Analyzing A Discourse-Rich Physics Teaching Sample Video to Inform Your Own Physics Teaching Practice

1. Analyzing A Discourse-Rich Physics Teaching Sample Video to Inform Your Own Physics Teaching Practice Dan MacIsaac, Ph.D. SUNY- Buffalo State College Dept of Physics, <macisadl@buffalostate.edu> Kathleen Falconer, M.S. SUNY- Buffalo State College Dept of Elementary Education and Reading, <falconka@buffalostate.edu>

2. We have been examining and producing1-3 video vignettes of physics teaching practices for some time with the intent of fostering better practices4-6 for student physics learning. In this session we will view and analyze an unusually discourse-rich modeling physics vignette taken from an unusually successful community college physics classroom together. A brief description of the Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP) will also be presented.

3. Falconer, K.A., Joshua, M., & Desbien D. (2003) (Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production; MacIsaac analysis). RTOP Video 4: Modeling via Intensive Student Discourse. [QuickTime Web Streamed Video 10:15]. Buffalo, NY: Authors. Retrieved November 30, 2004, from <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/rtop/videos/rtop4play.html>.

4. Video of effective (as measured by student conceptual score gain from pre- and post-testing with the Hestenes’Force Concept Inventory) and deliberately nontraditional mechanics instruction of community college students. • What is going on in this classroom? • What events are promoting learning? • Watch the video and make a few notes on noteworthy behaviours that are taking place that you believe are promoting learning.

5. Roughly three main sections: • student data gathering activity • student circle whiteboarding discourse, • teacher warranting knowledge and setting up next activity (relative sizes and cues)

6. Student data gathering • students enter class and go right to work (cued from last day “model how a ball bounces”) • students obviously comfortable with working on own • student tools and representations “hammers” are whiteboarding, SONAR and x-v-a vs. t plots • teacher is seeding different groups with different questions – pushing in different directions, different parts of the puzzle • unique tool to some groups – energy pie charts

7. Circle Whiteboarding • student trained in taking turns and sharing the air • explicit use of model building and selection is evident • new tool (energy pie chart analysis) gets significant billing • jargon control (noun Nazis) emphasizes student thought

8. Teacher warranting knowledge • advanced language control -- vocabulary manipulation (grudgingly allows new jargon, focuses on few but critical issues) • warrants certain classroom learning (or forces agreement) • sharply limited “closure” setting up next

9. Overall • student meaning centered class • highly motivated and on-task group (sense of control and empowerment) • student discourse intensive (Vygotski) • lots of active instructor manipulation of classroom activity, environment and student thought (loaded balls) • strong scientific thought – observational, phenomenological, theory building, much discourse, hopefully will see prediction and testing yet to come • quite Machiavellian actually

10. References 1. M. Piburn, D. Sawada, K. Falconer, J. Turley, R. Benford, and I. Bloom. "Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP)." ACEPT IN-003. (ACEPT, 2000). The RTOP rubric form, training manual, statistical reference manuals, and sample scored video vignettes are all available from <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.EduAZTEC/rtop/> under RESOURCES. 2. Falconer, K.A., Joshua, M., & Desbien D. (2003) (Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production; MacIsaac analysis). RTOP Video 4: Modeling via Intensive Student Discourse. [QuickTime Web Streamed Video 10:15]. Buffalo, NY: Authors. Retrieved November 30, 2004, from <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/rtop/videos/rtop4play.html>. 3. Falconer, K.A. & MacIsaac, D.L. (2004) (Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production). Reformed Teaching Methods: Think Pair Share. [QuickTime Web Streamed Video 12:02]. Buffalo, NY: Authors. Retrieved November 30, 2004, from <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/rtop/videos/TPSplay.html>. 4. D.L. MacIsaac and K. A. Falconer. "Reforming physics instruction via RTOP," Phys. Teach.40 (8), 479-485 (Nov 2002). 5. A.E. Lawson et al., “Reforming and evaluating college science and mathematics instruction: Reformed teaching improves student achievement,”J. Coll. Sci. Teach. 31, 388–393 (March/April 2002). 6. Thornton, R.K. (2002). Uncommon knowledge: Student behavior correlated to conceptual learning. Unpublished manuscript available from the author.