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SM16 Program
Sessions, Panels, Posters, Plenaries, Committee Meetings, and Special Events
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Sessions & Panels
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Exhibit Hall Open (Tuesday)
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Exhibit Hall Open (Tuesday)
- EXH07
- Tue 07/19, 10:00AM - 4:00PM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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Tuesday Afternoon Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
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Tuesday Afternoon Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH11
- Tue 07/19, 3:40PM - 3:50PM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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30 Demos in 60 Minutes
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30 Demos in 60 Minutes
- AK
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 9:30AM
- by Wendy Adams
- Type: Panel
- Our panel of physics teachers will present at least 30 dynamic demonstrations that will engage students in the wonder of science. Presenters will share tips on the setup, materials, procedure, and underlying science concepts so the audience can integrate these demos into their own classrooms.
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AAPT Opportunities for Middle and High School Teachers
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AAPT Opportunities for Middle and High School Teachers
- DF
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 10:00AM
- by Jan Mader
- Type: Panel
- There are many opportunities provided by members of the AAPT for elementary, middle and high school teachers in physical science topics. Panelists will give a brief discussion of their professional development programs and answer questions
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AP Physics 2 Labs with Java Applets
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AP Physics 2 Labs with Java Applets
- FK
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 10:30AM
- by Oather Strawderman
- Type: Topical
- Learn how to use web based Java Applets to perform high quality Physics labs that match up with common AP Physics 2 topics. While performing the activities, participants will examine how these labs still require rigorous data analysis and result in a deep understanding of the topic. Participants will assess how matching the applets with common AP Physics 2 Learning Objectives greatly increase students’ learning and their performance on the AP Physics exam. They will also learn how to assess their students’ performance on the labs using rubrics. Lab descriptions and handouts will be provided. The session will be broken down into four different sections corresponding to four different web based labs and their accompanying example Free Response questions. The four labs will focus on Buoyancy, Electrostatics, Optics and the Photoelectric Effect. The participants will work together through the labs in order to know how the interface works so when they get back to their classrooms they can easily implement the labs. They will also perform the data analysis to see how the activities are very rigorous.
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APS/AAPT Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Education Physics Programs
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APS/AAPT Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Education Physics Programs
- DH
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 10:00AM
- by Ernest Behringer
- Type: Panel
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Adaptaton of Physics Activities to Three Major Components of NGSS
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Integrating NGSS Physics Concepts with Common Core Mathematics and English
- AJ01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
by Jan Mader, Karen matsler
- Type: Invited
- With the push for literacy in all core areas, high school physics and middle school physical science instructors are encouraged to demonstrate the integration of NGSS performance expectations to other science disciplines, engineering and the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts. Using the concept of energy, this session will focus on the development of a learning cycle and the integration of mathematics and literacy strategies.
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Adaptation of Physics Activities to the Three Main Components of NGSS
- AJ02
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Janie Head
- Type: Invited
- Integrating physics and geology over decades is a transition into engineering and technology of today. Today geophysics employs techniques designed through partnerships in the sciences. Technology has expanded in this field. Practical applications of classroom lessons need to be encouraged.
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Designing and Testing Crash Barriers, an Engaging NGSS Activity
- AJ03
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Daniel Burns, Bree Barnett-Dreyfuss
- Type: Contributed
- The design of highway crash barriers is rich in physics and the potential to engage students. Crash barriers are ubiquitous in urban, suburban, and rural areas. There are many different types in use. Designing them is an effective way to address NGSS standard HS-PS2-3 that asks students to apply scientific and engineering ideas to design a device that minimizes the force on an object during a collision. Crash barriers involve many physics topics like Newton’s laws, impulse and momentum, energy, and kinematics. The lab requires only one set of equipment but no eggs! Students design and build crash barriers from inexpensive materials and test them using a cart, track, and accelerometer. They can use their test results to improve their design. We will show several variations of crash barrier test setups using a variety of vendor equipment. We will show student examples and test data.
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NGSSifying Exploratorium Snacks (Activities)
- AJ04
- Mon 07/18, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by Marc 'Zeke' Kossover, Sara Heredia
- Type: Contributed
- An Exploratorium Snack is a hands-on science activity. They are tabletop exhibits or explorations of natural phenomena that teachers or students can make using common, inexpensive, readily available materials. Some of them can be found at www.exploratorium.edu/snacks. Snacks are ideal candidates for NGSS activities because they support teachers in bringing phenomena into the classroom to be explored by students. However, Snacks alone won't ensure that your students engage in the science practices successfully. See how we have retrofitted Snacks from decades ago to make them better. We are also investigating how we can help new teachers NGSSify our Snacks. We have a planning tool that you might find useful too.
