How students learn

In this section we describe what we have learned about how middle-division students learn:

• Features of the Paradigms Curriculum
• Sequences of Activities
• Upper-Division Labs
• Cognitive Issues in Upper-Level Physics Courses
• Narratives of Classroom Practice
• Writing
• Geometric & Harmonic Reasoning
• The Geometry of Vector Calculus
• A Short List of Things Students Don't Know
• Student Problems with Notation
• Spoonfeeding?
• Variables v. Constants
• Student Understanding of Current
• What's Right with $\hat{\mathbf{\phi}}=\phi/|\phi|$ : Student Understanding of Vectors and Scalars
• Cylindrical and Spherical surface integrals
• Multiple Representations and Touchstone Examples
• Typical Upper-Division Problems

The rest of these are drafty-drafts. Read at your own risk:

• Assessing Non-Content Goals
• Differentials: Sensemaking and Geometry
• Representation Issues in Upper-Division Physics
• Representation Issues in Quantum Mechanics
• Representation Issues in Thermodynamics
• Representation Issues in E&M
• Representation Issues in Classical Mechanics
• Intro Physics Content that Students Still Struggle with in Upper-Divison Courses
• Content Order
• Constructing Curriculum
• Sensemaking
• Saying vs. Doing
• Problem-solving
• Importance of Reflection
• Importance of Logical Argument
• Storytelling
• Concept Maps
• Importance of Laughter
• Touchstone Problems
• Enjoy Temporary Hostility
• Integration as Chopping, Multiplying, and Adding
• Derivatives as Chopping, Correlating, and Adding
• Relationship between electric field vectors, electrostatic potentials, and electric field lines
• Classroom Conversations
• Mathematical Decision Making
• Pedagogical Content Knowledge
• Ways of Posing Questions
• Relation between small group conversations and reports
• Cuing mini-lectures
• Teaching the Murder Mystery Method
• Our Choices of and Reasons for Conventions

• Miscellaneous comments from 100107PrefaceCorinne
• Partial Derivative Machine