Master of Science Børge Irgens will Thursday December 11th, 2025, at 12:15 hold his Thesis Defense for the PhD degree in Science. The title of the thesis is:
« From Lectures to Active Learning in an Intermediate Mechanics Course »
This thesis describes the implementation of two different active learning strategies in a third-semester intermediate mechanics course at UiT. One of the activities replaced lectures with Team-Based Learning, where students familiarize themselves with the topics before class (rather than through lecture), participate in a Readiness Assurance Process that involves an individual and a team test, and spend class time discussing and solving problems with small groups of peers. The other activity modified traditional problem-solving assignments to incorporate collaborative self-assessment and reflection, supplementing instructor feedback.
Through qualitative and mixed methods empirical studies using a mix of surveys, test results, and video observation of group discussions, the thesis investigates how students engaged with and perceived these reformed activities. The focus of the investigations is on the Readiness Assurance Process (a core component of Team-Based Learning intended to encourage individual and team preparation) and the student's engagement with and perceptions of the reformed assignments. Findings indicate that students, for the most part, engage with the activities as intended and respond positively to them. However, challenges persist related to uneven participation in team discussions and a tendency among some students to focus on arriving at correct answers rather than focusing on the learning process.
Together, these studies contribute to understanding how different active learning strategies can support physics education in this context and highlight opportunities and challenges in designing collaborative learning environments.
1st Opponent: Professor Berit Bungum, NTNU, Norway
2nd Opponent: Professor Nilüfer Didiş Körhasan, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Turkey
Internal member and leader of the committee: Glen Matthew Wilson, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, UiT