Conceptual astronomy: A novel model for teaching postsecondary science courses

American Journal of Physics

Volumn 65, Issue 10, 1997, Pages 987-996

  Zeilik, Michael ^a   Schau, Candace ^a   Mattern, Nancy ^a   Hall, Shannon ^a   Teague, Kathleen W ^a   Bisard, Walter ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO   (United States)

^b CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0031519809     PISSN: 00029505     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1119/1.18702     Document Type: Article

References (29)

1. See, for example, National Research Council, National Science Education Standards (National Academy of Sciences Press, Washington, DC, 1996).
2. A referee stated that "many of these students take a course not as impersonal as the straw man being discussed here ... many of these courses include laboratory and/or observing, and some may have discussion sections ... [which] would seem to alleviate some of the problems discussed here." We do not know of a survey in which these different formats have been reported. However, an informal poll by MZ of instructors at six state schools did not find any in which lab/observing and discussion sessions were offered, mainly from the lack of teaching assistants.
3. W. J. Ekeler, "The lecture method," in Handbook of College Teaching: Theory and Applications, edited by K. W. Prichard and R. M. Sawyer (Greenwood, Westport, CT, 1994), pp. 84-89.
4. W. Thielens, "The disciplines and undergraduate lecturing," paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington, DC (April 1987).
5. See the series of studies discussed in J. G. Penner, Why College Teachers Cannot Lecture (Thomas, Springfield, IL, 1984), pp. 126-131.
6. C. C. Bonwell and J. A. Eison, Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom (The George Washington University, School of Education and Development, Washington, DC, 1991).
7. For further discussion, see, for example, S. Farnham-Diggory, Cognitive Processes in Education (HarperCollins, New York, 1992), 2nd ed; S. Marshall, Schemas in Problem Solving (Cambridge, U.P., Cambridge, 1995); and E. F. Redish, "Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics," Am. J. Phys. 62, 796-803 (1994).
8. For further discussion, see, for example, S. Farnham-Diggory, Cognitive Processes in Education (HarperCollins, New York, 1992), 2nd ed; S. Marshall, Schemas in Problem Solving (Cambridge, U.P., Cambridge, 1995); and E. F. Redish, "Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics," Am. J. Phys. 62, 796-803 (1994).
9. For further discussion, see, for example, S. Farnham-Diggory, Cognitive Processes in Education (HarperCollins, New York, 1992), 2nd ed; S. Marshall, Schemas in Problem Solving (Cambridge, U.P., Cambridge, 1995); and E. F. Redish, "Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics," Am. J. Phys. 62, 796-803 (1994).
10. See the following, for example, for support of these statements: W. Bisard, R. Aron, M. Francek, and B. Nelson, "Assessing selected physical science and earth science misconceptions of middle school through university preservice teachers," NSTA J. College Sci. Teaching 24, (1), 38-42 (1994); I. A. Halloun, and D. Hestenes, "The initial knowledge state of college physics students," Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985); A. Lightman and P. Sadler, "Teacher predictions versus actual student gains," Phys. Teach. 31, 162-167 (1993); L. C. McDermott, "Research on conceptual understanding in mechanics," Phys. Today 37 (7), 24-32 (1984); L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and M. D. Somers, "Research as a guide for teaching introductory mechanics: In the context of the Atwood's machine," Am. J. Phys. 62, 46-55 (1994); and P. M. Sadler, "The initial knowledge state of high school astronomy students," dissertation, Harvard School of Education (1992).
11. See the following, for example, for support of these statements: W. Bisard, R. Aron, M. Francek, and B. Nelson, "Assessing selected physical science and earth science misconceptions of middle school through university preservice teachers," NSTA J. College Sci. Teaching 24, (1), 38-42 (1994); I. A. Halloun, and D. Hestenes, "The initial knowledge state of college physics students," Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985); A. Lightman and P. Sadler, "Teacher predictions versus actual student gains," Phys. Teach. 31, 162-167 (1993); L. C. McDermott, "Research on conceptual understanding in mechanics," Phys. Today 37 (7), 24-32 (1984); L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and M. D. Somers, "Research as a guide for teaching introductory mechanics: In the context of the Atwood's machine," Am. J. Phys. 62, 46-55 (1994); and P. M. Sadler, "The initial knowledge state of high school astronomy students," dissertation, Harvard School of Education (1992).
