Kenan Fellows Program Logo and page header graphic

Problem Based Learning in the Physics Classroom

Lesson 5: Collaboration Session #1

Introduction

Student teams share their roller coaster designs with engineering teams via the web. Time is given for Q and A between the two groups, and for the physics students to communicate relevant physics concepts to the engineering students.

Learning Outcomes

  • Students will effectively communicate their ideas to other students using the web.
  • Students will use relevant physics concepts to explain the physiological sensations of a person riding their roller coaster

Classroom Time Required

  • 50 minutes is sufficient if both you and the students are well-versed in web-conferencing, but 90 minutes (or two 50 minutes class periods) is required if you are not.

Materials Needed

  • Computers with internet access
  • Web-conferencing or Video-conferencing software (Eluminate, Skype)

Pre-activities

  • Students should spend time prior to lesson 5 discussing how to best communicate their design to the engineering teams. While the engineering teams should have access to the designs (via the blog), student teams need to think about how to communicate relevant physics concepts to the engineering teams.
  • Each student team needs to pair up with an engineering team, which requires planning and collaboration between the two classroom teachers
  • Students will likely need instructions, time, and/or a tutorial on how to web-conference

Activities

  • Each student team should access some type of web/video-conferencing software and use it to communicate with their corresponding engineering team
  • Each team should explain why they designed the roller coaster in a particular way, and how the rider would feel, using relevant physics concepts.
  • During the collaboration, all team members should participate in the conversation and subsequent Q and A.
  • Students need to complete self/peer assessment forms (available in the assessment section of the website) by the beginning of lesson 6

Modifications/Author Comments

  • it might be useful to do a dry-run of the web-conferencing with just your students before trying to collaborate with another class
  • skype is a free program, available online, that students can use to communicate. you will need microphones and webcams to take full advantage of skype’s video-conferencing features.
  • if you choose to exclude the collaboration portion of the project, student teams can present their designs to the entire class instead of the engineering teams. you could also hold individual meetings with each group in which you play the role of an engineer (or the students’ boss) and talk with them about their design, asking relevant questions and probing their understanding.