Overview of the Extended Curriculum Programme Physics at the University of the Western Cape and students

experiences of the Programme

Mark Herbert

University of the Western Cape

Overview

o Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) Physics at the

University of the Western Cape Physics has been developed to give under prepared students access to the Physical Sciences, especially physics.

o The ECP Physics, curriculum design, pedagogical practice and learning environment will be presented and discuss

o Preliminary results of a survey of students’ experiences of the ECP Physics course as well as reported successes from previous years will be presented and discuss

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ECP Physics background

o 1st year Physics over 2 years

o Foundational provision infused

o Mainstreamed – a team of lecturers in Physics Dept

o Curriculum content - modern physics, mechanics, electricity and waves

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Student profile

o 120 students split equally into two classes

10 students are enrolled with Physics as a major

o Educational backgrounds

Views of Physics

Weak proficiency in mathematics

English as 2nd or 3rd language

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Underlying teaching philosophy

o Underpinning learning theory Socio-cultural perspectives on science learning, i.e.

emphasis on learning as participation and identity development

Making explicit the ways of thinking and practicing that characterise physics as a discipline

o Informed by best practice and educational research

Curriculum

Classroom

Teaching and learning activities

Assessment (Immediate or as soon as possible)

Curriculum Design Focuses

o On the nature of physics knowledge, how knowledge is constructed and structured.

o On the ways the discipline represents and communicates its knowledge, how physicists use expressions, tools, etc

o On the relevance of physics in everyday life.

o Students are guided to appreciate the importance of knowledge they already possess or will learn as scientist.

o On the competency the physics graduate would be expected to have.

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Epistemological Access & curriculum structure o Start with the Nature Of Science –

break students’ view that physics is just substituting numbers in equations

mathematics is introduced as a tool for presenting and communicating physics concepts and principles, and to model natural phenomena.

o Atomic structure and nuclear physics are introduced to forefront the construction and development of scientific knowledge

o A problem-solving approach – emphasis is placed on solving everyday life problems , the modelling of the problem, choosing the correct physics model or theory to solve the problem

o Curriculum is designed to emphasise the relationship and the interconnection across the different areas of physics knowledge.

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Classroom - working environment

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Problem solving – explicit

Teaching and learning activities Encourage student interaction and engagement in class

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Assessment

o Assessment criteria are made explicit – emphasises learning outcomes of each section

o Extensive and immediate feedback Clickers and colour-code flash cards

o Students’ independence also developed pre-reading problem sets

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Students’ experiences of ECP Physics

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I learned in the PHY151 class to work individually as well as in collaboration with others.

Strongly agree 97%

Unsure 0%

Strongly disagree 3%

I learned in the PHY151 class the role I have in my learning. Strongly agree 88%

Unsure 12%

Strongly disagree 0%

I learned in the PHY151 class the lecturers role in my learning. Strongly agree 87%

Unsure 13%

Strongly disagree 0%

I learned in the PHY151 class that Physics affects every aspect of my everyday life.

Strongly agree 85%

Unsure 12%

Strongly disagree 3%

I learned in the PHY151 class that I have a social responsibility as a scientist.

Strongly agree 83%

Unsure 15%

Strongly disagree 2%

I learned in the PHY151 class that Physics is much more than solving equations, you must also be able to communicate your solutions to problems clear verbally and in writing.

Strongly agree 95%

Unsure 5%

Strongly disagree 0%

Reported successes of ECP Physics students

o The average pass rate was for PHY151 average around 80% for the past for year while that of PHY152 are around 70% .

o Approx. 50% or more of current second year physics students from students started in ECP Physics.

o However in third year and honours level there are much less students from the ECP Physics.

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o It seems that ECP Physics is achieving its goals in giving students access and improving their success in learning the Physical Sciences, especially in physics.

o Greatest challenge Continuation and adoption of approaches of ECP Physics into the mainstream.

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Conclusions