An E-Learning Strategy in Academic Physics Education

1. An E-Learning Strategy inAcademic Physics Education Franz Embacher Christian Primetshofer Faculty of Physics University of Vienna Talk given at the World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications (ED-Media) Vienna, July 3, 2008

2. The Project eLearnPhysik and its goals: Overview • eLearnPhysik is a strategic project of the Faculty of Physics: • runs since 2005 • project team of 6 persons, that is in contact with the lecturers of the Faculty • involves on the average 8 e-tutors at a time • since 2005, 69 courses and approximately 400 students have been involved • combines „new media“ with „new learning culture“ http://physics.univie.ac.at/eLearning/eLearnPhysik/ http://physics.univie.ac.at/studium/ http://www.univie.ac.at/physikwiki/

3. The Project eLearnPhysik and its goals: Overview • Problems in academic physics education: • considerable variation in the pre-knowledge and competencies • lack in understanding concepts of physics and operating with them • Goals of the project eLearnPhysik: • strengthen the responsibility of the students for their learning process • provide and optimize up-to-date learning scenarios (collaborative work, online publishing,...) • enhance the use of electronic tools (computer algebra,...) • provide appropriate electronic content

4. Implementation – The Content Strategy • various types of content: • pre-existing electronic material (mainly lecture scripts), distributed at numerous web sites • additional material created, like videos of demonstration experiments, an e-learning environment for the physics lab, supplementary texts, computer algebra notebooks,.... • Content created by students (scripts, seminar works,...) • Wiki of the Faculty of Physics • PHAIDRA – university-wide hosting and archiving system • Best-practice lectureHarald Höller and Peter Reisinger: Wiki Based Teaching and Learning Scenarios at the University of ViennaFriday, 4 July, FH 4 (2nd Fl) 3:10 PM

5. Implementation – Collaborative Student Work • Several scenarios, e.g. the following: • Within a course, small learning groups of students are formed. • Every groups gets a special problem to be worked out during a semester (several months). • Students organize themselves, an e-tutor is available for questions. • Results shall be published in the Wiki of the Faculty of Physics. • Although voluntary, almost 100% of the students participated in this activity!

6. Implementation – Collaborative Student Work

7. Implementation – E-learning in the Physics Lab • technical modernisation of the physics lab (computer aided data acquisition and procession) • content-based, learner-centered online-environment • ongoing activities: • didactical reconstruction of the lab for nutrition scientists • interactive screen experiments • cooperation with the University of Düsseldorf • Best-practice lectureClemens Nagel and Brigitte Wolny: eLearning in the Introductory Physics LabThursday, 3 July, FH 6 (2nd Fl) 5:50 PM

8. Implementation – Computer Algebra • Computer algebra is astate of the art techniquein physics • student licence forMathematica • integration intoregular courses • encourage studentsto use it by their own • combine withcollaborative work

9. Implementation – Student Teacher Education • Pre-service teacher students must become familiar with e-learning techniques and technologies as used in school. In the framework of eLearnPhysik: • Wiki of the Faculty • Moodle platform • BSCW – shared workspace

10. Implementation – University-wide E-learning Platform • WebCT VistaBlackbord Vista • Some severe disadvantages: • closedness • mathematical symbols and formulae • students often report technical problems • instead the Wiki of the Faculty became the major learning environment! • Best-practice lectureHarald Höller and Peter Reisinger: Wiki Based Teaching and Learning Scenarios at the University of ViennaFriday, 4 July, FH 4 (2nd Fl) 3:10 PM

11. Implementation – Supplementary Actions • regular meetings of the project team and the team of e-tutors • regular e-lunch • qualification of the academic staff – was behind expectations • integration of elements of e-learning in the new curricula (Diploma  Bachelor/Master) • refining the technical infrastructure (IT equipment for lecture halls, WLAN, PC labs for students)

12. Evaluation and Experiences • content strategy, collaborative work, CAS, e-learning platform • qualitative and quantitative analysis • questionaires and interviewswith teachers and students • logfile analysis (user statistics) • no problems with IT • e-tutors were essential for the project

13. Evaluation and Experiences – content strategy • Production of content is very time consuming • supplementary content is used by one third of the students • supplementary content is used for exam preparation • integration into the course

14. Evaluation and Experiences – collaborative work • enhance learning motivation • strengthen the feeling of responsibility for their work • group building was partly influenced • equal work enthusiasm is an important variable for the group building process • optimal group size 2 or 3 • soft skills, software-skills, special topics • talented support

15. Evaluation and Experiences – physics lab • Clemens Nagel and Brigitte Wolny • qualitative case study followed by pre-test/post-test evaluation • questionnaires • Best-practice lectureClemens Nagel und Brigitte Wolny: eLearning in the Introductory Physics LabThursday, 3 July, FH 6 (2nd Fl) 5:50 PM

16. Evaluation and Experiences – CAS • integration in the course is an important variable • visualizations and simulations contribute to a better understanding • talented support

17. Evaluation and Experiences – CAS

18. Evaluation and Experiences – CAS

19. Evaluation and Experiences – teacher education • implementation was exemplary • students learned methods and different tools as a preparation for lesson practice

20. Evaluation and Experiences – plattform • WebCT Vista caused problems • closedness of learning platforms • no online-communication • Wiki of the Faculty of Physics • Best-practice lectureHarald Höller and Peter Reisinger: Wiki Based Teaching and Learning Scenarios at the University of ViennaFriday, 4 July, FH 4 (2nd Fl) 3:10 PM

21. Outlook • The project eLearnPhysikofficially ends in January 2009 • negotiation on target agreement by the faculty • community • bridge courses and self assessment tests • further cooperations

22. Thank you for your Attention! Project Documentation http://physics.univie.ac.at/eLearning/eLearnPhysik/