Ithaca College

Implementing Comprehensive Reform of Introductory Physics at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution: A Longitudinal Case Study Michael Rogers, Luke D . Keller, Andrew Crouse, and Matthew F. Price Journal of College Science Teaching, Vol. 44, No. 3, 2015

Education research provides a range of curricular reform options that can lead to improved student course outcomes. These options can appear easy to implement with the hope of immediate increases in student learning. In 2006 the Ithaca College Physics Department went down this path by moving all of their 100-level courses out of lecture halls and into the newly constructed 99-seat SCALE-UP- style classroom. Their initial results were far less than expected and of deep concern about the path they had embarked on. Over the course of 7 years, they continually adjusted their curriculum, eventually finding success with a modified implementation of the Tutorials in Introductory Physics curriculum. This study shows that results don’t come immediately; persistence leads to the improved student course outcomes expected and is essential when implementing a comprehensive reform.