Transcript Problem-Based Learning and Physics: Developing Problem Solving Skills in All Students George Watson University of Delaware Contributors: Barbara Duch Ed Nowak PBL2004, Cancun.

Problem-Based Learning and Physics:
Developing Problem Solving Skills
in All Students
George Watson
University of Delaware
Contributors:
Barbara Duch
Ed Nowak
PBL2004, Cancun
But…where are the problems?
Typical end-of-chapter problems can be
solved by rote memorization, pattern-match,
and plug-and-chug techniques
Good problems should require students to
make assumptions and estimates, develop
models, and work through the model.
A source of problems outside the commercial
texts needs to be developed.
NSF DUE 00-89408 CCLI-EMD
The PBL program initiated at the University for
reforming undergraduate science teaching is being
expanded beyond the University by the
development of instructional models and materials
made accessible to faculty worldwide through an
online clearinghouse.
NSF DUE 00-89408 CCLI-EMD
We are developing a database of problems,
instructional models, evaluation tools, and webbased resources that effectively incorporate PBL
across the content framework of introductory
undergraduate physics courses.
NSF DUE 00-89408 CCLI-EMD
Materials are being collected and reviewed for a
wide variety of introductory physics courses, for
both science majors and non-science majors,
across all levels of instruction and class enrollment.
NSF DUE 00-89408 CCLI-EMD
In addition to collecting existing problems and
material, the project is implementing problemwriting workshops as an important element in
developing the collection of PBL materials needed
to cover the different curricula of physics at the
college level.
NSF DUE 00-89408 CCLI-EMD
Selected clearinghouse problems will also be
adapted to the high school and middle school
setting.
PBL Clearinghouse
An online database of PBL articles and problems.
All material is peer-reviewed by PBL practitioners
for content and pedagogy.
All problems are supported by learning objectives
and resources, teaching and assessment notes.
Holdings are searchable by author, discipline,
keywords, or full text.
Fully electronic submission, review, and
publication cycle.
Controlled access by free user subscription,
students excluded.
www.udel.edu/pblc/
Crossed Circuits
"How long does it take you to dry your hair?" came
Chris's scream from the kitchen. "I'm trying to
concentrate on my physics homework!"
"Do you want the answer as a fraction of a year?"
came Pat's retort from the bathroom." Then you can
have fun looking up the conversion to minutes in the
back of your textbook!"
"You've been at it for at least 20 minutes. You know, you should have
to pay extra toward the electric bill. I bet you spend an hour a day
drying your hair. I think $5 extra each month would be about right.“
"You've gotta be kidding me. With you and your night light burning
all night long, I bet you use much more electricity than me! What are
you afraid of anyway?"
Crossed Circuits
"Yeah, but sometimes you fall asleep with your TV blaring. I bet that
uses much more than my little night light."
"Oh, please! That only happens once a month. Your Winnie-the-Pooh
light is on every night! Besides, how about your incessant showering.
You take at least twice as long in the shower as I do. That must cost
much more than running my hair dryer. What do you do in there
anyway?"
Which roommate should pay a utility premium,
Pat or Chris? How much extra?
Crossed Circuits
Learning Objectives:
1. Appliances consume electrical power and that we pay for
electrical energy.
2. Energy is the product of power consumed and the time over which
it is consumed.
3. Electrical energy is commonly measured in kW-hr (kilowatt-hour)
and energy charges are typically $0.05 to $0.08 per kW-hr.
4. Electrical heating typically consumes more power than lighting
and other small appliances in the home.
The Fastest Man in the World
Barb Duch
Part 1.
You and some of your friends are gathered for a "Super Bowl" party at your
apartment, since you received a big screen TV from your folks for Christmas.
During the pre-game festivities, Janie moves over to your bookshelf to check out
your current reading choices (most of which are textbooks, of course.) Picking up a
book, she calls out to everyone, "Look here, I've found the new 2002 Guinness
World Records. Let's take a look at some of these. Damon, what record do you want
to hear about?" "What's the fastest record for opening beer bottles?" he laughed.
"You won't believe this" Janie responded, "but a three-man team in Munich
Germany opened 300 bottles of beer in 107 seconds in 1999!" She went on to say, "I
want to know the fastest speed anyone's ridden a bike. I think it's taking me too long
to get to the University most mornings. Wow, listen to this guys, Fred Rompelburg
rode his bike on the Bonneville Flats in Utah at 167 mph in 1995.“
You and Damon are on the University track team, so you ask, "Who's the fastest
human on record?" Everyone starts naming their favorite track star. Janie says, "I
remember reading that Donovan Bailey was the fastest human, but I think that was a
couple years ago. I wonder how they would decide who's the fastest?"
The Fastest Man in the World
Barb Duch
1. List the criteria you would use to decide who was the fastest
runner. Be sure to list all the data you would require.
2. Where could you find the information you need?
The Fastest Man in the World
Barb Duch
Part 2.
Janie's question caused some major discussion and disagreements. The Guinness
World Records lists USA's Maurice Greene as holding the outdoor record of 9.79s
for the 100m in Athens, Greece, June 16. 1999. You take the stand that to decide the
fastest runner, the split times need to be analyzed. Several at the party who aren't on
the track team shout, "What are split times???" Janie says, "Would you just look at
the 100m races, or would you look at others? Here it says that Donovan Bailey
holds the 50m indoor record of 5.56s (1996) which was tied by Maurice Greene in
1999. But there are no split times listed, just total time. How can we figure this
out?“
Running has now become a major topic of conversation at the party, instead of
which team has the best quarterback or the best defense. Damon went on the
internet to see what he could find. He says to Janie, " Look at this, Donovan Bailey
was featured as the fastest man alive in the 1998 Guinness World Records at the
Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Bailey in the article stated that he had run 27 mph.
The Fastest Man in the World
Barb Duch
1. Would you want to look at split times in order to decide who's the
fastest runner? Explain why or why not.
2. Do you think you should look at indoor as well as outdoor record
winners? Explain the physical factors that may impact the running
speeds in both settings.
3. Through your research, list the top 5 sprinters that hold world or
Olympic records indoors or outdoors.
4. Specify the criteria you will use to analyze the running data of
your top runners. Justify your reasoning using physics principles
related to forces and motion. Decide if an athlete's reaction time
(at the start) should factor into the decision. Justify your
reasoning. Name one way to factor out the reaction time.
5. Using your criteria, who is the fastest human on earth? Be sure to
cite all resources you use to come to your decision.
The Fastest Man in the World
Barb Duch
Learning Objectives:
1. Sketch graphs to represent the motion of an object, and describe
motion as represented by a graph.
2. Calculate the speed and acceleration of an object using data
(gathered experimentally or derived from graphs).
3. Understand the difference between speed and acceleration.
4. Recognize how reaction time affects split times.
Concluding remarks
Field-testing is welcomed!
Next Physics PBL writing workshop at
University of Delaware will be attached to
ITUE session of January 19-21, 2005
www.udel.edu/inst
Contributions to PBL Clearinghouse are
welcomed! In all disciplines…
www.udel.edu/pblc
Translations and conversions of PBLC
materials are also welcomed!