The Evaluation of a Basic Training Textbook on Physics
2. The training textbook 2-1. The training textbook
We hope that undergraduate students majoring in liberal arts who want to become elementary school teachers learn to be able to solve exercises on basic physics and come to like physics. We have a proverb,
‘Practice makes perfect.’ Kageyama, who had been an elementary school teacher, also emphasizes that elementary school students must practice before understanding.
In Japan, it is unfortunate that recently there is a tendency to blame cramming education as exam study.
Is it true that the education with repeating and practicing is bad, and that with understanding is good?
We claim that a child first gain a sense of accomplishment, then come to like the contents of the subject and understand the contents as a result after he is forced repeatedly to practice. Kageyama (2002) and Shi- mada (2009) claim likewise this. We essentially hope that students will improve their personality through challenging experiences such as exercises on basic physics in the textbook.
The features and targets expected through the training textbook are shown in Fig.1.
Table 1. The features and targets expected through the textbook
Features Targets
A lot of easy calculating exercises on basic physics Wiping out students’ dislike for physics Two types of textbooks for teachers with points
and for students with blanks, and PowerPoint files for teaching
Reducing teachers’ burden of preparing classes and concentrating on the class itself
Only one content in the spread 2 pages
*Left pages with points and examples
*Right pages with exercises of the value replace- ment by the examples
Getting sense of accomplishment
Left pages with blanks for writing on the blackbo-
ard on their own Focusing on the class
Repeatedly solving exercises Being accustomed to the contents and getting a sense of accomplishment
During the class, students write on PowerPoint files shown by a projector, and then they solve easy calcu- lating examples and exercises on basic physics. Through this process, they make a challenge by themselves and feel a sense of accomplishment, which are needed in the early stages of learning.
The followings are parts of textbook: Figure 1 is for teachers and Figure 2 for students.
Point
Point
Figure 1. The textbook for teachers
Blank
Blank
Exercise
Figure 2. The textbook for students
The following is an example of an exercise on dynamics.
‘When force of 10N press an body which have mass of 2kg and is moving on 2m/s for 10 seconds, how much is its acceleration and how far is its distance? ’
In this textbook, there are exercises about ‘spring, lever, and pulley,’ ‘speed, acceleration, and motion,’
‘heat,’ and ‘electric circuit’ on physics. The textbook covers almost all the fields of basic physics. There are also exercises of ‘gas, aqueous solution and state of matter,’ ‘atom and ion,’ and ‘nucleus.’
2-2. Effects on this training textbook (Higuchi)
We used this textbook in ‘Teaching method of elementary school science’ class. There were six undergra- duate students in the class. We investigated students’ impression for the textbook, and their correctness of exercises before classes and after all classes. Here they answered in 5 levels, 1-5. ‘1’ is ‘disagree,’ ‘2’ is
‘somewhat disagree,’ ‘3’ is ‘neutral,’ ‘4’ is ‘somewhat agree,’ and ‘5’ is ‘agree.’
The average of their evaluation was very high score, 4.7, and their impressions for physics were improved (1.4->3.3) and those for chemistry were also improved (2.0->3.2).
Before participating in the course, there 45 were exercises with below 20% of questions answered cor- rectly out of 48 exercises. After classes, there were only 3 exercises with below 20% of questions answered correctly, and 42 exercises with over 80% percent of questions answered correctly.
Through these results, our original purpose, ‘Undergraduate students majoring in liberal arts who want to become elementary school teachers learn to be able to solve basic physics exercises and then they come to like physics,’ have almost been achieved.
3. An analysis for exercises with low percentage of questions answered correctly
As mentioned above, before the class, there were 45 exercises with below 20% of questions answered cor- rectly out of 48 exercises. At last there were 42s with over 80% of questions answered correctly and only 6s with below 70%. We analyzed these 6 exercises. They are as follows. Here, percentages of questions answered correctly are shown in the brackets.
*Exercise 1:Specific heat (0/6 -> 4/6) A. Water: 200g, 40 deg C, specific heat 1 B. Pebble: 60g, 80 deg C, specific heat 5
We mixture A and B. Then calculate Celsius temperature of it.
*Exercise 2:Power consumptions and Calorific values (0/6-> 0/6)
Calculate power consumptions and calorific values for 5 seconds at the resistances in previous section.
*Exercise 3:Soluvility (1/6-> 3/6)
There is aqueous solution with 100g of water with 39.0g of salt. How much does precipitating salt weigh when this is cooled?
*Exercise 4:Nutralizing reaction (0/4-> 0/4)
The 6g of hydrochloric acid neutralizes the 9g of sodium hydroxicide solution completely. If the 18g of acid mix 21g of the hydroxicide solution, answer which is in excess and how the weight of it is.
*Exercise 5:Electron configuration in atoms (0/4->1/4) Illustrate electron configuration in boron atom.
