Effects of facilitating collaboration in large-enrollment introductory physics courses

Abstract

The sudden transition to remote instruction left many introductory physics students with limited opportunities for meaningful interpersonal interactions with their classmates and instructors. Students reported discouragement over their ability to learn new concepts, and lack of motivation to engage in the courses. In response, we formed “Learning Pods”-online learning communities of small student groups connected through Slack and mentored in collaboration skills. Summer of 2020, Learning Pods became an organizing structure of the remotely delivered introductory calculus-based mechanics course. In subsequent terms, features of the Learning Pod Intervention varied as we scaled up from courses with 100 students to those with 300-500 students. Based on analysis of student survey questions, we present preliminary indicators of increased student self-efficacy and improved engagement with instructors and peers. Improved self-efficacy and engagement have been correlated with improved success and persistence, especially for students from groups underrepresented in physics. We observe that explicitly incorporating collaboration as instructional material and setting up structures to facilitate communication increased student self-efficacy and interactivity. In addition, TA facilitation of synchronous activities to foster effective collaboration lowered barriers for students reaching out to them. Overall, instructor and TA efforts to increase effective collaboration and communication had a positive impact on student self-efficacy and engagement, and the more structured and explicit interventions had more impact.