Enhance students learning outcomes by redesigning individual learning activities into group activities for introductory level Physics courses

TL;DR

This paper explores redesigning individual physics learning activities into group activities to enhance engagement, communication, and understanding, aiming to improve student outcomes in introductory courses.

Contribution

It introduces a structured approach to transforming individual assignments into group work, including rules, roles, and inclusivity measures, and analyzes its impact on student performance.

Findings

Improved student engagement and focus during class activities.

Enhanced communication and collaboration skills among students.

Positive impact on learning outcomes and understanding.

Abstract

The evolution of science education is a dynamic process driven by advances in pedagogy, technology, and especially, our understanding of how students learn. Educators are exploring innovative teaching and learning methodologies such as active learning, incorporated technology, interdisciplinary approach, flipped classrooms, personalized teaching, and many more. The goal of all these evolving methodologies is to empower students with not only a strong foundation in scientific knowledge but also with the skills and mindset required to thrive in the future world. By adopting these innovative approaches, educators can help students become effective problem solvers, critical thinkers, and life learning citizens. Our focus is redesigning individual student learning activities into group learning activities that will benefit various ways of education by building each others support, connection, and communication. Unloading individual homework and loading in-class group work during a synchronous classroom setting will benefit all levels of learnings effectively. Assigning most of the classwork to be completed during class time has potential benefits since students are more likely to be engaged and focused individually and jointly by sharing and communicating subject matter effectively. We are discussing how to facilitate the group work effectively by creating group assignments for personalized classrooms, setting specific rules and class ethics to follow for the best learning practice, imposing a list of roles to each group member, introducing a list of ground rules related to justice, equity, and diversity inclusion (JDEI) within the group. The students performances, progress and effectiveness are analyzed and compared.