12. See the following, for example, for support of these statements: W. Bisard, R. Aron, M. Francek, and B. Nelson, "Assessing selected physical science and earth science misconceptions of middle school through university preservice teachers," NSTA J. College Sci. Teaching 24, (1), 38-42 (1994); I. A. Halloun, and D. Hestenes, "The initial knowledge state of college physics students," Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985); A. Lightman and P. Sadler, "Teacher predictions versus actual student gains," Phys. Teach. 31, 162-167 (1993); L. C. McDermott, "Research on conceptual understanding in mechanics," Phys. Today 37 (7), 24-32 (1984); L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and M. D. Somers, "Research as a guide for teaching introductory mechanics: In the context of the Atwood's machine," Am. J. Phys. 62, 46-55 (1994); and P. M. Sadler, "The initial knowledge state of high school astronomy students," dissertation, Harvard School of Education (1992).
13. See the following, for example, for support of these statements: W. Bisard, R. Aron, M. Francek, and B. Nelson, "Assessing selected physical science and earth science misconceptions of middle school through university preservice teachers," NSTA J. College Sci. Teaching 24, (1), 38-42 (1994); I. A. Halloun, and D. Hestenes, "The initial knowledge state of college physics students," Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985); A. Lightman and P. Sadler, "Teacher predictions versus actual student gains," Phys. Teach. 31, 162-167 (1993); L. C. McDermott, "Research on conceptual understanding in mechanics," Phys. Today 37 (7), 24-32 (1984); L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and M. D. Somers, "Research as a guide for teaching introductory mechanics: In the context of the Atwood's machine," Am. J. Phys. 62, 46-55 (1994); and P. M. Sadler, "The initial knowledge state of high school astronomy students," dissertation, Harvard School of Education (1992).
14. See the following, for example, for support of these statements: W. Bisard, R. Aron, M. Francek, and B. Nelson, "Assessing selected physical science and earth science misconceptions of middle school through university preservice teachers," NSTA J. College Sci. Teaching 24, (1), 38-42 (1994); I. A. Halloun, and D. Hestenes, "The initial knowledge state of college physics students," Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985); A. Lightman and P. Sadler, "Teacher predictions versus actual student gains," Phys. Teach. 31, 162-167 (1993); L. C. McDermott, "Research on conceptual understanding in mechanics," Phys. Today 37 (7), 24-32 (1984); L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and M. D. Somers, "Research as a guide for teaching introductory mechanics: In the context of the Atwood's machine," Am. J. Phys. 62, 46-55 (1994); and P. M. Sadler, "The initial knowledge state of high school astronomy students," dissertation, Harvard School of Education (1992).
15. See the following, for example, for support of these statements: W. Bisard, R. Aron, M. Francek, and B. Nelson, "Assessing selected physical science and earth science misconceptions of middle school through university preservice teachers," NSTA J. College Sci. Teaching 24, (1), 38-42 (1994); I. A. Halloun, and D. Hestenes, "The initial knowledge state of college physics students," Am. J. Phys. 53, 1043-1055 (1985); A. Lightman and P. Sadler, "Teacher predictions versus actual student gains," Phys. Teach. 31, 162-167 (1993); L. C. McDermott, "Research on conceptual understanding in mechanics," Phys. Today 37 (7), 24-32 (1984); L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and M. D. Somers, "Research as a guide for teaching introductory mechanics: In the context of the Atwood's machine," Am. J. Phys. 62, 46-55 (1994); and P. M. Sadler, "The initial knowledge state of high school astronomy students," dissertation, Harvard School of Education (1992).
16. For additional discussion of these points, see S. Carey, "Cognitive science and science education," Am. Psychol. 41, 1123-1130 (1986); E. F. Redish, "Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics," Am. J. Phys. 62, 796-803 (1994); and A. Van Heuvelen, "Learning to think like a physicist: A review of research-based instructional strategies," ibid. 59, 891-897 (1991).
17. For additional discussion of these points, see S. Carey, "Cognitive science and science education," Am. Psychol. 41, 1123-1130 (1986); E. F. Redish, "Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics," Am. J. Phys. 62, 796-803 (1994); and A. Van Heuvelen, "Learning to think like a physicist: A review of research-based instructional strategies," ibid. 59, 891-897 (1991).
