Beyond the White Lab Coat: Student Experiences in an Advanced Placement Project-Based Physics Course

• In Event: 56.023 - Bridging the Research-Practice Divide: Designing and Implementing Project-Based Learning in Advanced Placement Physics

Abstract

Objective
We used a DBIR model to create a PBL AP Physics curriculum, seeking to tackle issues of student agency, disciplinary learning, and adaptive transfer. We examine interviews with students in our PBL course and in non-PBL physics courses to compare students’ perspectives of their learning, engagement, and identification with the discipline of physics.

Perspective
Our work derives from theorizing on interest development (Barron, 2006; Renninger & Hidi, 2016) and productive disciplinary engagement (Engle & Conant, 2002). The roles of emotion, interest, and motivation are critical in understanding science learning in context and over time.
This study deepens findings from prior research showing that PBL students report higher engagement and more positive attitudes towards learning than students taught using traditional methods (e.g., Hernández-Ramos & De La Paz, 2009; Krajcik & Blumenfeld, 2006; Parker et al., 2011, 2013). We focus on understanding aspects of learning environments that are entry points/barriers for diverse students and sustain/detract from their engagement in the course over time.

Methods and Data
This study focuses on implementation years 1 and 2 of a multi-year DBIR project to create and implement PBL AP curricula. The data consists of 31 individual student interviews across six teachers. Two teachers served as a control where the AP Physics course was taught in a traditional manner. The diversity of our sample include students from: 1) an affluent suburban choice school with a focus on college readiness, 2) a lower-socioeconomic suburban traditional school with a high immigrant population and multiple home languages, 3) an economically and racially diverse urban traditional school, 4) an outdoor based STEM focused urban choice school, and 5) affluent suburban traditional high schools. We analyzed the interviews with open and theoretical codes, triangulated between researchers. Theoretical codes were created from theories of interest, engagement, and the design principles of the course (Merriam, 2009).

Results
Interviews revealed: a) designed learning principles had value to youth, b) some curricular features became more complicated in practice, and c) variation in how PBL and non-PBL students saw physics in the world. PBL students were cognizant of the way physics concepts were “looped” through the curriculum and confident in how this allowed them to revisit difficult ideas, building their understanding over time. They spoke about the importance of interaction and having cumulative projects to apply their knowledge. Student experiences with group work were mixed, with students describing both benefits and frustrations. Unexpectedly, PBL students described a richer and more nuanced understanding of how physics is used and by whom. While both intervention and control students identified a traditional image of a physicist, the PBL group also discussed a range of people who use physics in ways they hadn’t previously considered.

Significance
Understanding the relationship between diverse students’ curricular experiences and important academic and social-emotional outcomes will help shape model learning environments. Designing successful learning environments that encourage students’ identification with and continuing engagement in science, and support their development of critical expertise needed for careers, personal decision-making, and citizenship is a significant need.

Authors

• Sarah Amber Evans, Texas Woman's University

• Gavin Tierney, University of Washington - Bothell

• Nancy J. Vye, University of Washington