Teaching strategies predict instructors’ perceptions of their effectiveness in engaging students in introductory physics for life sciences courses

Ellen Altermatt,Ellen R Iverson,Raluca Teodorescu

doi:10.1103/physrevphyseducres.17.020133

Ellen Altermatt, Ellen R Iverson + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevphyseducres.17.020133

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Abstract

Introductory physics for life sciences courses frequently include lab activities relevant to life science disciplines are more likely to successfully engage student majoring in life science disciplines than those that do not.

Highlights

Over the last decade, introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS) courses have emerged as a type of physics course within the introductory physics courses sequence [1,2,3]
These courses answer national calls to reform physics instruction to better equip future physicians, biologists, or health-care professionals in physics principles, theoretical relationships involving experiments and modeling, and the behavior of dynamical systems [4,5,6,7,8]. Such courses focus on developing scientific competencies, such as quantitative principles and models that rely on physical techniques [6] in interdisciplinary contexts [9,10]
The survey was informed by the Conference on Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences Report [11] and consisted of 24 items, divided into three sections: 1) Instructional responsibilities 2) Perspectives on teaching physics to life science students 3) Demographics After providing informed consent, all survey participants were asked to respond to items related to instructional responsibilities and demographics

Summary

Introduction

Introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS) courses have emerged as a type of physics course within the introductory physics courses sequence [1,2,3] These courses answer national calls to reform physics instruction to better equip future physicians, biologists, or health-care professionals in physics principles, theoretical relationships involving experiments and modeling, and the behavior of dynamical systems [4,5,6,7,8]. Such courses focus on developing scientific competencies, such as quantitative principles and models that rely on physical techniques [6] in interdisciplinary contexts [9,10].

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