Using multimedia modules to better prepare students for introductory physics lecture

It is known that introductory physics students rarely, if ever, read the textbook prior to coming to lecture. In this study, we report results from a curriculum intervention in a large enrollment introductory physics class that addresses this problem. In particular, we introduced web-based multimedia learning modules (MLMs) as a “prelecture assignment” designed to better prepare students before coming to lecture. We used student performance on “preflight questions” that they answer prior to lecture as a measure of their before-lecture understanding of the physics concepts. We found significant improvement in student performance and on the vast majority of these preflight questions as compared to that from previous semesters in which MLMs were not available. We found significant improvement for all students, independent of their background or ability level.

Figure 1

(Color) Scatter plot of students’ performance on 64 selected preflight questions. Each point represents one preflight question. The $x$ coordinate of a dot represents the average percentage of correct answers for that problem among all the students in Spring 06 and Spring 07 semesters (without prelecture intervention). The $y$ coordinate is the average percentage of correct answer for the same problem from students in Spring 08 semester (with prelecture intervention). The error bars represent the statistical uncertainty for each question assuming a binomial distribution. For the same set of preflight questions, we plot in the inset performance data from students in Spring 06 semester vs. students in Spring 07 semester. Here, all points clustered around the $y=x$ line, in sharp contrast with the asymmetric distribution in the main graph.

Figure 2

(Color) Preflight performance of viewers in Spring 08 semester. The $y$-coordinate of each data point represents the percentage of correct answer for one preflight question among viewers in Spring 08 semester. The $x$-axis is the same as in Fig. 1. Inset: preflight performance of Spring 08 nonviewers.

Figure 3

(Color) Preflight performance of students with different levels of background knowledge. Shown in graphs A, B, and C are the preflight performance data of A, B, and C level viewers, respectively. The $x$ and $y$ axis have the same meaning as in Figs. 1, 2, while the $x$ and $y$ values of each point is obtained from students within each level. The same data for nonviewers are plotted in the insets.

Figure 4

(Color) Example of a preflight question.

Figure 5

(Color) Example of a preflight question.