ISLE-inspired Pilot Program at Princeton University

In an effort to enhance the traditional calculus-based introductory physics course at Princeton University, an Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) inspired pilot program is underway. In the first year, two lab sections performed ISLE-inspired labs and activities in class, while the remaining ten sections received traditional instruction. We strove for a random selection of students. To assess the effectiveness of the pilot program, we conducted focus interviews to probe how students felt about the course and how relevant it was in their everyday lives. In this talk, we will describe in more detail the pedagogical approach used in the experimental sections, and the expansion of the pilot to include more sections this year. Using the interviews and more quantitative data, we will compare student learning in the experimental sections and the traditional sections. We will conclude with future plans.