This document discusses strategies for effective learning in physics. It outlines various learning styles that are genetically or sociologically imposed, such as visual/verbal preferences, tactile/kinesthetic styles, and auditory/verbal styles. It also discusses how to design instruction to incorporate different learning styles by providing options that appeal to various styles. An experiment is described that compared exam results between students in a traditional physics class versus a class that combined traditional and non-traditional techniques like online discussions. The non-traditional techniques improved students' understanding and exam scores across various physics concepts.

1. Strategies for Effective
Learning in Physics
Mike Mikhaiel
Science Department
Passaic County Community College
Paterson, New Jersey

2. Passaic County Community College

3. Learning Styles
Genetically Imposed
Sound vs. Quiet
Warm vs. Cool Temperature
Soft vs. Bright Lightining
Formal vs. Casual Seating
Perceptual Strenghts
Auditory
Visual
Tactile
Kinesthetic
Time of Day Energy
Sosiologically Imposed
Learning Alone
vs.
Learning with Friends
Learning with Authoritative Teacher
vs.
Learning with Collegial Teacher
Learning with Patterns and Routines
vs.
Learning with a Variety of Instructional Resources.

4. Individual Strength or Individual
Weakness
One of the theorist wrestle with the
question of whether we should teach an
individual’s strength or try to help the
individual develop his weakness. The
best answer may be both.

5. Individual Learning
Everyone has a learning style, but each
person’s is different-like our fingerprints
which come from each person’s five fingers
and look similar in many ways.
Individual’s learning style can be compared to
her/his ability and is therefore not engraved
in stone at birth.
Each person’s style can change over time as a
result of maturation.

6. How Can We Best Design Instruction to Incorporate
Learning Styles Research?
The key is NOT to change the style of the presenter or
the audience, but to design the lesson/presentation
to provide the broadest possible number of styles.

7. Four Learning Styles
1. Visual/Verbal Preferences
2. Tactile/Kinesthetic
3. Visual/nonverbal
4. Auditory/Verbal

8. 1. Visual/Verbal Preferences
Written language-textbook, notes
Classroom whiteboard, lecture outlines,
PowerPoint
Tend to study alone

9. 2. Tactile/Kinesthetic
Hands-On (Labs, materials, creative
play)
Learner is physically active during
learning
In-class demonstrations, field
experiences

10. 3. Visual/Nonverbal
Information presented visually in a
picture or design form (film & video,
maps, charts, graphic organizers in text,
handouts and presentations)
Generally do not work best in study
groups.
Can visualize information and often put
it in a visual design format

11. 4. Auditory/ Verbal
Oral language preference-lecture and group
discussion
Books on tape, CD of lectures
Can often “hear” or mimic learned information
Interact well in group & listening/speaking
exchanges.
Most people will show some of each style but a
distinct preference towards one or two.

12. Learning Styles and Selecting Appropriate
Technology
1. Visual/Verbal Learners- online, discussion group, and CD-
ROM environments are very appropriate for these learners,
because text is such a prominent component.
2. Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners- 3 dimensional graphic
simulations/demonstrations, outside fieldwork and
experimentation can be incorporated into the course too.
3. Visual/Non-verbal Learners- info can be presented in charts,
tables, graphs, and images, as well as streaming video and
animations.
4. Auditory/Verbal Learners- streaming audio and voice-over
PowerPoint, demo’s with audio.

13. This study is based on:
A 3-credit course and consists of a
lecture and a laboratory component.
Students meet twice a week for class
sessions that are 75 minutes long.
On alternate weeks students meet for a
two-hour laboratory.

14. Students Population
Students enrolled in the course are from
different diversity and backgrounds.
26.5% of students are Caucasian
36.0% of students are Hispanic
25.0% of students are black
12.5% of students are from the Middle East.

