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Updating physics laboratory instruction through implementation of an inquiry-based (IB) format is a popular approach to modern physics education. Increasingly physics education research (PER) is being utilized to improve the overall quality of physics instruction. As growing numbers of instructors switch from traditional to IB methods, it is crucial that the impact on students be examined. In 2013, George Mason University (GMU) began offering their second semester calculus-based Physics 261 laboratories in both IB as well as traditional format. To gauge students’ perceptions of these two distinct styles, a 17-question self-assessment consisting mainly of Likert questions (scale of 1-6) was created and administered to students near the end of the Spring 2015 Semester. In addition, students completed the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA) at the beginning and again at the end of the semester. Self-assessment question responses were grouped into two categories, generally positive and generally negative, and preand postscores for the BEMA were analyzed using the average normalized gain factor. Overall, the IB students had more positive (self-assessment) responses. Although IB students had higher gain factors, BEMA scores for both classes were generally low and standard deviations (STDEV) were high. Potential benefits and drawbacks of the IB format were discussed along with results, analysis, and the need for continued research.

Innovations in Physics Education: Impact of Inquiry-based Laboratory Format on Students’ Perceptions and Learning Gains