Teaching Techniques Used in the TAMU APPEAL Courses
| Physics Problem Solving Rubric |
Motivation:
- Students in both classes were frustrated by what they perceived to be confusing and inconsistent methods of instructional delivery and assessment measures; as a result, a 5-point rubric (Fig. 7) was created to clarify student learning objectives and assessment measures. The rubric was designed to outline key components of physics problem solving.
- Established criteria to guide them on both homework and exam preparation.
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Large PDF version (PDF) |
Methodology:
- The Rubric is a problem solving guide and a self-assesment guide of problem
solutions
- Student comments and exam scores indicated that students were consistently
struggling with specific aspects of the physics problem solving process,
namely: interpretation, visualization, defining variables and selecting
a frame of reference. These skills are labeled as Strategic Approach (A)
and listed them as criteria one on the rubric.
- Physic Concepts (P), focused on student understanding of core physics concepts,
such as symmetries and conserved quantities. This category involves the
recognition and application of physics concepts as they are applied to
particular physics problems.
- Physics concepts are closely linked with criteria Mathematical Concepts
(M). In this section, students are expected to identify correct equations,
perform manipulations on these equations and establish a logical path linking
the math to the core physics concepts identifed.
- The rubric is concluded with criteria four, Results (R). This category
aims to encourage physics conceptualization without diminishing the value
of problem solving precision; as a result, three distinct levels of accuracy
are used to measure student success: analytical, numerical and conceptual.
This assessment measure encouraged students to seek correct answers without
experiencing the fear or discouragement associated with reaching an incorrect
answer.
Effective Usage:
- The rubric can be an asset in terms of course alignment, providing teachers with a general outline of learning outcomes. The categories established by the rubric can improve instructional organization by ensuring that course objectives were consistently delivered regardless of the mode of delivery.
- In the initial implementation of Problem Solving "Wind Sprints", following the Rubric can prove very benefitial in order to give the students a general structure to follow.
- This is a tool that will be useful initially in the course but which can
be dropped later in the course once all the students are on the same page
with respect to expectations and general problem solving methodology. It
is a useful concept for simpler problems but not perhaps for higher level
problems where multiple connections and non-sequential steps may be needed.
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Texas A&M University Physics Department
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(979) 845-2590