*Exercise 6:Chemical formula (0/4->0/4)
Represent neutralization between sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide solution with chemical formula.
3-1.Exercise 1:Specific heat The solution is as follows.
We regard the last temperature as x deg C. Here we suppose 0 deg C as a datum point, then calculate heat above datum point. The heat quantities before mixture are as follows.
Water: 40×1×200=8000[cal]
Pebble: 80×5×60=24000[cal]
Then the total heat quantity is as, 8000+24000=32000[cal]. …(1)
The heat quantities after mixture are as follows.
Water: x×1×200=200x [cal]
Pebble: x×5×60=300x [cal]
Then the total heat quantity is as, 200x+300x=500x [cal]. …(2)
Because the total heat quantities before mixture is as same as that after mixture, then according to (1) and (2) it follows as,
500x=32000. x=64[deg C].
This problem cannot be solved only with substituting numerical values for a formula. It is needed that students read the essence from the question sentence and make equations logically in the process of solving. Concretely they have to read precisely and think logically. But students consider these works as
‘‘troublesome works.’’ The reason why two students cannot solve this problem though they had finished studying heat already is not because they don’t understand but because they dislike ‘‘troublesome works’’
and cannot make mathematical equations by reading a question sentence, which is a basic ability of math.
It is necessary for such students to practice to solve story problems of the equation on math before using this textbook.
3-2.Exercise 2:Power consumptions and Calorific values The solution is as follows.
First the answers (numerical values) in p.22 at the textbooks are assigned into a formula as follows.
Power consumption: P=2×10=20[W]
Calorific value: Q=0.24×2×10×5=24[cal]
This exercise is very easy because students are needed only to assign values into a formula. Unfortunately, its percentage of questions answered correctly is 0%. What they have to do for solving the question is only to refer the answer shown on another page and calculate easy multiplication of decimal. If they had been forced to open the page and calculate it, they would have managed to solve the exercise. We are going to improve this point next year.
The reason, however, why they don’t open a certain page may be attributed to decreasing chances to consult an English dictionary in junior high schools or high schools as “troublesome work.” Also, the rea- son why they cannot calculate easy multiplication of decimal is because of decreasing chances to practice calculation in elementary schools, and as a result, they consider the practice as “troublesome work.”
3-3.Exercise 3:Soluvility The solution is as follows.
First we should see a table on the last page, and should confirm up to 36.3g salt can be dissolved in water at most. In present, 39.0g salt is dissolved. Then, the amount of precipitated salt is as follows.
39.0-36.3=2.7[g]
Students cannot solve this exercise only by substituting numerical values for a formula. To solve this easy exercise they should read the contents from the sentence and do very easy subtraction referring to the table on the last page. These works, however, are ‘‘troublesome works’’ for students. The reason why three students can’t solve it is not because they cannot understand a concept of solubility, but because they don’t try to read the contents from the sentence and don’t try to refer the table because of feeling troublesome. We propose they should practice to read contents from sentences and to look up words in dictionary using other textbooks.
3-4.Exercise 4:Nutralizing reaction The solution is as follows.
At first we assume that hydrochloric acid 18g completely neutralize sodium hydroxide solution x g. Then, 18:x=6:9. x=27[g].
Sodium hydroxide solution is lacking because there is only 21g. Namely hydrochloric acid remains. Then, we assume that sodium hydroxide solution 21g completely neutralize hydrochloric acid y g. Then,
y:21=6:9. y=14.
There is hydrochloric acid 18g, then, 18-14=4[g]
one remains, and the mixture becomes acid.
We cannot solve this exercise only with substituting numerical values into formulae. It is necessary for them to try to calculate one requisite amount with fixing amount of the other aqueous solution. The re- ason why all the students can’t solve is not because they cannot understand a concept of neutralization, but because they don’t try to calculate tentatively because of their feeling troublesome. It is necessary for them to practice simple calculation repeatedly.
3-5.Exercise 5:Electron configuration in atom The solution is as follows.
There are five electrons in boron atom. Two electrons are put on first orbit. The other three electrons are put on second orbit.
The students have studied how to illustrate electron configuration in hydrogen atom, helium atom, and lithium atom. They understand that up to two electrons can be put in the first orbit and up to eight can be put in the second orbit. They should fill the orbit with electrons in order. Because this algorism is very simple, if they have studied it, they can solve this exercise easily.
However, the only one student can solve it. Though they understood electron configuration, they didn’t try to illustrate them. It is necessary for students to practice to illustrate exercises repeatedly with other new textbooks.
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Figure 3. Electron configuration in boron atom 3-6.Exercise 6:Chemical formula
The solution is as follows.
One sulfuric acid molecule divides into two hydrogen ions and one sulfate ion. One sodium hydroxide mo- lecule divides into one sodium ion and one hydroxide ion. Therefore one sulfuric acid molecule and two sodium hydroxide molecules neutralize. The chemical formula is as follows.
