Authentic Task in Physics

The Physics of Flight

Objectives 1. The objective of the authentic task is an assessment

• Of students learning of various mechanics topics • As part of students’ learning process so as to

become more aware that Physics principles need to be integrated together to solve real world problems

2. Secondary objectives •To promote Physics as a fun and engaging subject •To inculcate an excellence mindset amongst the students

Experiential Learning cycle by David Kolb

Target group of students: 300 Integrated Programme Year 4 students from Dunman High School Performance tasks: •Design a glider to

• Carry load of 4 x 25 g • Glide through a distance of at least 12 m (launched by hand).

•Poster to explain • Physics principles of a glider’s flight. • Pupils reflection on limitations of their designs and justifications of

modifications that deviate from the ideal theoretical design that they made on their glider.

Key Questions: • What do students currently understand about the related topics? • What do we want them to understand at the end of the lesson? • What's the “drama” or sequence of experiences that will propel

students forward? • What kinds of student thinking (including problems and

misconceptions) do we anticipate in response to each element of the lesson? How will we use these to foster deeper understanding?

• What will make this task motivating and meaningful to students? • What evidence from the lesson will help us reflect on our goals for

learning and student development? For example, what data should we collect regarding student learning, motivation, and behavior?

No. Activity Students’ learning experience Time

1. Mass lecture on principles of flight by teacher mentor for Singapore Amazing Flying Machine Competition

To recap aspects of their prior knowledge in mechanics and how they are related to the performance of their glider

28 Feb

2. Subject teachers’ briefing on project specifications

Students to clarify doubts about grading criteria and the key mechanics principles that they need to focus on in their project

T1W8

3. Students’ group work and trials part 1

Students to research and construct model for testing

T1W9 – T2W2

4. Approval of design by subject teacher

Students advised by teacher on modifications of design (based on project requirements), limitations/difficulty of applying theoretical principles to practical design and ways to overcome or work around them

T1W2

5. Student’s modification based on feedback/approval

Students to re-assess their initial understanding of mechanics principles and implement modifications to their design

T1W3

No. Activity Students’ learning experience Time

6. Class race and discussion Students to test the performance of their designs under controlled conditions and discuss how outcomes differ from predictions

T1W4

7. Workshop for students who failed to meet the minimum requirements for the project

Students who failed to meet requirements attend a workshop on flight theory and finer points of construction before they are given another chance to improve on their design and re-assessed (with a cap of 8/12 marks for the performance of their gliders)

T1W5

8. Students reflection on initial assumptions and modifications, and submission of poster

Students to reflect on why the outcomes differ from their predictions and account for this difference.

T1W5

9. Ultimate level race Students to see how other designs considerations (which they could have neglected) have been implemented by other groups and to improve the performance of their glider

T1W5

Samples of students’ Products

Samples of students’ Products

Results

Survey results

1) I enjoy doing this project. Strongly Agree 25% Agree 54% Disagree 18% Strongly Disagree 2%

2) This project is interesting. Strongly Agree 38%

Agree 57% Disagree 4% Strongly Disagree 1%

3) This project is challenging. Strongly Agree 47%

Agree 50% Disagree 3% Strongly Disagree 1%

4) This project allows me to apply the concepts I learnt in various topics.

Strongly Agree 9% Agree 51% Disagree 35% Strongly Disagree 14%

Feedback • It trains us to be independent and to explore with all sorts of

concepts and then applying it while building our glider. It's really an extremely challenging process but it's really an enjoyable one.

• hands-on, very interesting, allow us to see the practicality of what we are studying and apply it, lets us see clearly the reason for studying the stuff we study.

• It's challenging but interesting at the same time. It's very satisfying/there's a great sense of accomplishment in seeing our glider soar after so much hard work we've put in!

• We get to learn physics concept ourselves while doing hands on. The concepts learn left a deeper impression as compared to learning in class

Feedback (AFI) • Provide more information or consultation sessions so that students

can truly learn & apply their Physics concepts learnt/read up as there is too much information on the internet and many sources say different things so it is very hard for the students to decide what to follow

• The passing distance should be shorter. Although my group's glider flew 24, it took us ten prototypes to make it work. (This was the same for the rest of my class.) building all the prototypes was costly (balsa wood, epoxy, materials wasted etc) and also burnt a good number of weekends (we met more than five times). Although the project was interesting, it was really quite frustrating to see one prototype fail after another.

• Limit to only recycled materials and reduce benchmarks; project is funding Art Friend (wood/plastic shop)

Conclusion •Platform for students to develop and demonstrate desired Dunmanian Outcomes (C2 – Passion for life and Learning and C4 – 21st Century Skills).

•More guided structure would allow scaffolding of students’ learning and better direct them towards measureable academic outcomes Vs More open approach with larger degree of ambiguity is necessary to encourage students to be more robust in their thinking when faced with real world problems.

•Should be considered as an integral part of the 6 year Science programme in Dunman High.

Plans for 2012