Transforming a 4th year Modern Optics Course Using a Deliberate Practice Framework

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that transforming a traditional upper division optics course into an active learning format based on deliberate practice principles improves student performance and engagement, with sustained benefits across instructors.

Contribution

The paper introduces a systematic process for converting traditional lectures into active learning activities in advanced physics courses using deliberate practice.

Findings

90% of material covered with active learning methods

15% improvement in exam scores with large effect size

Improvements sustained across different instructors

Abstract

We present a study of active learning pedagogies in an upper division physics course. This work was guided by the principle of deliberate practice for the development of expertise, and this principle was used in the design of the materials and the orchestration of the classroom activities of the students. We present our process for efficiently converting a traditional lecture course based on instructor notes into activities for such a course with active learning methods. Ninety percent of the same material was covered and scores on common exam problems showed a 15 % improvement with an effect size greater than 1 after the transformation. We observe that the improvement and the associated effect size is sustained after handing off the materials to a second instructor. Because the improvement on exam questions was independent of specific problem topics and because the material tested was so mathematically advanced and broad (including linear algebra, Fourier Transforms, partial differential equations, vector calculus), we expect the transformation process could be applied to most upper division physics courses having a similar mathematical base.