AAPT Summer 2005 SLC UT CL02

Using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) to facilitate novice teachers in sustaining extraordinary levels of student discourse in introductory physics

Dan MacIsaac, Associate Professor of Physics

Kathleen Falconer, Lecturer, Elementary Education and Reading

Joe Zawicki, Assistant Professor of Earth Science and Science Education

State University of New York College at Buffalo

(716) 878-3802 <>

Abstract

We present efforts in pre-service and in-service K-12 introductory physics and physical science teacher preparation fostering student discourse. RTOP is used as an explicit tool to facilitate teacher awareness of presence and impact of high levels of student discourse, and to encourage the same in physics content courses for teachers, PER seminar courses, methods courses and in alternative certification teacher mentoring. Data supporting claims that the use of RTOP and extraordinary discourse is impacting teacher behavior and attitude will be presented.

Background: What is RTOP, and what are we trying to do?

RTOP (Reformed Teaching Operational Protocol)

- twenty-five item classroom observation protocol

- scored in about an hour by trained observer

- measures and operationalizes Reformed Teaching (> 50%)

- based on reform literature and research (MacIsaac & Falconer, 2004)

- focus is on what students are doing (student-centered constructivist inquiry via discourse)

- idea is to reform classroom teaching

Twenty-five RTOP items (scored 0-4):

0the behavior never occurred

1the behavior occurred at least once

2occurred more than once; very loosely describes the lesson

3a frequent behavior or fairly descriptive of the lesson

4pervasive or extremely descriptive of the lesson

For lessons we have observed, some typical RTOP scores are:

traditional university lecture (passive)< 20

university lecture with demos (some participation)< 30

trad HS physics lecture (with student questions)< 45

partial HS reform (group work; most talk with teacher)< 55

(100 > n > 50) univ lectures with Mazur-like groupwork (ConcepTests) and a student Personal Response System 65-75

modified (whiteboards etc) (170 > n > 75) lectures 70-75

modeling curriculum (varies with discourse) 65-99

The 25 RTOP Items (Piburn et al, 2000) from RTOP website:

Lesson Design and Implementation. The creation of physics lessons that:

1) respect student preconceptions and knowledge;

2) foster learning communities;

3) explore before formal presentation;

4) seek and recognize alternative approaches; and

5) include student ideas in classroom direction.

Content (Propositional Knowledge). Teachers knowing their physics and teaching lessons that:

6) involve fundamental concepts of physics;

7) promote coherent understanding across topics and situations;

8) demonstrate teacher content knowledge (e.g. apparently "unrelated" questions);

9) encourage appropriate abstraction; and

10) explore and value interdisciplinary contexts and real world phenomena.

Content (Procedural Knowledge). Physics lessons that use scientific reasoning and teachers' understanding of pedagogy to:

11) use a variety of representations to represent phenomena;

12) make and test predictions, hypotheses, estimates or conjectures;

13) are actively engaging and thought-provoking and include critical assessment;

14) demonstrate metacognition (critical self-reflection); and

15) show intellectual dialogue, challenge, debate negotiation, interpretation and discourse.

Classroom Culture (Communicative Interactions). The use of student discourse to modify the locus of lesson control such that:

16) students communicate their own ideas in a variety of methods;

17) teachers' questions foster divergent modes of thinking;

18) lots of student, particularly inter-student talk, is present;

19) student questions and comments shape discourse -- the "teachable moment" is pursued; and

20) there is a climate of respect and expectation for student contributions.

Classroom Culture (Student-Teacher Relationships). Lessons interactions where:

21) students actively participate (minds-on, hands-on) and set agendas;

22) students take primary and active responsibility for their own learning;

23) the teacher is patient (plays out student initiative, is silent when appropriate);

24) the teacher acts as a resource and students supply initiative; and

25) the teacher is a listener.

