Promoting physics student reflection via Reading Logs and Learning Commentaries

1. Reading Logs Learning Commentaries Abstract Class time is often wasted going over what students were assigned to read. Reading logs provide students incentive for reading as well as guidance to help them get the most from their reading. The completed log provides the teacher insight into student understanding of the reading. When reading is assigned prior to instruction, reading logs are used to inform the direction of instruction (much like JiTT questions). When reading follows instruction, reading logs can be used to evaluate instruction. Reading logs are not a new idea in physics. We found a form published by D.K. Apple and have modified the form somewhat based on student input. Reading logs are collected and graded, but we typically use a quick, simple grading scheme, typically based on completion. We encourage students to confine their log to the two page form provided, because some students spend too much time producing the log. • In classes where learning commentaries are assigned, students are typically also asked to keep a journal. The journal is typically checked for completeness, and not graded for content. The following assignment descriptions are taken from a course syllabus: • Personal Journal: Research has shown that reflecting on the day’s learning at the end of class can have a profound impact on learning. You will keep a daily physics diary, writing an entry at the end of each class. You will document your struggles with new ideas; your glories when you “get” an idea, questions about the ideas of others, ideas you develop and want to test, questions for others in the class. These will be occasionally checked for completeness. Roughly a paragraph per day is expected. Each entry should be labeled with the date. • Learning Commentaries: These are three short (3-5 paragraph) formal essays written after and reflecting upon each of the major units that make up this course. A learning commentary is a story describing the evolution of your thoughts on ONE scientific idea. You will describe your initial thoughts, activities, discussions that change or confirm how you think with examples and your final scientific idea. Learning commentaries are word-processed and submitted electronically. Write your learning commentary starting from your journal and binder of activities. Learning commentaries are graded based upon the quality and quantity of your comments and examples, together with how you support claims for your final scientific idea with specific data taken from classroom observations and activities. In particular, I will be looking for: • a description of your ONE initial scientific idea based upon your previous life experiences, together with a description of your supporting evidence (with your original supporting evidence): • a substantive discussion of how various class discussions and activities promoted change in your idea (with examples and supporting evidence); and • a brief description of your final scientific idea We describe our use of Reading Logs and Learning Commentaries to promote physics student reflection on their own physics learning in lower division college and university physics courses, and in courses at multiple levels for preservice physics teachers. Reading Logs are intended to free lecture and classroom time from reading the text, and provide a mechanism to guide, support, recognize and credit students for reading their physics text outside class time. Reading Logs (RLs) are intended to be fast, frequently collected and readily evaluated rewards for appropriate student effort. Learning Commentaries (LCs) are short, three paragraph essays intended to promote reconciliation of student experiences learning physics with their own lived experience through writing. LCs are typically collected only a few times during the semester (typically before exams) and are graded via a sophisticated rubric. We present the forms for RLs and LCs, the LC rubric and some exemplars of student work. Promoting physics student reflection via Reading Logs and Learning Commentaries Dan MacIsaac, David Abbott, Kathleen Falconer & David Henry SUNY- Buffalo State College Department of Physics, Department of Elementary Education and ReadingForms and poster available from http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/pubs/AAPTmtgs/ <macisadl@buffalostate.edu> Revised Log Form When we initially used the form from Apple’s book, we found that students had little trouble interpreting the front side of the form. However, students’ responses on the back of the form indicated that students did not understand what was being asked of them. One of us (DM), now uses a slightly modified form (shown below). Student Work with comments & Rubric References Richard C. Smith and Edwin F Taylor, “Teaching physics on line,” Am. J. Phys. 63(12), 1090-1096 (1995). Catherine H. Crouch and Eric Mazur, “Peer Instruction: Ten years of experience and results,” Am. J. Phys.69(9), 970-977 (2001). Noah Podolefsky and Noah Finkelstein, “The perceived value of college physics textbooks: Students and instructors may not see eye to eye,” The Physics Teacher44(6), 338-342 (2006). Karen Cummings, Timothy French and Patrick Cooney, “Student textbook use in introductory physics,” PERC Proceedings (2002). Gregor Novak, Evelyn Patterson, Andrew Gavrin, Wolfgang Christian, Just-in-Time Teaching: Blending Active Learning with Web Technology, Prentice-Hall Upper Saddle River NJ 1999 ISBN 0-13-085034-9. Apple, D.K. (2000).  Learning Assessment Journal, 4/e.  Pacific Crest: Lisle, IL.  Available from  www.pcrest.com