Presented by: Peter Garik
garik@bu.edu
School of Education, Boston University
Collaborating Team
Alan Crosby, Dan Dill, Alexander Golger,
and Morton Z. Hoffman
Department of Chemistry, Boston University
Paul Horwitz
The Concord Consortium
Charles L. Hurwitz
Newton South High School
Project Funded by the U.S. Department of
Education
Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE)
I. Overarching Goal
Provide an environment in which students can ask and answer the questions
much as a scientist would. These questions may be those that are intended by
the materials designer or the questions that arise for the student in the process
of the intended investigation.
PedagogicaTM is a software authoring environment that supports the programming of activities that combine:
1. Java components for visualization
2. Text regions for student scaffolding and responses
3. Automatic updating of software over the Web
4. Automatic Web logging of student responses for assessment of students' progress
5. Automatic Web logging of student responses for formative evaluation of the computer module
a. class list
b. student responses
c. details of student activity
1. Multiple Java components
2. As student progresses, options increase
3. Data-based requiring the student to link quantum concepts with experiment
4. A new activity means that we, the developers, need detailed data on usage
5. Intended for use either by individual students or by groups
Walk Through of the Oscillating Dipole Activity
What we saw:
1. Node Oscillations1: An integration of multiple Java components
a. The Spectrum Display
b. The Orbital Display
c. Oscillating Field Display Linked to the Spectrum Display
d. Time Scale Controller Linked to the Oscillating Field
e. Timer
2. The Java components are reused
a. The Spectrum Display is from the QSAD and Project LITE Spectrum Explorer. It relies on NIST data.
b. The Orbital Display, Time Scale Controller, and Phasor Display are from the Time Dependent Wave Function Activity
c. The text response fields are components of Pedagogica
3. Students are required to
a. Analyze experimental data
b. Reflect and respond throughout the activity
c. Review and reuse prior knowledge
A. Individual student assignments
1. Web based
2. Performance data logged for assessment
3. Activity designed to scaffold sole user
4. Potentially a long assignment
5. Windows are printable for student notes
6. Usable by large classes (tested so far with 130)B. Group Learning: Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL)
1. Web based -- accessible to all team members (both positive and negative issue)
2. Challenging inquiry based activities
3. Teams can log in as a group
4. Performance data is logged for assessment
5. Probably appropriate for Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL)
A. Example 1: Charged Hydrogen-Like Atoms
B. Example 2: Time Dependent Wave Functions