Summer School 2004

1. Summer School 2004 Variety in PBL

2. Today’s programme • Introduction to PBL in Phyiscs • Experiencing PBL – a lightning tour • What makes a PBL problem? • Let’s start writing

3. PBL in Physics • Do we have a problem? • So what is my motivation? • We are not alone

4. Do we have a problem? How do students learn? How does ‘information’ acquire a meaning? Prior Knowledge Cognition Context

5. Learning in context The meaning of symbols!

6. Learning in context The meaning of symbols!

7. Learning in context The meaning of symbols … derives from the context.

8. Learning in context Context = Environment = subject knowledge and skills + prior knowledge and goals + assessment + community

9. Learning in context The ‘classical’ context Lecture + Exercise + Exam Prior Knowledge Subject, Skills Community Assessment + Aims

10. Learning in context How the lecture appears to the student: N = 0mO G = t2N ÐN = 0 ÐN = 0k How the exercise appears: A long dparmpof of radius t = 0.02 m has m = 10000 yitmd per metre and a vittrmy O = 1 amp. What is the zshmryov goraf N at its center? What is the gaic G through the dparmpof? S apmh dparmpof pg tsfoid t = 0.02 z jsd m = 10000 yitmd qrt zrytr smf s vittrmy O = 1 szq. Ejsy od yjr zshmryov goraf N sy oyd vrmyrt? Ejsy od yjr gaic G yjtpihj yjr dparmpof?

11. Why change? Relevance Lifelong learning Problem analysis Teamwork Positive experience PBL should be AN answer to A problem

12. Why change? Characteristics Neededin College Graduates • High level of communication skills • Ability to define problems, gather and evaluate information, develop solutions • Team skills -- ability to work with others • Ability to use all of the above to address problems in a complex real-world setting Quality Assurance in Undergraduate Education (1994) Wingspread Conference, ECS, Boulder, CO

13. Why change? • Make research-based learning the standard. • Build inquiry-based learning throughout the four years. • Link communication skills and course work. • Use information technology effectively. • Cultivate a sense of community. Recommendations from the Carnegie Foundation Boyer Commission, 1998

14. The PBL environment Alignment by relation to ‘real world’: Problem-driven knowledge acquisition Teamwork solution

15. Apply learning principles David Ausubel: the most important factor is what learners already know John Dewey: the most important factor is what learners want to know

16. Motivating Commitment by involvement in goal-setting Connection with personal experience compare projects

17. We are not alone A Typical Day in a PBL Course

18. We are not alone Physics: Significant PBL: DIT, DCU, Dundalk, Leicester Some: Approximately 20 UK Physics Departments StAndrews Durham Liverpool York We need to build on this. Sheffield Leicester Hertfordshire OU Reading

19. Summer School 2004 Experience PBL

20. Experience it yourself The Wars of the West Since she took office, Secretary of the Interior and Water Master Gale Norton has attempted to settle competing demands for Colorado River water. photo of Gale Norton from www.lvrj.com

21. The Wars of the West • Read the letter to Gale Norton from the Living Rivers Foundation • Write in your own words a sentence explaining the central problem(s) facing Secretary Norton

22. The Wars of the West • Read the letter to Gale Norton from the Living Rivers Foundation • Write in your own words a sentence explaining the central problem(s) facing Secretary Norton 2. As a group, discuss the central problem(s)

23. The Wars of the West 2. As a group list the main stakeholders in the Colorado River water resources issue

24. The Wars of the West Tomorrow at 1030, you will make a ten minute presentation on behalf of you stakeholder group, showing Secretary Norton why she should uphold your claim to Colorado River water

25. The Wars of the West • Consider what you already know about the Colorado River which is of relevance to your stakeholder group • On page 3 of the handout, list learning issues for your stakeholder group…..

26. The Wars of the West • List learning issues for your stakeholder group which you will need to research in order to make an effective presentation • Decide who will research each issue

27. The Wars of the West • How would you continue this problem? • What learning outcomes could you address?

28. What did we do? Why ask the students to write individually at the beginning? Why identify stakeholders? Why list existing knowledge?

29. What did we do? The concept of learning issues is central to PBL. It encourages students to think for themselves about what they know and what they don’t know about an issue. It helps identify questions for further research.

30. Summer School 2004 What makes a good Problem?

31. Good PBL Problems… • relate to real world, motivate students • require decision-making or judgments • are multi-page, multi-stage • are designed for group-solving • pose open-ended initial questions that encourage discussion • incorporate course content objectives, higher order thinking

32. Sources of Problems • Your current exercises • External sources: Newspaper articles, news events Popular press in the discipline Make up a story – based on content objectives Adapt a case to a problem Research papers Other?

33. Example problem

34. Example problem Asteroid 216 Kleopatra has been mapped with Earth-based radar. From the returned signals it has been deduced to have the shape illustrated, similar to a dog-bone or dumbbell. The radar reflections are so strong, it has been speculated that it is nickel-iron rich and it is thought that the bulk of the mass of the asteroid may reside in large metal cores in the knobbly ends of the asteroid. The density of the asteroid can be taken to be 3000 kg m-3.