H2SO4+2NaOH -> (2H+ + SO42-) + 2(Na+ + OH-) -> (2Na+ + SO42-) + (2H+ + 2OH-) -> Na2SO4 + 2H2O
The students have already been taught how to solve an example on neutralizing reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide before they try to solve this exercise. They have also been taught ionization of a sulfuric acid molecule and a sodium hydroxide molecule.
No student, however, solved the exercise. There are two tasks to solve it: description of chemical formu- la, and calculation of required number for neutralization between sulfuric acid molecules and sodium hydroxide molecules. The former contains ‘‘troublesome work’’ for the students to refer to points in the previous section, and the latter contains mathematical thinking to write the formula and to calculate the number of molecules at neutilization. Thus we can see that the combination of these two works makes them feel dislike this kind of exercises. It is necessary for such students, therefore, to practice consulting a dictionary and trying to calculate repeatedly.
3-7. Discussion
We analyzed these 6 exercises with low percentage of questions answered correctly. As a result, we found students tend to dislike ‘‘troublesome works.’’ There are two troublesome works in 4 exercises out of the 6s.
One is ‘thinking work’ such as reading contents in a sentence, and the other is ‘just trying to check up and calculate’ It is a serious problem for students to have a habit that they consider these as troublesome works and don’t try to perform them. We presume they cannot solve exercises on physics for this reason and then dislike physics. We may, therefore, reasonably conclude that students who studied physics with this textbook learned to be able to solve calculating exercises of easy physics, and then came to like physics. In addition it is found that disliking ‘troublesome works’ is a cause of their disliking physics and science. Such a students’
disposition corresponds to “laziness” which Kageyama pointed out in his book. Most of the exercises in the textbook are easy because students only have to use substituting numerical value into formulae, but some are slightly complicating. Their lazy attitude becomes a significant obstacle to solving complicating exercises.
Hence, in order to solve this problem, ‘training to read sentence,’ ‘training to calculate repeatedly,’ ‘training to consult a dictionary’ as elementary learning are as much necessary as improvement of methods on teac- hing or introduction of new textbooks. These training should not be carried out in the same way at primary and secondary educations because they who came to dislike physics have studied through such educations.
Then, we want to create a new textbook on physics like this targeting three trainings mentioned above.
Further study on it will be carried out in future.
4. Other problem
Of the six students there is one student who had been enrolled in science class at high school. She could solve 71% exercises before the class and 93% after the class. She approves and feels satisfied with this textbook. Her attitude for physics changed from ‘negative’ to ‘somewhat positive.’ Then, our goal has been achieved with the textbook for students like her. If application exercises are added, her satisfaction and effect on using the textbook will be improved. One example of the application exercises is as follows.
*One example of application exercise:
A body of 3kg with initial velocity 19.6 m/s is thrown up. Find the height of the tidemark. Here acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2.
5. Discussion and conclusions
The author created a basic training textbook on physics for undergraduate students majoring liberal arts who want to become elementary school teachers, and taught them with using it. After the class, students’
evaluations for the textbook are very good, and they learned to be able to solve calculating exercises on basic physics in it and then their attitude toward physics was improved. However, there remain some exer- cises with low percentage of questions answered correctly. In this study, we analyzed in detail the reason why they couldn’t solve these exercises. Then, we confirmed that the students dislike ‘thinking works’
such as ‘reading contents from sentences’ and ‘just trying to check up and calculate’ because they con- sider those works as ‘‘troublesome works.’’ The attitude like this corresponds to “laziness” as Kageyama mentioned. This problem is serious and is not solved only with using this textbook. Similar kind of textbook targeting solving above three trainings is necessary.
Furthermore, it is clear that application exercises should be included for students who are good at physics and math.
Now, our future tasks are as follows:
*Adding application exercises to the textbook
*Improving students’ lazy attitude and creating new training textbook to solve the problem Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Mizobe in Hyogo University of teacher education in Japan and Mariko Hirano in Kobe Kaisei College in Japan.
References
Higuchi, K (2012). Evaluation of the training text on basic physics. Physics Education in University. 18-2, 35-38.
Kageyama, M (2002). The book for getting real academic (p.161). Tokyo, Japan: Bungeishunju.
For example, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Science (2001). White Paper on Education, Cul- ture, Sports, and Science in 2001(1-2-1). Tokyo, Japan: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Science.
For example, Nishimura. K. edi (1999). The undergraduate student who cannot solve calculation of fracti- ons. Tokyo, Japan: Toyo Keizai sinpoousha.
Shimada, H (2009). Learning and motivation. Hattori, T. (Eds.), Useful educational Psychology (p59). Tokyo, Japan: Hokuju Publishing.