With training, RTOP inter-rater reliability above 0.85 is well-demonstrated. In physics, it has been demonstrated that RTOP scores correlate well (0.88 – 0.97) with student physics conceptual gain using standard (FCI-like) items. In biology, it has been demonstrated that RTOP scores in science courses taken by pre-service HS teachers correlate well with teacher RTOP scores in their own HS classrooms, and that the students of these high RTOP biology teachers perform significantly better than comparable student peers of comparable teacher peers in biology on an instrument measuring attitudes, concepts and science reasoning (Adamson et al, 2003)
[n  1100 students, 15 teachers; see JRST 40(10)939].

Our SUNY – College at Buffalo (Buffalo State or BSC)
Preservice Teacher Populations:

- M.S.Ed. (Physics by Alt Cert) candidates (MacIsaac et al, 2004)

- post Baccelaureate teacher certification candidates

- preservice elementary and high school teachers (undergraduates)

differ by attitude, values and preparation

What we do:

Showcase physics content courses based on Modeling (Hestenes), PIPS (AAPT), CPU/PET (Goldberg), Chabay & Sherwood, Knight curricula in student centered format promoting genuine physics conceptual learning, which are modified to include

- teacher hats and teacher discourse "walk the walk; talk the teacher talk"

- lots of reflection (Learning Commentaries, Diaries, Metacognition), - included on some exams

RTOP videos, assignments, student teachers, workshop during summer academy, intent for research

Materials: videos, pubs, in progress

Some student comments

References:

Adamson, A.E., Banks, D., Burtch, M., Cox III, F., Judson, E., Turley, J.B., Benford, R. & Lawson, A.E. (2003). Reformed Undergraduate Instruction and Its Subsequent Impact on Secondary School Teaching Practice and Student Achievement. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 40(10), 939-958.

A.E. Lawson et al., “Reforming and evaluating college science and mathematics instruction: Reformed teaching improves student achievement,” J. Coll. Sci. Teach. 31, 388–393 (March/April 2002).

Falconer, K.A. & MacIsaac, D.L. (2004) (Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production). Reformed Teaching Methods: Think Pair Share. [QuickTime Web Streamed Video 12:02]. Buffalo, NY: Authors. Retrieved November 30, 2004, from <

Falconer, K.A., Joshua, M., & Desbien D. (2003) (Authors & Producers; SUNY-BSC Production; MacIsaac analysis). RTOP Video 4: Modeling via Intensive Student Discourse. [QuickTime Web Streamed Video 10:15]. Buffalo, NY: Authors. Retrieved November 30, 2004, from <

Lawrenz, F., Huffman, D. & Appeldoorn, K. (2002). Classroom Observation Videotape Guide. College of Education and Human Development: University of Minnesota. Retreived August 4, 2005 from < See also Classroom Observation Protocol, and Classroom Observation Protocol Training Guide from this site.

MacIsaac, D.L., Henry, D., Zawicki, J.L. Beery, D. & Falconer, K. (2004). A new model alternative certification program for high school physics teachers: New pathways to physics teacher certification at SUNY-Buffalo State College. Journal of Physics Teacher Education Online, 2(2), 10-16.

D.L. MacIsaac and K. A. Falconer. "Reforming physics instruction via RTOP," Phys. Teach.40 (8), 479-485 (Nov 2002).

MacIsaac, D.L., Sawada, D., & Falconer, K.A. (2001). Using the reform teacher observation protocol (RTOP) as a catalyst for self-reflective change in secondary science teaching. American Education Research Association Division K. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 452 070)

M. Piburn, D. Sawada, K. Falconer, J. Turley, R. Benford, and I. Bloom. "Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP)." ACEPT IN-003. (ACEPT, 2000). The RTOP rubric form, training, and statistical reference manuals, are available from < under RESOURCES.

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement (1997). Secondary Science and Mathematics Teacher Preparation Programs: Influences on New Teachers and Their Students. Instrument Package & User's Guide. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 463 974). Retrieved 4 August, 2005 from <