Assessing Student Learning in Middle-Division Classical Mechanics/Math Methods
Abstract
Reliable and validated assessments of introductory physics have been instrumental in driving curricular and pedagogical reforms that lead to improved student learning. As part of an effort to systematically improve our sophomore-level Classical Mechanics and Math Methods course (CM 1) at CU Boulder, we are developing a tool to assess student learning of CM 1 concepts in the upper-division. The Colorado Classical Mechanics/Math Methods Instrument (CCMI) builds on faculty-consensus learning goals and systematic observations of student difficulties. The result is a 9-question open-ended post-test that probes student learning in the first half of a two-semester classical mechanics / math methods sequence. In this paper, we describe the design and development of this instrument, its validation, and measurements made in classes at CU Boulder.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1306.2905,
title = {Assessing Student Learning in Middle-Division Classical Mechanics/Math Methods},
author = {Marcos D. Caballero and Steven J. Pollock},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1306.2905},
year = {2013}
}
Comments
4 pages, 3 figures, 1 table; submitted to 2013 Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference