American Association of Physics TeachersAlabama Section
April 5, 2014University of South Alabama
Mobile, AlabamaAre they Learning What we Teach?
(Closing the loop on student learning)Ali Yazdi, Jefferson State Community College
SACS 2.5 (Part of Core Requirements)
The institution engages in ongoing, integrated and institution-wide researched based planning and
evaluation processes that:(3) Demonstrate the institution is effectively
accomplishing its mission.
Institutional Effectiveness is the extent to which an institution achieves its mission and goals.
Definition of Institutional Effectiveness
The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of the results in each of the following areas:
3.3.1.1 Educational programs to include student
learning outcomes.
SACS 3.3 Institutional Effectiveness
The focus of Institutional effectiveness has changed from
Instructor-focused teachingTo
Student-focused Learning
What is student learning outcome?
The knowledge, skills and abilities a student has attained
at the end (or as a result) ofhis or her engagement in a
particular set of highereducation experiences.
Learning Outcomes defined
Outcomes are expressed in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes or values.
• Specific• Measurable• Attainable• Realistic and Results-Oriented• Timely
SMART SLOs
1.Learner-centered2.Key to the course/program mission3.Meaningful (to students and faculty)4.Measurable5.All of the above
Good learning outcomes are:
Turns colleges from being teacher-centered
to bestudent- and learning centered
Assessment
1. Create written statements of measurable SLOs.2. Choose the evaluation tool.3. Set standards for levels of performance on each objective (Rubrics)4. Identify observable factors that provide the basis for assessing which level of performance has been achieved.5. Evaluate student performance, assemble data, and report results.6. Use results to improve student learning.
Process for measuring SLOs
Heidi Andrade
Rubrics have become popular with teachers as a means of communicating expectations for an assignment, providing focused feedback on works in progress, and grading final products. Although educators tend to define the word “rubric” in slightly different ways, Heidi Andrade’s commonly accepted definition is a document that articulates the expectations for an assignment by listing the criteria, or what counts, and describing levels of quality from excellent to poor.
Rubrics are often used to grade student work but they can serve another, more important, role as well: Rubrics can teach as well as evaluate. When used as part of a formative, student-centered approach to assessment, rubrics have the potential to help students develop understanding and skill, as well as make dependable judgments about the quality of their own work. Students should be able to use rubrics in many of the same ways that teachers use them—to clarify the standards for a quality performance, and to guide ongoing feedback about progress toward those standards.
What is a Rubric?
Rubrics consist of a collection of steps that initiated by the student to take her/him from a Real World problem to a sensible, correct solution. (It is sort of an ALGORITHM)
PHYSICS Problem Solving(Example of Rubrics)
• Oral and written communication skills• Critical thinking skills• Mathematical problem-solving• Information literacy• Technological literacy• Social and interpersonal skills• Cultural/global/diversity studies
General Education outcomes
If it is not documented then it did
not happen.
Documentation Rule
Learning Outcomes
Assessment
ImplementRubrics
Examining the results
MakingAdjustment
Closing the loop
PHY 213S Assessment RubricDescription of Assessed Objective
3 2 1 0Physics approach
The physics approach is appropriate and complete
The physics approach contains minor omissions or errors
Some concepts and principles of the physics approach are missing/or inappropriate
Most physics approach is missing and/or inappropriate
Specific Application of physics
The specific application of physics is appropriate and complete
The specific application of physics contains minor omissions or errors
Parts of the specific application of physics are missing and/or contain errors
Most of the specific application of physics is missing and/or contains errors
Mathematical procedure
The mathematical procedures are appropriate and complete
Appropriate mathematical procedures are used with minor omissions or errors
Parts of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contains errors
Most of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contain errors
Logical progress
The entire solution is clear, focused and logically connected
The solution is clear and focused with minor inconsistencies
Parts of the solution are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Most of the solution parts are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Totals Instructor analysis:
Sample Rubric For Cal-Based PHYSICS I
y
Learning Outcome Number 1Solving Projectile Motion Problems
A1. Projectile Motion Question
53
A ball is projected from the origin with initial velocity vo , as shown at the right. The initial speed of the ball is 50 m/s. Assume that.g =10 m/s 2.
(a) Determine the x component of the initial velocity?