18. For additional discussion of these points, see S. Carey, "Cognitive science and science education," Am. Psychol. 41, 1123-1130 (1986); E. F. Redish, "Implications of cognitive studies for teaching physics," Am. J. Phys. 62, 796-803 (1994); and A. Van Heuvelen, "Learning to think like a physicist: A review of research-based instructional strategies," ibid. 59, 891-897 (1991).
19. S. Lane, "Implications of cognitive psychology for measurement and tests: Diagnosis of procedural errors, Educational Measurement," Issues Practice 8(4), 17-20 (1989); S. Marshall, Schemas in Problem Solving (Cambridge U.P., Cambridge, 1995).
20. S. Lane, "Implications of cognitive psychology for measurement and tests: Diagnosis of procedural errors, Educational Measurement," Issues Practice 8(4), 17-20 (1989); S. Marshall, Schemas in Problem Solving (Cambridge U.P., Cambridge, 1995).
21. See, for example, the references cited in Ref. 8 above.
22. Details of techniques can be found in D. W. Johnson, R. T. Johnson, and K. A. Smith, Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom (Interaction Book, Edina, 1991).
23. For additional discussion of the approach and these issues, see J. D. Novak and D. B. Gowin, Learning How to Learn (Cambridge U.P., New York, 1984); C. Schau and N. Mattern, "Assessing students' connected understanding of statistical relationships." to appear in The Assessment Challenge in Statistics Education, edited by I. Gal and J. Garfield (to be published by the International Statistical Institute and IOS Press, Netherlands, expected publication date of spring, 1997).
24. For additional discussion of the approach and these issues, see J. D. Novak and D. B. Gowin, Learning How to Learn (Cambridge U.P., New York, 1984); C. Schau and N. Mattern, "Assessing students' connected understanding of statistical relationships." to appear in The Assessment Challenge in Statistics Education, edited by I. Gal and J. Garfield (to be published by the International Statistical Institute and IOS Press, Netherlands, expected publication date of spring, 1997).
25. For additional information, see C. Schau and N. Mattern, "Assessing students' connected understanding of statistical relationships," to appear in The Assessment Challenge in Statistics Education, edited by I. Gal and J. Garfield (to be published by the International Statistical Institute and IOS Press, Netherlands, expected publication date of spring, 1997); and M. Naveh-Benjamin, Y. Lin, and W. J. McKeachie, "Inferring students' cognitive structures and their development using the 'Fill-in-the-Structure' (FITS) technique," in Cognitively Diagnostic Assessment, edited by P. D. Nichols, S. F. Chipman, and R. L. Brennan (Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, 1995), pp. 279-304.
26. For additional information, see C. Schau and N. Mattern, "Assessing students' connected understanding of statistical relationships," to appear in The Assessment Challenge in Statistics Education, edited by I. Gal and J. Garfield (to be published by the International Statistical Institute and IOS Press, Netherlands, expected publication date of spring, 1997); and M. Naveh-Benjamin, Y. Lin, and W. J. McKeachie, "Inferring students' cognitive structures and their development using the 'Fill-in-the-Structure' (FITS) technique," in Cognitively Diagnostic Assessment, edited by P. D. Nichols, S. F. Chipman, and R. L. Brennan (Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, 1995), pp. 279-304.
27. For more information and detail about the technique and the development procedure, see P. J. Johnson, T. E. Goldsmith, and K. W. Teague, "Similarity, structure, and knowledge: A representational approach to assessment," in Cognitively Diagnostic Assessment, edited by P. D. Nichols, S. F. Chipman, and R. L. Brennan (Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ, 1995), pp. 221-249.
28. The Attitudes Toward Astronomy measure was based on a carefully developed and evaluated measure of postsecondary students attitudes toward statistics. See C. Schau, T. Dauphinee, A. Del Vecchio, and J. Stevens, "Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS)," available from the second author of this article, and T. L. Dauphinee, C. Schau, and J. J. Stevens, "Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics: Factor structure and factorial invariance for females and males," to appear in Structural Equation Modeling.
29. The Attitudes Toward Astronomy measure was based on a carefully developed and evaluated measure of postsecondary students attitudes toward statistics. See C. Schau, T. Dauphinee, A. Del Vecchio, and J. Stevens, "Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS)," available from the second author of this article, and T. L. Dauphinee, C. Schau, and J. J. Stevens, "Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics: Factor structure and factorial invariance for females and males," to appear in Structural Equation Modeling.