35. Example problem Asteroid 216 Kleopatra has been mapped with Earth-based radar. From the returned signals it has been deduced to have the shape illustrated, similar to a dog-bone or dumbbell. The radar reflections are so strong, it has been speculated that it is nickel-iron rich and it is thought that the bulk of the mass of the asteroid may reside in large metal cores in the knobbly ends of the asteroid. The density of the asteroid can be taken to be 3000 kg m-3. You may assume that the asteroid has the same density as an iron-rich meteorite.

36. Example problem Asteroid 216 Kleopatra has been mapped with Earth-based radar. From the returned signals it has been deduced to have the shape illustrated, similar to a dog-bone or dumbbell. The radar reflections are so strong, it has been speculated that it is nickel-iron rich and it is thought that the bulk of the mass of the asteroid may reside in large metal cores in the knobbly ends of the asteroid. The density of the asteroid can be taken to be 3000 kg m-3. You may assume that the asteroid has the same density as an iron-rich meteorite. Make an estimate of the density of the asteroid based on the information above and any other sources you care to use (reference your sources in full).

37. Example problem You may model the asteroid as a dumbbell consisting of two spheres separated by a rod. Use the parallel axis theorem to work out the moment of inertia of each sphere of the dumbbell about the centre of mass of the dumbbell (midway along the rod).

38. Example problem You may model the asteroid as a dumbbell consisting of two spheres separated by a rod. Use the parallel axis theorem to work out the moment of inertia of each sphere of the dumbbell about the centre of mass of the dumbbell (midway along the rod). Make a simplified mass model for the asteroid, e.g. a dumbbell or a rod or some combination of these. Hence deduce a value for the moment of inertia about an axis passing through its centre of mass.

39. Example problem You may model the asteroid as a dumbbell consisting of two spheres separated by a rod. Use the parallel axis theorem to work out the moment of inertia of each sphere of the dumbbell about the centre of mass of the dumbbell (midway along the rod). Make a simplified mass model for the asteroid, e.g. a dumbbell or a rod or some combination of these. Hence deduce a value for the moment of inertia about an axis passing through its centre of mass. Estimate the moment of inertia of the asteroid.

40. Example problem You can assume that the collision is inelastic and that the asteroids adhere to each other after the impact. The mass and moment of inertia of the smaller body can be neglected after the impact. Use the conservation of linear and angular momentum to compute the motion of Kleopatra after the impact.

41. Example problem You can assume that the collision is inelastic and that the asteroids adhere to each other after the impact. The mass and moment of inertia of the smaller body can be neglected after the impact. Use the conservation of linear and angular momentum to compute the motion of Kleopatra after the impact. Would you expect the collision to be inelastic or elastic? Stating clearly any simplifying assumptions you make, describe the motion of Kleopatra after the impact.

42. Example problem You can assume that the collision is inelastic and that the asteroids adhere to each other after the impact. The mass and moment of inertia of the smaller body can be neglected after the impact. Use the conservation of linear and angular momentum to compute the motion of Kleopatra after the impact. Would you expect the collision to be inelastic or elastic? Stating clearly any simplifying assumptions you make, describe the motion of Kleopatra after the impact. Describe, as quantitatively as you can, the motion of Kleopatra after the impact.

43. Example problem A couple have just bought a house built in the 1960s. There is an old central heating system that needs to be replaced, but the copper pipes can be kept. There is no form of insulation in the house. The couple have €10,000 to spend on a heating system plus insulation. How do you think they should spend their money? Paul van Kampen Year 1 Dublin City University (1/5 semester)

44. Example problem A cross-wind analyser A common problem facing light aircraft is that strong cross-winds often occur just above the runway, which can significantly disturb the aircraft on landing. This problem has been identified for investigation by Safe Ideas Inc., a research and development company for which you work. You must design a crosswind analyzer in the form of a light beacon that activates when the wind reaches a particular minimum speed. You have come to the conclusion that a wind turbine could be used satisfactorily for this problem and you must build a model system that works. ...

45. Example problem ...cont’d The design will be put up for a patent, so you must provide a written report to your line manager with plans for the design and a thorough analysis of how it works, together with an analysis of how your model will scale up to a full size working analyzer suitable for small airfields. Any assumptions that you make must be fully discussed. There are several parts to the problem. (i) develop the theory of how the voltage output of the dynamo is related to the wind speed so that your small scale experiment can be scaled up (ii) check your theory by small scale experiment (iii) specify the scaled up design (iv) design and build a circuit to compensate for fluctuations in wind speed

46. Summer School 2004 Problem writing exercise

47. Problem writing • Choose one of the news stories given to your group • Decide in which course (real or fictitious) you could use this problem scenario • Sketch out the problem • What learning issue(s) could you address?

48. Example Problem Nefertiti Unwrapped Introduction to Scientific Methodology

49. Example Problem To the editors of the New York Times:Several claims have been made to have found the mummy of Queen Nefertiti, the latest of which will be broadcast on the Discovery Channel on Aug 17. We at the University of Delaware have obtained information from sources associated with the programme to suggest that this association is less reliable than is claimed. We plan to carry out our own series of tests for which we would need your support and would suggest in return that you publish our article on or around the time of the broadcast.Yours faithfully,Association Sceptical ScientistsUniversity of Delaware

50. Example Problem Stage One • What questions should you ask about the methods to be used? What are the full range of methods available? – addresses science knowledge