15. Students Population
Nearly 40% of the class is made up of
international students

16. Evaluation of Interactive
Learning at PCCC
40 Introductory physics students
2 algebra-based classes
-1 “Advanced” team
-1 “Regular” team

17. Course material
Mechanics, motion in one dimension,
vectors & two-dimensional motion,
Laws of motion, Energy, Momentum
and collisions, rotational dynamics
(College Physics textbook by Serway
and Faughn chapters 1-8)

18. Interactive Lecture
Demonstrations
Use computers in lectures to log and
display data in various representations,
Use PowerPoint Presentation,
Create an on-line discussion group,
Rely on carefully controlled teacher-
class interactions.

19. Projectile Motion
Projectile Motion

20. Momentum Problem
Questions 1, 2 and 3 refer to collisions between a car and a truck. For each description of a of a collision
below, choose the one answer from the possibilities. A through g that best describes the forces between
the car and the truck.
a. The truck exerts a greater amount of force on the car than the car exerts on the truck
b. The car exerts a greater amount of force on the truck than the truck exerts on the car.
c. Neither exerts a force on the other, the car gets smashed simply because it is in the way of the truck.
d. The truck exerts a force on the car but the car doesn’t exerts a force on the truck.
e. The truck exerts the same amount of force on the car as the car exerts on the truck.
f. Not enough information is given to pick one of the answers above.
g. None of the answers above describes the situation correctly.
________ 1. They are both moving at the same speed when they collide. Which choice describes the forces?
________ 2. The car is moving much faster than the heavier truck when they collide. Which choice describes
the forces?
________ 3. The heavier truck is standing still when the car hits it. Which choice describes the forces?

21. Momentum answer
___a_____1. They are both moving at the same speed when they collide. Which choice
describes the forces?
__f & g__ 2. The car is moving much faster than the heavier truck when they collide. Which
choice describes the forces?
__f & g__ 3. The heavier truck is standing still when the car hits it. Which choice describes the
forces?

22. On-line discussion group
Use an on-line discussion group. The on-line discussion group
is useful way of allowing for peer, rather than instructor-given
feedback. The on-line discussion group has also proven to help
students bring out and confront their misconceptions.
The on-line discussion group used with the introductory physics
students is peer-led and instructor-moderated. The most
common use of the discussion group by the students is for
discussion of homework questions. A student may post a
specific question to the group, describe their confusion, and ask
for assistance. Other members of the class are then free to
jump in and offer the student help and advice. If the students
fall off course with their discussion, the instructor will offer
some guidance and attempt to steer the discussion back on the
track.

23. Advantage of on-line discussion
group
An on-line discussion group may offer
some students a more “comfortable”
environment in which to interact than
the traditional large lecture class.
It may also appeal to students with
diverse learning styles.

24. Correct responses (%)
Li
ne
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
ar
m
ot
io
n
V
ec
to
rs
la
w
s
of
m
ot
io
n
en
er
gy
m
om
en
tu
R m
ot
at
io
na
lm
ot
io
n
Correct responses: Traditional

25. Correct responses (%)
lin
ea
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
r m
ot
io
n
ve
ct
or
la s
w
s
of
m
ot
Traditional
io
n
en
er
gy
m
om
en
R tu
ot
at m
io
na
lm
ot
io
n
Correct responses: Non-

26. Correct responses comparison:
Traditional and Non-Traditional
Correct responses (%)
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% Traditional
40% non-traditional
30%
20%
10%
0%
n
n
gy
n
m
s
io
io
io
or
tu
er
ot
ot
ot
ct
en
en
m
lm
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Ve
om
ar
of
na
ne
m
s
tio
w
Li
la
ta
Ro

27. Exam results: Traditional and Non
Traditional
10
9
8
7
6
Marks
Traditional
5
4
Non
3 Traditional
2
1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Question number

28. This research has
Helped in improving classroom teaching
effectiveness.
Facilitated students’ understanding of
basic concepts.
Combined the Traditional teaching
method with the Non-Traditional
teaching techniques.

29. Interesting web sites
http://webphysics.ph.msstate.edu/jc/library/
http://www.myphysicslab.com/
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/index.html
http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/
http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/java/Doppler.html
http://physics.nad.ru/Physics/English/index.htm

30. The road of
different teaching
techniques can
continue for ever
and ever.