Department of Physics
1274 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1274 USA
sokoloff@uoregon.edu
Abstract: The results of physics education research and the availability of microcomputer-based tools have led to the
development over a number of years of the activity-based Physics Suite. Most of the Suite materials are designed for
hands-on learning, for example student-oriented laboratory curricula like RealTime Physics. One reason for the success
of these materials is that they encourage students to take an active role in their learning. More recently, personal
response systems (clickers) have become available at many schools and universities around the world, and are used by
many educators. This paper describes Suite materials designed to promote active learning in lecture—Interactive Lecture
Demonstrations (ILDs)—that have been adapted for implementation with clickers. Image formation ILDs will be
presented. Results of studies on the effectiveness of this approach will also be presented.
Keywords: Introductory physics, lecture demonstrations, personal response system, clicker, image formation
PACS: 01.40.gb, 01.50.My, 01.50.Lc
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student learning of physics concepts.3,4 There are four function of a lens in forming images. The apparatus is
RTP modules, Module 1: Mechanics, Module 2: Heat shown in Figure 1. Flashlight bulbs are placed at the
and Thermodynamics, Module 3: Electric Circuits and top and bottom of an arrow on a white board (or other
Module 4: Light and Optics.5 Each lab includes a pre- smooth white surface), and a large, acrylic cylindrical
lab preparation sheet to help students prepare, and a lens is used to show how all the light from each bulb
homework, designed to reinforce critical concepts and that strikes the lens (infinite number of rays) is focused
skills. A complete teachers’ guide is available online to the same image point. Figure 2 shows the situation
for each module. with the bulbs lighted. The ILD sequence consists of
changes in the situation, e.g., half of the lens is
INTERACTIVE LECTURE covered by a card, half of the object is covered by a
DEMONSTRATIONS (ILDS) card, the lens is removed, etc. Figure 3 shows what
happens when half of the lens is blocked by a card.
ILDs are designed to enhance conceptual learning (Most students predict that half of the image will
in large (and small) lectures. An eight-step procedure disappear.)
is used to enhance learning with simple, single-concept
lecture demonstrations. Real physics demonstrations
are shown to students, who then make predictions
about the outcomes on a prediction sheet, and
collaborate with fellow students by discussing their
predictions in small groups. The instructor then solicits
predictions from volunteers. Students then observe the
results of the live demonstration (often displayed as
real-time graphs using computer data acquisition
tools), compare these results with their predictions,
and volunteers attempt to explain the observed
phenomena to the class. Besides data acquisition,
computers are used for interactive video analysis. This
eight-step ILD procedure incorporating the learning
cycle is followed for each of the basic demonstrations
in an ILD sequence. ILDs have been demonstrated to Figure 2: Image Formation ILD apparatus showing
enhance student learning of physics concepts.2,3 the formation of a real image.
Complete materials—including student sheets and
teachers’ guides—are available for most introductory
physics topics.1
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physics education research-based LOCE has been physical situations with different "surface" features. In
published elsewhere.7 Students in the algebra- general, this procedure worked very well for the Image
trigonometry-based general physics course at the Formation ILDs. Figure 5 shows the second ILD, and
University of Oregon had only a 20% normalized Figure 6 shows a typical display from i-Clicker.
learning gain on the image formation questions after
all traditional instruction. With just one additional
lecture consisting of this ILD sequence, their learning
gain from the pre-test was 80%. In addition, the last
question on the LOCE shows the real image of an
arrow formed by a lens, with two (non-principal) rays
from the bottom of the arrow and two (non-principal)
rays from the top of the arrow incident on the lens.
(See Figure 4). Students are asked to continue these
four rays through the lens to illustrate how the image is
formed by the lens. While after traditional instruction,
only 33% were able to continue these rays correctly,
after experiencing the ILD sequence, 76% completed
this exercise correctly.
focal
point
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formation questions from the LOCE after traditional 6. Thornton, R.K. and Sokoloff, D.R., “RealTime Physics:
instruction in image formation with lenses, and then Active Learning Laboratory,” in The Changing Role of
after experiencing the clicker Image Formation ILDs the Physics Department in Modern Universities,
during Winter, 2007 and Winter, 2008. The learning Proceedings of the International Conference on
Undergraduate Physics Education, 1101-1118
gain was 59% on these questions, and 57% on the ray (American Institute of Physics, 1997).
diagram short answer question shown in Figure 4 (with 7. Active Learning in Optics and Photonics Training
76% of the students sketching the rays correctly on the Manual, D.R. Sokoloff, ed. (Paris, UNESCO, 2006).
post test). While not quite as substantial as the learning 8. This work was supported by NSF CCLI Phase 1 grant
gains with the paper and pencil ILDs, these gains are DUE 0633740.
still excellent. 9. For more information see http://www.iclicker.com/.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
REFERENCES
1. David R. Sokoloff and Ronald K. Thornton, Interactive
Lecture Demonstrations (Hoboken, NJ, John Wiley and
Sons, 2004).
2. David R. Sokoloff and Ronald K. Thornton, "Using
Interactive Lecture Demonstrations to Create an Active
Learning Environment,” The Physics Teacher 35: 6,
340 (1997).
3. Ronald K. Thornton and David R. Sokoloff, "Assessing
Student Learning of Newton's Laws: The Force and
Motion Conceptual Evaluation and the Evaluation of
Active Learning Laboratory and Lecture Curricula,"
American Journal of Physics 66, 338-352 (1998).
4. David R. Sokoloff, Ronald K. Thornton and Priscilla
W. Laws, “RealTime Physics: Active Learning Labs
Transforming the Introductory Laboratory,” accepted
for publication, Eur. J. of Phys., 28 (2007), S83-S94.
5. David R. Sokoloff, Ronald K. Thornton and Priscilla
W. Laws, RealTime Physics Module 1: Mechanics,
Module 2: Heat and Thermodynamics, Module 3:
Electric Circuits and Module 4: Light and Optics
(Hoboken, NJ, John Wiley and Sons, 2004).
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