United States

Logistic regression, random forest, and ensemble classification algorithms are used to predict students at risk of receiving a failing grade (D or F) in an introductory mechanics class. Institutional variables as well as student performance variables gathered from the first two weeks of class are used. Due to the imbalanced nature of the data, upsampling methods such as synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) and alternative metrics such as balanced accuracy for evaluating model performance are examined. The importance of variables to the final classification is explored. The best performing models are found to achieve a balanced accuracy of around 80%.

AAPT WM 22

Predicting At-Risk Students in Introductory Physics using Machine Learning

at-risk

machine-learning

introductory

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. The program featured plenary speakers, sessions, workshops and many special activities.

For more information please visit the 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting page at: https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/SM2020/index.cfm.


AAPT SM 20

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. 

poster

This meeting is a great opportunity to explore sessions and workshops designed with your professional development in mind. Present your research and exchange ideas on the latest in teaching and pedagogy. Participate in a wide range of events, activities, plenaries, and so much more, connecting you with peers and colleagues who share your commitment to excellence in physics education.

The focus of this project is to analyze how teachers employ writing and discussion as argumentative practices in science classrooms and how, in turn, their students learn to participate in these new practices as opportunities to learn science content. We define the teaching and learning of argumentation as a diverse set of situated ways of using spoken and written language (and related semiotic systems) for articulating a warranted perspective. This involves events such as the exploration of a topic, inquiry, advancement of knowledge, dialogue with others articulating alternative positions, the construction of social relationships both among those co-present and between authors and readers as competitive or collaborative. This paper analyzes data collected during a two-week instructional unit on Newton’s Third Law in an accelerated secondary physics classroom. Data collection methods include video recordings, in-person observations, and semi-structured interviews with the instructor and students.

Scientific Argumentation in the Secondary Physics Classroom

We report on the incorporation of computational exercises into a single semester general education and the efficacy of the inclusion. Computation is an effective tool for creating deep conceptual understanding, connecting concepts with mathematics, and introducing prediction in science. Fifteen spreadsheet-based computational exercises were introduced into the course as active learning activities and were collaboratively completed. Student learning pre to post was measured with the TOAST and LPCI, with pre to post correctness gains of 20% were measured on the TOAST and 29% on the LPCI. Qualitative data was collected in the form of free response surveys to investigate student learning, attitudes toward computational exercises, and overall perceptions of the course. Student responses toward inclusion of computational exercises were positive. In addition to the overall results from the TOAST and LPCI, student responses to individual questions were analyzed for patterns of correct and incorrect responses and correlations between questions.

Effectiveness of computational exercises in a general education astronomy course

Dual process theories of reasoning suggest that humans reason using System 1 (heuristic) and System 2 (analytic) thinking processes. The aim of this research is to develop question sequences that serve two purposes: 1) to identify physics students with relevant content knowledge who nevertheless relied on System 1 thinking on a “target” question, and 2) to help students recognize reasoning inconsistencies and activate System 2 thinking effectively to override initial incorrect responses. Screening and target questions are used to identify students making reasoning errors, and intervention questions are designed to alert students of the need to reevaluate their reasoning. Students then have an opportunity to re-answer the target question. Data from recent iterations in calculus-based physics courses at the University of Washington will be discussed.

Developing Question Sequences to Identify and Remedy Student Reasoning Inconsistencies

In a five-year multi-institutional study, we have administered a small set of pre-college mathematics problems to nearly 7000 students enrolled in introductory college physics courses. We found consistently that over 30% of students have considerable difficulty with basic algebraic, trigonometric, and graphing operations, with symbolic representations posing a particularly notable obstacle. We will present our most recent findings, including substantial evidence that student performance on even a small set of these types of problems may be able to provide early warning of probable weak course performance.