(b) Determine the y component of the initial velocity? (c) Determine the acceleration in the x direction. Ignore air resistance. (d) Determine the acceleration in the y, direction. Ignore air resistance. (e) Complete the table below indicating the position components and the velocity components at one-second time intervals beginning at time zero when the ball leaves the ground.
time (s) x velocity (m/s) x position (m) y velocity (m/s) y position (m)
0 0 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
(f)Determine the ball's velocity (magnitude and direction) at position A.(g)Determine the ball's velocity (magnitude and direction) at position B just before it hits the ground.
A
B
Student learning Outcome #1 Solve projectile motion problems.
3 2 1 0Physics approach
The physics approach is appropriate and complete
The physics approach contains minor omissions or errors
Some concepts and principles of the physics approach are missing/or inappropriate
Most physics approach is missing and/or inappropriate
Specific Application of physics
The specific application of physics is appropriate and complete
The specific application of physics contains minor omissions or errors
Parts of the specific application of physics are missing and/or contain errors
Most of the specific application of physics is missing and/or contains errors
Mathematical procedure
The mathematical procedures are appropriate and complete
Appropriate mathematical procedures are used with minor omissions or errors
Parts of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contains errors
Most of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contain errors
Logical progress
The entire solution is clear, focused and logically connected
The solution is clear and focused with minor inconsistencies
Parts of the solution are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Most of the solution parts are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Number of students at each level by responses to the questions
Question # 11
6 5 3 1
Instructor analysis: Even if 73% of responses are at levels 3 & 2, more examples of Projectile Motion should be worked out.
2. If α=30 and β=70 , and M=5kg, determine the tension in string 2.
α β
M
1.A 5-kg hanging object is connected by a light, inextensible cord over a light, frictionless pulley to a 2.00-kg block that is sliding on a flat table. Taking the coefficient of kinetic friction as 0.3, find the tension in the string.
learning Outcome Number 2 State and apply Newton’s 2nd Law
Student learning Outcome #2 State and apply Newton's second law.
3 2 1 0
Physics approach
The physics approach is appropriate and complete
The physics approach contains minor omissions or errors
Some concepts and principles of the physics approach are missing/or inappropriate
Most physics approach is missing and/or inappropriate
Specific Application of physics
The specific application of physics is appropriate and complete
The specific application of physics contains minor omissions or errors
Parts of the specific application of physics are missing and/or contain errors
Most of the specific application of physics is missing and/or contains errors
Mathematical procedure
The mathematical procedures are appropriate and complete
Appropriate mathematical procedures are used with minor omissions or errors
Parts of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contains errors
Most of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contain errors
Logical progress
The entire solution is clear, focused and logically connected
The solution is clear and focused with minor inconsistencies
Parts of the solution are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Most of the solution parts are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Number of students at each level by responses to the questions
Question # 1 11 4 0 0
Question # 2 6 3 3 3
Instructor analysis: Solving problems of higher degree of difficulty should be more emphasized.
1. A one-dimensional force is given as follows:
Find the Potential Energy Function for this force . 2. A one-dimensional Potential Energy Function is given as: Find the magnitude of the force related to this Potential at x=2.
Learning OUTCOME 3
Calculate Potential Energy and Force
xxFx 129 3
)(xU
423)( 24 xxxxU
Student learning Outcome #3 Calculate potential energy and force.
3 2 1 0Physics approach
The physics approach is appropriate and complete
The physics approach contains minor omissions or errors
Some concepts and principles of the physics approach are missing/or inappropriate
Most physics approach is missing and/or inappropriate
Specific Application of physics
The specific application of physics is appropriate and complete
The specific application of physics contains minor omissions or errors
Parts of the specific application of physics are missing and/or contain errors
Most of the specific application of physics is missing and/or contains errors
Mathematical procedure
The mathematical procedures are appropriate and complete
Appropriate mathematical procedures are used with minor omissions or errors
Parts of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contains errors
Most of the mathematical procedures are missing and/or contain errors
Logical progress
The entire solution is clear, focused and logically connected
The solution is clear and focused with minor inconsistencies
Parts of the solution are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Most of the solution parts are unclear, unfocused, and/or inconsistent
Number of students at each level by responses to the questions
Question # 6
8 6 0 1
Question # 7
11 4 0 0
Instructor analysis: Relationship between Potential Energy Function and Force is well understood.