Class topics

Lab/recitation

Key topics – semester 2

. . . . .

Homework

Class topics

Lab/recitation

Flip the class: Students read several wiki pages night before and answer questions

During class

Students work clicker problems

Lots of debate with their classmates

Discuss: How do we know?

New labs – Wolfgang Losert et al

Lab example – Brownian motion of particlesVary size, temperature, solution viscosity

QuantitativeExploratory

NEXUS Workshop 21

If you suppress a lot of traditional

mechanics and stress energy instead, what happens?

Redish 2011

N Gain forces

Gain energy

A NEXUS test class 20 0.41 0.71

B Reformed traditional

(E / with tut.)

189 0.46 0.50

C Traditional(with tut.)

201 0.26 0.22

Phys 131

Phys 121

Conventional

Learning about learning

• Fascinating subject• Leads to better teaching

Evidence / research based• Leads to publications• Leads to community

Thanks to the NEXUS team!!