Students’ Expectations about an Innovative Introductory Physics Course

Abstract

Beginning the Fall Semester of 2001, the Physics Department at Purdue University started to teach a calculus-based introductory physics course by using a modeling-based interactive
engagement method. In brief, modeling in physics is defined as “making a simplified, idealized physics model of a messy real-world situation by means of approximations”. This study explores
physics majors’ expectations, attitudes, and beliefs about a university physics course based on modeling instruction and interactive engagement. Also, this study investigates how those
expectations, attitudes, and beliefs compare to that of students for other physics courses and change as a result of physics instruction. The Maryland Physics Expectation (MPEX) survey is used. It is a 34-item Likert-scale survey that investigates students’ attitudes, beliefs, and expectations about physics. It was administered as a pre-and post-test. The results lead to the conclusion that the
instruction based on modeling and interactive engagement produces an average deterioration in student expectations, attitudes, and beliefs. In spite of this fact, it should not be disregarded that
students at Purdue University have closer views with most scientists (more favorable views) at the beginning of the course and the end of the course than students at other universities have. That
suggests that students’ expectations, attitudes, and beliefs about a physics course based on modeling and interactive engagement are more sophisticated and professional than that of students for other physics courses when compared to that of students in other physics courses at other universities.