Understanding my teaching practice: A case study of action research in a college physics course

This study documents my attempt to gain insight into my teaching practice through careful analysis of the experiences of some of the students in my college-level introductory physics course. The focus of the study is students' responses to three pedagogies intended to help them think about their learning: Predict-Observe-Explain, Interpretive Discussion, and Writing-to-Learn. This study also documents how students' responses reshaped my understanding of my teaching practices.;The study involved six students from my college-level introductory physics class in Toronto, Ontario. The data include both students' responses to research questions, as noted in their learning journals, and my research journal. The data were collected between January and April of 2004.;This study applies findings from Physics Education Research to an instance of teaching with a view to understanding participants' responses. This study suggests that further research of this type could make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the development of teachers' professional knowledge.;This study makes three contributions relevant to Physics Education Research. First, active-learning pedagogies can help students identify and reconsider their prior conceptions about physics. Second, low-risk classroom environments foster self-regulated learning and enhance the ability of students to learn physics concepts and solve problems. Third, action research that provides teachers with opportunities to reframe their practice in collaboration with students can be a valuable addition to Physics Education Research.