ERIC Number: EJ1162741
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2469-9896
EISSN: N/A
Competency Based Teaching of College Physics: The Philosophy and The Practice
Rajapaksha, Ajith; Hirsch, Andrew S.
Physical Review Physics Education Research, v13 n2 p020130-1-020130-12 Jul-Dec 2017
The practice of learning physics contributes to the development of many transdisciplinary skills learners are able to exercise independent of the physics discipline. However, the standard practices of physics instruction do not explicitly include the monitoring or evaluation of these skills. In a competency-based (CB) learning model, the skills (competencies) are clearly defined and evaluated. We envisioned that a CB approach, where the underlying competencies are highlighted within the instructional process, would be more suitable to teaching physics to learners with diversified disciplinary interests. A model CB course curriculum was developed and practiced at Purdue University to teach introductory college physics to learners who were majoring in the technology disciplines. The experiment took place from the spring semester in 2015 until the spring semester in 2017. The practice provided a means to monitor and evaluate a set of developmental transdisciplinary competencies that underlie the learning of force and motion concepts in classical physics. Additionally, the CB practice contributed to produce substantial physics learning outcomes among learners who were underprepared to learn physics in college.
Descriptors: Competency Based Education, Science Instruction, Physics, College Science, Introductory Courses, College Students
American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: http://prst-per.aps.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Indiana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A