From Physics Derivations to Computational and Interdisciplinary Modelling

Language: English

Abstract
Contemporary scientific modelling practices rely heavily on numerical computational solutions and interdisciplinary model-building. For physics education to be meaningful and well-integrated with contemporary research practice, it is important that the symbol-driven approach to teaching model-building in physics is systematically revised, in ways that allow students to understand the conceptual processes and perspectives underlying contemporary modelling practices. We designed a pedagogical approach that starts from physics derivations and helps teachers move towards interdisciplinary teaching using computational modelling methods. Our approach involves recasting the pedagogy of derivations in physics as an activity in mathematical model building in order to create a smooth transition towards other novel approaches to modelling. The program was implemented as a series of two-day teacher professional development (TPD) and has covered around 250 teachers over the last 2 years. The workshop employs interactive learning systems, developed by our team, that teachers can use to teach derivations. These interactive systems present derivations (e.g. wave equation, heat equation, Bernoulli's equation) as a process of loading reality – particularly dynamic behaviour – into equations through a series of steps common to many derivations. The talk will provide an overview of our pedagogy design, training program and the interactive systems we developed. Since conceptualising scientific activity as modelling lies at the core of our approach, we believe that our model can be adapted and extended to other sciences like chemistry and biology.

Reference

Mashood, K. K., Khosla, K., Prasad, A., Sasidevan, V., CH, M. A., Jose, C., & Chandrasekharan, S. (2022). The participatory approach to introduce computational modelling at the undergraduate level, extending existing curricula and practices: Augmenting derivations. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 18(2), 020136.

Speaker
Dr K. K. Mashood is currently a faculty at Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India. He received his M Sc in physics followed by Ph D in physics education research (PER) from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. Afterwards, Mashood was a research associate with the Physics Education Research Lab at Michigan State University and STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University, USA. His areas of research interest include students' alternative conceptions in physics, conceptual change and modelling in science education. Mashood has published in journals like the American Journal of Physics, European Journal of Physics, Physical Review Physics Education Research, and Science and Education, among others.