Pre-instruction math quiz may predict students’ physics course performance

Helping students develop problem solving skills is a common learning outcome in introductory physics which can be challenging to achieve, particularly in large enrollment courses. This presentation showcases one of our web-based Interactive video-enhanced tutorials (IVETs), which guides students through an expert-like problem-solving approach for a challenging problem involving a given topic, such as one dimensional motion involving two moving objects. IVETs include mini-lectures by a narrator interspersed with branching multiple choice questions that include feedback, allowing students who require less guidance to navigate the tutorials quickly, while students who struggle receive more support according to their needs. This presentation will focus on our One-Dimensional Kinematics IVET and provide details about its design features and impact on students’ problem-solving abilities.

Teaching Problem Solving in One-Dimensional Kinematics Using Interactive Video-enhanced Tutorials

Introductory physics students routinely learn about acoustical beats as a consequence of wave interference. This example is sometimes used to gesture toward heterodyning in commercial radios. Introductory physics students also learn about the overtone series as a consequence of standing waves. Overtones are then used to explain musical timbre and to hint at the importance of Fourier methods. Yet acoustical beats and the overtone series are rarely linked in introductory physics, despite the fact that musicians habitually listen for beats to tune their harmonies. Acoustical beats and harmonic overtones be can be related simply, without any extra physics background, and their relationship leads directly to the problems of musical temperament that have bedeviled musical theorists ever since Pythagoras. Such problems are outlined in this talk, along with suggestions for further reading.

Beats, Overtones, and Musical Temperament

In Spring 2018, I was approached by the Art/Communications/Theater instructors about the unhappiness of their students with the science course options at our school. After talking with them, I applied for release time at our school and was allowed time to build some lab activities that better connected Art, Theater, Music to topics studied in our conceptual physics course. The new lab activities were implemented, and we coordinated the offering of this course with the program chairs in the arts and saw a dramatic increase in enrollment numbers (enrollment increased by 220% in this course). I will present some lessons learned from this experience in building a successful general science course focused on interesting Art/Theater/Communication/Music students.

Building a Physical Science of the Arts Course

Here is an opportunity to build two modular Origami structures, an Octahedral Skeleton (OS) and a turbine. You will need 12 square sheets of paper. The OS represents 3D space, and the turbine can be used to practice rotational motion physics. The second goal is having conversations about framing, as it relates to attracting students to physics and supporting them in physics. For over a decade I have used paper model building to guide learning Physics and Mathematics. In classes for students with majors other than the sciences we use paper to learn physics concepts, skills, and work on design and Art. Teaching an Origami Science class online led to my use of GIFs for instruction. In the GIFs paper in 2D danced into a final 3D object. This dance inspired paper choreography framing of teaching and learning physics. Many students take the class to fold, and endup doing physics.

Paper Choreography Framing of Learning and Teaching Physics

In our modern society, science and art are often perceived as unrelated endeavors. However, the idea that artistic creativity and imagination can play an important role in natural sciences and engineering is finally gaining an acceptance. One of the big questions about the connection between art and science is what features make the work of art look realistic. Questions like this open the dialog between physicists and a public. For example, examining paintings, drawings, and photographs can be used to demonstrate the laws of optics. The presentation will demonstrate how the understanding of basic optics phenomena such as an absorption, scattering, reflection, refraction, diffraction, and polarization of light, is absolutely essential for creating realistic-looking paintings and drawings. Using arts in science and engineering education and outreach has a potential to attract and captivate the new audiences.

Harnessing Visual Arts to Teach About The Light And Color

Columbia College Chicago specializes in arts and media disciplines, and as a result, our most popular physics classes are "The Science of Acoustics" and "Science of Musical Instruments." Also, I have taught a course called "Physics for Filmmakers" (1) for over a decade where students create a final film project using topics and examples of their choice. I will discuss ideas from recent projects including some done over a recent remote term. I also will discuss plans to transition that course to a conceptual physics course which includes the best discussions and project prompts from "Filmmakers" but is also open to projects in music (2) and other forms of the arts.

Predicting At-Risk Students in Introductory Physics using Machine Learning

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Scientific Argumentation in the Secondary Physics Classroom

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