Session:
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New Trends in IPLS Resources and Pedagogy
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Paper Type:
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Invited
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Title:
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Interactive Engagement and Biological Relevance: Success at a Large Institution
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Meeting:
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2018 Winter Meeting: San Diego, CA |
Location:
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N/A |
Date:
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Time:
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11:30AM
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Author:
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Laurie McNeil,, Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
919-962-0963, mcneil@physics.unc.edu
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Co-Author(s):
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None
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Abstract:
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At UNC-CH we have completely redesigned our IPLS sequence that enrolls ~500 students each semester. Our new courses operate in a highly interactive lecture/studio mode, in which students spend nearly all their class time in pairs or small groups working on activities designed according to PER findings. We eliminated topics with little or no connection to biology (e.g projectile motion) in favor of topics highly relevant to the life sciences (e.g. nonlinear stress-strain). Wherever possible the class activities make use of authentic biological data. The new courses require the same instructional resources as did our traditional sequence, and the instructors do not need biology expertise (although pedagogical training is important). Student learning gains on concept inventories show significant improvement over those previously recorded. The activities we developed for our lectures and studios are freely available for use at other institutions and can be adapted to suit different course structures.
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Footnotes:
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None
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Presentation:
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AAPT_Jan_2018_McNeil_AG03.pdf
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