Conceptual surveys have become increasingly popular at many levels to probe various aspects of science education research such as measuring student understanding basic concepts and assessing the effectiveness pedagogical material. The aim this study was construct a valid reliable multiple‐choice conceptual survey investigate students' introductory quantum physics concepts. We examined course syllabi establish content coverage, consulted with experts extract fundamental areas, trialled...

The use of online learning resources as core components university science courses is increasing. Learning range from summaries, videos, and simulations, to question banks. Our study set out develop, implement, evaluate research-based in the form pre-lecture modules (OLMs). aim this paper share our experiences with those using, or considering implementing, resources. first task was identify student issues physics base on. One issue substantial research conceptual understanding, other...

Encouraging 'active learning' in the large lecture theatre emerges as a credible recommendation for improving university courses, with reports often showing significant improvements learning outcomes. However, recommendations are based predominantly on studies undertaken mechanics. We set out to examine those claims thermodynamics module of first year physics course an established technique, called interactive demonstrations (ILDs). The study took place at University Sydney, where four...

Abstract Two disparate research programs have addressed the challenge of instructional multimedia design. One, based on cognitive load theory, has focused ways reducing unnecessary during instruction to free up resources for learning. The other, constructivism, centered interactive multimedia, allowing students build their own knowledge. Attempting both bodies literature, in this study, we investigated techniques that can raise useful engendered with linear multimedia. Participating online...

The widely held constructivist view of learning advocates student engagement via interactivity. Within the physics education research community, several specific interactive strategies have been developed to enhance conceptual understanding. One such strategy, Interactive Lecture Demonstration (ILD) is designed for large lecture classes and, if measured using surveys, purported provide gains up 80%. This paper reports on two different Projects over ten years. In Project 1, ILDs were...

To succeed within scientific disciplines, using representations, including those based on words, graphs, equations, and diagrams, is important. Research indicates that the use of discipline specific representations (sometimes referred to as expert generated representations), well multi-representational use, critical for problem solving developing understanding. This paper consolidates these ideas Representational Fluency Survey (RFS) over two years with 334 students at The University Sydney....

<span>Since 2002 we have been investigating the use of an electronic classroom communication system in large first year lecture classes. Handheld keypads were distributed to teams students during a class. Students used answer two step multiple choice problems after discussion within their group. The questions generated using students' answers from previous exams. We evaluated our survey about how comfortable are with this type interaction. In addition, tried determine if can be linked...

As universities attempt to integrate active learning into their lectures, a range of strategies is emerging. Amongst the pre-prepared worksheets which students work through, facilitated by lecturer. Despite fact that have not yet been subject much research activity, there are instances use. Once such instance pair physics lecturers at Mahidol University, Thailand. The worksheets, called guided as they provide structure for take notes content in lectures progresses, prepared and use since...

We recently developed a multiple-choice conceptual survey in mechanical waves. The development, evaluation, and demonstration of the use were reported elsewhere [A. Tongchai et al., Developing, evaluating demonstrating waves, Int. J. Sci. Educ. 31, 2437 (2009)]. administered to 902 students from seven different groups ranging high school second year university. As an outcome that analysis we able identify several models which seemed be using when answering questions survey. In this paper...

Student experience surveys have become increasingly popular to probe various aspects of processes and outcomes in higher education, such as measuring student perceptions the learning environment identifying that could be improved. This paper reports on a particular survey for evaluating individual experiments has been developed over some 15 years part large national Australian study pertaining area undergraduate laboratories—Advancing Science by Enhancing Learning Laboratory. development...

The School of Physics at the University Sydney has introduced voluntary workshop tutorials in large first‐year courses. are based on informal cooperative groupings with structured worksheets and short hands‐on activities. In this study we explore relationship between attendance student performance examinations. We show that about 80% students attend more than two‐thirds tutorials. Discounting who very few tutorials, average, examination marks improve significantly increased tutorial...

Metacognition is the higher-order monitoring that deals with a person's regulation of thought processes and governs learning strategies understanding in an instructional setting. The ability to appraise judge quality one's own cognitive work course doing it self-monitoring. If needs be done within short time frame then rapid assessments how confident person their answer accurate provide means aim this study was twofold, first, investigate physics students' self-monitoring, second, gender...

Rapid technological and social changes have prompted a strong focus on teaching practices in higher education. Among the assortment of programs approaches aimed at developing practices, peer review observation remain widespread for their efficiency potential to be transformative. Though such are well described literature, whether or how they affect remains under researched. This study reports accounts past participants – with respect program run Faculty Science large, research-intensive...

<p>While blended learning has been around for sometime, the interplay between lecture recordings, attendance and grades needs further examination particularly large cohorts of over 1000 students in 500 seat theatres. This paper reports on such an investigation with a cohort 1450 first year psychology students’ who indicated whether they frequently attended lectures or not. The division helped ascertain differences similarities preferences utilising online recordings. Overall,...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness Interactive Lecture Demonstrations over traditional instruction on university students' understanding heat and temperature. participants were 327 first year undergraduate students from two science classes in academic years same Thailand. One class experimental group taught using Demonstrations, while other control instructional methods. Heat Temperature Conceptual Evaluation test administered groups before after evaluate student...

Peer Review of Teaching (PRT) programmes have been implemented in the Higher Education context to ensure teaching is a collaborative, evolving and inspiring activity an era ever shrinking resources. These are reported many benefits but notoriously difficult implement even more sustain, with research implicating mechanics specific characteristics featured as vital their ultimate success. This paper addresses this issue through first, detailing one version PRT programme at institution second,...

In 1995, cooperative learning tutorials were introduced into large first year physics classes at the University of Sydney. This paper describes effect these tutorials, called Workshop Tutorials, on student from both a quantitative and qualitative point view. It was found that students attending more than half total number scored significantly better over those less half. Student reaction almost wholly positive, with particular mention made voluntary nature as well use practical, 'hands on'...

This paper describes the development of a procedure for investigating ability university students to employ their mathematical skills in range scientific contexts. is called transfer. An instrument (consisting set questions) test transfer was designed jointly by three scientists and mathematician attempted 47 studying first-year science subjects at University Sydney. The described, some its strengths weaknesses are discussed. performances on analysed interpreted, method which each student's...

Since their inception in 1993 at an Australian university, the workshop tutorials physics have evolved and grown beyond initiating department. In this paper, we adopt interpretive perspective to: (i) reflect on why continue to be successful; (ii) use models from literature understand that success; (iii) abstract key features can inform scholarly inquiry into teaching learning higher education other contexts discipline areas. Practitioner (action) research design‐based not only provide useful...

In 2006 a new type of tutorial, called Map Meeting, was successfully trialled with novice first year physics students at the University Sydney, Australia. Subsequently, in semester 2007 large-scale experiment carried out 262 who were allocated either to strongly scaffolding Meetings or less Workshop Tutorials, which have been run Sydney since 1995. this paper we describe what makes more than Tutorials---where level represents main difference between two tutorial types. Using mixed methods...