Researchers at Tennessee Technological University are expanding and improving the Learner-centered Environment for Algebra-based Physics (LEAP) effort, which has shown success in improving student understanding of important ideas in conceptual physics. The work will include an investigation into students' problem solving ability, and the production of a workbook, interactive electronic learning aids called "Viewlets" and new units on topics including modern physics. These materials are suitable for medium enrollment classes with a diverse student population, and serve to help scaffold students' math and scientific reasoning skills, especially those students who are relatively under-prepared. The research into students' problem solving ability contributes to the understanding of how the reasoning skills involved are developed, and guides the development of a problem solving rubric to measure students' progress toward expert-like skills and a survey to compare students' beliefs with what they actually do when problem solving.
One unusual aspect of this proposal is the focus on collaborative/cooperative group learning in the algebra-based setting---a setting that typically serves more women and other students from underrepresented groups than the calculus-based sequences usually do. For secondary education majors, these courses are seen as especially important, likely to be a rare instance of learning content in a guided-inquiry setting. In addition, the focus on improving students' scientific reasoning abilities helps all students to become more scientifically literate citizens. The materials are suitable for low-cost implementation at many small regional universities and colleges with similar audiences, and the investigators are presenting workshops for other faculty on their use in multiple settings.
