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Evaluating a model of research-based practices for teacher preparation in a physics department: Colorado PhysTECWe describe and evaluate the first year efforts of the Colorado Physics Teacher Education Coalition (Colorado PhysTEC), which is designed to increase the number and quality of preparation of future pre-college physics teachers. The Colorado PhysTEC program partners the Department of Physics, the School of Education, and other University of Colorado programs (particularly STEM-Colorado), with local schools and K-12 physics teachers. We report on efforts to engage students in transformed teaching practices, programs to create educational partnerships among all of the participants, and research that documents local educational practices and larger features of sustainable and scalable educational transformations.
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Developing and Researching PhET simulations for Teaching Quantum MechanicsQuantum mechanics is difficult to learn because it is counter-intuitive, hard to visualize, mathematically challenging, and abstract. The Physics Education Technology (PhET) Project, known for its interactive computer simulations for teaching and learning physics, now includes 18 simulations on quantum mechanics designed to improve learning of this difficult subject. Our simulations include several key features to help students build mental models and intuitions about quantum mechanics: visual representations of abstract concepts and microscopic processes that cannot be directly observed, interactive environments that directly couple students' actions to animations, connections to everyday life, and efficient calculations so students can focus on the concepts rather than the math. Like all PhET simulations, these are developed using the results of education research and feedback from educators, and are tested in student interviews and classroom studies. This article provides an overview of the PhET quantum simulations and their development. We also describe research demonstrating their effectiveness and share some insights about student thinking that we have gained from our research on quantum simulations.
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Physics I MOOC - Educational OutcomesWhile enrollment and retention figures often grab headlines for Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs), the more telling measures of MOOCs’ effectiveness may be found in the educational outcomes. The performance of students enrolled in the University of Colorado Physics I MOOC was evaluated with the use of numerous instruments. These instruments include exams, homework assignments, the FMCE and the CLASS. The performance of students in the MOOC was tracked across the semester and compared with that of students in similar “Brick and Mortar” classes at the University of Colorado. For some measures (FMCE) their performance was compared with the results from large scale studies. On all measures the MOOC students performed at least as well as and had learning gains at least as great as those in more traditional settings including interactive engagement. This may be due, in part, to a massive self-selection process skewing the MOOC population over time.