aapt summer 2008 introduction of the teal (technology enabled active learning) format at mit john w....
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AAPT Summer 2008
Introduction of the TEAL (Technology Enabled Active
Learning) Format at MIT
John W. Belcher
Kavli Center for Astrophysics and Space Research
Department of Physics
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One of the two MIT TEAL Classrooms
Modeled after NCSU’s SCALE-UP Classroom
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Ideal TEAL Sequence(instructor’s fantasy)
1.Instruction (aka Lecture)2.Pre-Experiment Predictions3.Experiment4.Visualization of ExperimentI will illustrate this sequence
for Faraday’s Law
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Magnetic Flux
Move down
1. Instruction: Faraday’s Law
Bd
dt
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Magnetic Flux
Move down
2. Pre-Experiment Predictions
Personal Response System used for pre-experiment questions and responses
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3. Experiment
Experiment includes sliding an aluminum sleeve over the magnet and feeling the slowdown due to
eddy currents
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4.Visualization of Experiment
Show a virtual model of the real experiment
Add field representationShow the field three ways:
Vector Field GridField Lines Line Integral Convolution
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Motivations for ChangeLong standing dissatisfaction with high failure rate
in freshman physics at the level of the Provost and the MIT Corporation
Physics faculty frustrated by poor student attendance in lectures and recitation
Even spectacular lecturers, e.g. Walter Lewin, only pulled in 50% attendance on average.
No laboratories in main line courses for over 30 years.
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Frustration: Belcher as Lecturer 1991-93Professor John Belcher is highly praised by most of his 8.02 students.
"He was one of the best professors I have had here -- interesting, relevant, and a good teacher. He is funny too!"
Three students claim: "Everything about him is effective." Over half the class remarks on his "awesome board technique," noting especially his excellent use of colored chalk to keep diagrams clear, and respondents refer to his in-class experiments as "awesome demos."
Belcher also receives high marks for his ability to explain concepts clearly, for the outlines he uses in lectures, and for his reviews of previous lectures.
Most class members praise his attitude toward teaching and toward his students: "He definitely knows how to teach," and "He cares about his students."
One individual states that Belcher is "phenomenal in his organization." Another student writes: "Belcher obviously prepares his lectures ahead of time and is the best professor I have had yet. He makes it a point to be structured and organized."
Still only 40%-50% attendance on average, 12% failure rate! I swore I would never lecture a large course again.
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Importance of External Examples
MIT would never have done this without RPI’s Studio Physics and NSCU’s Scale-Up as examples of alternate models, esp. Scale-Up
In 1990 I was collaborating with Bob Beichner on a DUE CCLI visualization grant
NSF asked me to find a PER researcher to work with as a condition for giving me the grant.
I visited NCSU and Bob visited MIT and gave a talk on Scale-Up to an audience that included the then Chair of the MIT Faculty
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Opportunities for ChangeIn the late nineties MIT had ~$35 million available for
education innovation. These were not endowment gifts, this money was to be spent down over the course of 5-7 years.
Money openly competed at MIT, money independent of departmental budget, although at the end of five years the development money went away and the department had to assume support. Many projects supported, including TEAL.
A senior physics faculty member (me) who had a stellar reputation in the department as a lecturer in the freshman electromagnetism course was willing to lead the effort.
Co-leader was Dr. Peter Dourmashkin, a lecturer in the department with a similar stellar reputation as an educator (Peter is also associate director of an alternate freshman program, the Experimental Study Group).
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ImplementationMostly following Scale-Up, with elements of Mazur’s Peer
Instruction. Added emphasis on visualizations in E&M Taught twice in prototype to 150 students before moving to
large scale 700 student course in Spring 2003 in electromagnetism.
Prototype classes were well received by students
Unfortunately this favorable student reception changed with the move to the large scale in Spring 2003.
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Start Up Problems in Moving to Large Scale
Not enough training of faculty new to the method
We had too many in-class experiments
Lots of material on web, but too disorganized
Student culture was highly resistant (and still is) to coming to class
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Importance of Assessment
We had enough resources to have a full time assessment professional, Professor Judy Dori of the Department of Education in Technology and Science at the Technion
Dori planned the assessment, developed the pre/post test for electromagnetism in conjunction with physics faculty, and published the summative assessment and a later longitudinal study in peer-reviewed journals.
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Importance of Assessment(continued)
I cannot over-emphasize the importance of a professional assessment effort
We had a solid assessment showing a factor of two increase in learning gains over lecture recitation when we went to the large scale
Because of the start-up problems and the negative student reaction, the entire project would have foundered without these assessment results.
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AssessmentAssessment led by Professor Judy Yehudit Dori of the
Department of Education in Technology and Science at the Technion.
Professor Dori is an internationally known educator whose expertise is the assessment of learning strategies in
science and technology education
We used a variety of assessment techniques, including the traditional in-class exams, focus groups, questionnaires (in
addition to MIT’s CEG questionnaire), and pre and post testing.
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Pre/Post Conceptual Test Scores
N students = 121
Experimental group - Fall 2001 Control group - Spring 2002
N students = 176
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Study Limitations 1. Attendance monitored In Experimental Group, not in
Control Group. At end of term, 50% in Control, 80% in Experimental.
2. Demographics of Control and Experimental Groups different (not true in Spring 2003 comparison)
3. Experimental Group used a mix of both analytic and conceptual problems in class, Control primarily analytic.
4. Control Group pre- and post-tests volunteer basis; Experimental Group tests counted toward course grade.
5. “Teach To Test” in Experimental Group? Hawthorne Effect?
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1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
5.7 5.6
Lecturers Ave. Lecturer Course
5.3
4.5
Stu
de
nt
Eva
lua
tion
Year
Why are the CEG Rankings Lower?
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 20063040
5060
7080
90
76%
47%
Pe
rce
nt
Re
spo
nse
Year
1/3rd of respondentsnot previously present
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Long Term Outlook
Startup problems fixed in subsequent years, many fewer experiments, faculty better trained
Students still unhappy with having to come to class
Physics is different from every other MIT General Institute Requirement freshman course, which still typically have 50% attendance or less (biology, chemistry, math).
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Long Term Outlook (continued)Some physics faculty criticize the lack of
ability to lecture at length with multiple boards in the TEAL rooms, leading (in this view) to students not coming to a synthesis of the material, and hindering the intellectual depth of the course.
Other physics faculty feel that the TEAL combination of instruction, engagement, and experiment, are the ideal way to reveal the beauty of physics, and expand the intellectual depth of the course.
Both sides feel that students coming to class is generally a good thing
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Long Term Outlook (continued)
Some physics faculty extremely enthusiastic about the approach. Tend to be younger.
Many faculty have trouble adopting to the environment, in practice we still have a lot of long stretches of lecturing.
Adequate faculty training is the most important thing you can do if you are considering moving to a more interactive environment.
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Long Term Outlook (continued)The Department has recently done a review
of where we are after 8 years of TEALAlthough there are still strong opinions in
the Department about the optimal way to teach freshman….
There is a general consensus that with the advent of TEAL has resulted in substantially larger resources going into freshman physics and the Department paying a lot more attention to its effectiveness
Which is universally seen as a positive outcome.