arXiv subjects

Colin Green

Publications and source records attributed to Colin Green.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Measuring fidelity of implementation of named active learning methods in physics

Various active learning methods have been developed for introductory physics, and these methods are increasingly being adopted by instructors. However, instructors often do not implement these methods exactly as was originally intended by the developers, as they may face issues related to funding and institutional support for active learning and/or have different instructional contexts (e.g., student populations) and environments (e.g., physical classroom layouts) than the developers. Existing research does not sufficiently capture the range of variation in instructor implementation of established active learning methods, especially in comparison to high-fidelity implementations. In this study, we first identify the critical components (i.e., components without which the active learning method cannot be said to have been implemented) of three named active learning methods: SCALE-UP, ISLE, and Tutorials. We then evaluate the fidelity with which 18 different introductory physics instructors implement these methods by analyzing classroom observations and comparing the extent to which these broader implementations use each critical component in their classroom to high-fidelity implementations. We find across all three active learning methods that broader implementations spend similar amounts of class time on the critical components as high-fidelity implementations. At the same time, we observe substantial variation in the specific styles that broader implementers operationalize these critical components (e.g., doing a few long activities versus many short activities). Finally, we find no clear relationship between fidelity of implementation and student conceptual learning gains for our study's sample of instructors, providing preliminary evidence that different ways of implementing the critical components of active learning method may all effectively improve student understanding.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Beyond named methods: A typology of active learning based on classroom observation networks

A growing number of introductory physics instructors are implementing active learning methods in their classrooms, and they are modifying the methods to fit their local instructional contexts. However, we lack a detailed framework for describing the range of what these instructor adaptations of active learning methods look like in practice. Existing studies apply structured protocols to classroom observations and report descriptive statistics, but this approach overlooks the complex nature of instruction. In this study, we apply network analysis to classroom observations to define a typology of active learning that considers the temporal and interactional nature of instructional practices. We use video data from 30 instructors at 27 institutions who implemented one of the following named active learning methods in their introductory physics or astronomy course: Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE), Peer Instruction, Tutorials, and Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP). We identify five types of active learning instruction: clicker lecture, dialogic clicker lecture, dialogic lecture with short groupwork activities, short groupwork activities, and long groupwork activities. We find no significant relationship between these instruction types and the named active learning methods; instead, implementations of each of the four methods are spread across different instruction types. This result prompts a shift in the way we think and talk about active learning: the names of developed active learning methods may not actually reflect the specific activities that happen during instruction. We also find that student conceptual learning does not vary across the identified instruction types, suggesting that instructors may be flexible when modifying these methods without sacrificing effectiveness.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Relative benefits of different active learning methods to conceptual physics learning

It has been shown that active learning methods are more effective than traditional lecturing at improving student conceptual understanding and reducing failure rates in undergraduate physics courses. Researchers have developed distinct, active learning methods that are now widely implemented in introductory physics. However, the relative benefits of these methods remain unknown. Here we present a multi-institutional comparison of the impacts of four well-established active learning methods -- Peer Instruction, Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE), Tutorials and Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-Down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) -- on conceptual learning. We find measurable increases in student conceptual learning in all four active learning methods, and significantly larger gains in SCALE-UP than in either Peer Instruction or ISLE. Student development of peer networks is similar across the four methods, but classroom activities differ. In many of the observed Peer Instruction and ISLE courses, instructors lecture for a large fraction of class time. In Tutorials and SCALE-UP courses, instructors dedicate most in-class time to student-centred activities such as worksheets and laboratory work. These results prompt future work to identify causal mechanisms between specific classroom activities and conceptual learning and to examine additional factors related to variation in student learning across different methods.

physics.ed-ph↗