Activity-based Approach

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Activity-based Approach To Teaching
Astrophysics At the Level of General Education
K. Y. Michael Wong C. W. Chan B. L. Hu
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• Introduction
• University education should be broadly based.
• Appreciation of science is important to the
  general education of non-science majors.

• Class Features
• Large size (250 370)
• Diverse background (business, engineering,
  biological science students)
• How to keep the interest (and discipline) in
  class?

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• Activity-based Approach
• http//teaching.phys.ust.hk/phys002/info.htm
• Lectures
• Open-book midterms and finals
• Astronomical activities
• Personal Response System (PRS)
• WebCT Online quizzes
• Videos
• Computer animations
• Demonstrations
• Forum
• No homework

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Certificate of Participation For Students of
Physics 002 This is to certify
that _____________________ has participated in
the following activity _________________________
_______ Organization __________________________
_______ Organization chop ______________________
_______ Person-in-charge _______________________
_______ Contact method _________________________
______ Date of the activity ____________________
________ Note The certificate is required only
when tickets are not issued for the activity.

• Astronomical Activities
• http//teaching.phys.ust.hk/phys002/calendar.htm
• To motivate students interest
• To expose students to astronomy observations
• To explore astronomy topics not covered
• To cultivate students lifetime hobbies
• Organizations Course, Space Museum, Student
  Astronomy Club, External associations
• Formats Observations, Public lectures, Movies

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• Personal Response System (PRS)
• To involve students in active thinking
• To reinforce learning by an immediate review of
  learned concepts
• To expose students to applications of learned
  concepts in different contexts
• To maintain steady class attendance
• To clarify common misconceptions, especially
  effective when a significant fraction of students
  was revealed to answer wrong
• To assist the instructor in understanding the
  progress and misconceptions of students
• To involve students in active discussions
• The last 3 points are illustrated in the
  following video

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PRS Question 11
PRS Generates a New Kind of Learning
Dynamics http//physics.ust.hk/genphys/prs11.ram

• The escape velocity from the Earth is 11 km/s. If
  a satellite is launched from a space shuttle at a
  velocity of 9 km/s. The orbit of the satellite is
• 1) a circle 2) a parabola 3) a hyperbola
• 4) an ellipse with the space shuttle nearest to
  the Earth
• 5) an ellipse with the space shuttle furthest
  from the Earth

Correct answer 4) Majority answer 5) Note The
students may give the wrong answer in words even
when they know the correct orbit in the figure
(if they do not understand the launching
operation of the space shuttle).
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PRS Question 11 (rephrased)

• The escape velocity from the Earth is 11 km/s. If
  a satellite is launched at a velocity of 9 km/s
  from a space shuttle at point P, the orbit of the
  satellite is
• 1) a circle 2) a parabola 3) a hyperbola
• 4) an ellipse with the point P nearest to the
  Earth
• 5) an ellipse with the point P furthest from the
  Earth

PRS Discussions Led to Improvement in Question
Design
P
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Clarification

• Many students knew that the correct answer is the
  orbit labeled 4) in the figure, but they gave 5)
  as their choice.
• The misunderstanding probably comes from
• The satellite is moving on the orbit, but the
  space shuttle is simply the launcher in this
  problem. It does not follow the orbit after it
  has launched the satellite.
• Some students thought that choice 5) is stating
  that the average distance of the orbit is
  furthest from the Earth, so they chose 5). In
  fact, the true meaning of this choice is when
  the satellite moves along this orbit, it becomes
  furthest from the Earth at point P.

PRS Discussions Led to Clarifications of
Students Common Misconceptions
P
3)
2)
5)
1)
4)
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• WebCT Online Quizzes
• Multiple choice questions
• Computer-marked immediately after submission
• Designed for self-revision, marks not counted
• Solutions discussed and explained by TAs

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• WebCT Lecture Videos
• Lectures are videotaped
• as a revision aid for students
• as a component of a Web course in the CyberU
  project

(Videos)
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• Real-Life Demonstrations
• To convey physical concepts to students
• Demo database in the University of Maryland
• http//physics.ust.hk/genphys/demo.ram

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• Forum
• To encourage students participation
• Participation marks are counted

Black hole 06 Dec 2001 2357 143.89.192.3
ee_wkcaa Our earth fate ? 06 Dec 2001 2344
143.89.192.5 eg_yhf Our earth fate ? 06 Dec 2001
2344 143.89.192.5 eg_yhf What's the nature of
light? 06 Dec 2001 2205 143.89.71.22
HKUST\bm_wsk Re What's the nature of light? 07
Dec 2001 0402 143.89.217.73 HKUST\ee_fhc Re
What's the nature of light? 07 Dec 2001 1651
143.89.71.8 HKUST\bm_wsk
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Best Forum Answer Student

• Further Incentives
• Best questions and answers are awarded

PHYS002 Fall 2001

• This is to certify that TUNG Kin Lam is the
  winner of the Best Forum Answer Award

Signature________________ Prof. K. Y. Michael
Wong
Date 6 November 2001
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Statistical Results 1
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Statistical Results 2
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Statistical Results 3
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Statistical Results 4
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• Conclusion
• Activity-based learning can be implemented in
  general education classes of large size.
• The introduction of multiple modes of activities
  makes the course interesting.
• Nevertheless, the support of quality and
  motivated manpower is an important factor.