FCI post-test comparison: Cuesta College versus UC-Davis

Students at both Cuesta College (San Luis Obispo, CA) and the University of California at Davis were administered the Force Concept Inventory (Doug Hestenes, et al.) during the last week of instruction, in order to follow up on the pre-test results from the first week of instruction (which showed no statistical difference between pre-test scores).

     Cuesta College    UC-Davis
     Physics 5A        Physics 7B
     Spring Semester   Summer Session II
     2008              2002
N    30 students       76 students
low   6                 3
mean 14.0 +/- 5.0      12.9 +/- 5.5
high 27                26

A "Student" t-test of the null hypothesis results in p = 0.34, thus there is no significant difference between Cuesta College and UC-Davis FCI post-test scores.

The pre- to post-test gain for this semester at Cuesta College is:

Physics 5A Spring Semester 2008 sections 4987, 4988
<initial%> = 33% +/- 16% (N = 46)
  <final%> = 47% +/- 17% (N = 30)
       <g> = 0.21 +/- 0.15 (matched-pairs); 0.20 (class-wise)

This is comparable to the gains for algebra-based introductory physics at Cuesta College (0.23), UC-Davis (0.16), and for calculus-based introductory physics at Cuesta College (0.14-0.16), as discussed in previous postings on this blog.

Notable about this Physics 5A class at Cuesta College is the implementation of electronic response system "clickers" (Classroom Performance System, einstruction.com), compared to the traditional lecture of Physics 8A at Cuesta College, and the reformed peer-instruction centered approach at UC-Davis. More analysis on the impact of using clickers on this introductory physics class will be forthcoming.