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Addressing Race and Ethnicity
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Obstacles to Writing about Race: Lessons from Mathematics Education Research
- EG01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Amy Parks*
- Type: Invited
- Drawing on a critical literature review, this presentation will highlight four major obstacles faced by mathematics education researchers who want to write seriously about race and ethnicity. These obstacles are: (1) the marginalization of discussions of race and ethnicity; (2) the reiteration of race and ethnicity as independent variables; (3) absence of race and ethnicity from mathematics education research; and (4) the minimizing of discussions of race and ethnicity even within equity-oriented work. Using video from mathematics assessment interviews, the presentation will then offer some examples of ways to overcome these obstacles before participants are invited into a conversation about ways that research within the field of physics education presents both similar and different challenges than those in mathematics education for researchers who want to bring race into their analyses.
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Gender and Race in PER: Beyond the Binary and Reconsidering Our Past
- EG02
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Ramon Barthelemy
- Type: Invited
- Physics Education Research has been approaching the topics of race and gender for many years. In recent history this work has become the content of dissertations and the subject of focused collections. However, the community has scarcely used resources from works in critical theory and women’s studies to better inform our work. My talk will present a constructive critique of the current research on gender and race and PER. I will explore broader definitions of race and gender and discuss how the world view of our work needs to shift from wanting to change students to wanting to change the way physics is being taught and done.
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Creating Counter-Space: Deliberate Strategies Faculty Can Use to Create Environments Where Women of Color Thrive
- EG03
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
by Angela Johnson, Apriel Hodari
- Type: Invited
- Counterspaces are academic or social safe havens where the experiences of underrepresented students, such as women of color, are validated and seen as critical, and where deficit notions of people of color and women are challenged (Solórzano, Ceja, & Yosso, 2000). Counterspaces, often located at the margins of academia, serve to counter isolation, microaggressions, and discrimination that women of color often experience in mainstream education spaces in higher education, like departments, classrooms, and laboratories. In this paper, we explore the possibility of extending the standard notions of counterspaces to include the mainstream space of physics departments. We ask: Can physics departments be counterspaces for women of color, and if so, how? In two parallel studies that focus on women of color students who are thriving in physics, astrophysics, engineering, math and computer science at predominantly white institutions, the authors examine strategies that administrators and faculty use to make their departments counterspaces that support women of color. Strategies include: a zero-tolerance policy against racial or gender discrimination; a critical mass of students of color; deliberate recruitment of both male and female faculty members committed to creating inclusive majors; frequent faculty assertions that success in STEM majors results from hard work rather than innate ability; interactive classes and universal use of group work; and expressed faculty beliefs that they want to support all students. The paper describes the cultural contexts in which physics counterspaces may be created, and policies and practices that ensure their maintenance.
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Understanding the Relationship Between Physics and Racial Identity for Black Students
- EG04
- Tue 07/19, 3:00PM - 3:30PM
by Simone Hyater-Adams, Noah Finkelstein, Claudia Fracchiolla, Kathleen Hinko
- Type: Invited
- The underrepresentation of black students in physics is well known, yet there is still much space for further understanding of the causes. Identifying with a discipline is an important aspect of participation in it, so understanding how students develop an identity in physics is key to cultivating physics students. While there are programmatic efforts to support representation of black students, as well as studies on student identity, little have been done to link the two. We look to understand the experiences of black students in physics programs as well as in informal spaces through examining how identity in physics is impacted by cultural and racial identities. In this study, we interview black students currently in the field of physics and use a developing framework that pulls from literature on experiences of students of color in STEM to construct an understanding around the relationship between these identities.
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Ardiuno, Teensy, FPGA's et al
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Teensy Microcontrollers in the Undergraduate Lab
- FJ01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Jonathan Newport
- Type: Invited
- The Teensy microcontroller is a powerful upgrade to the standard Arduino microcontroller family. With onboard high-resolution analog to digital and digital to analog converters, a touch sensitive controller, and Digital Signal Processing instructions, the Teensy expands the scientific capabilities of low-cost data acquisition systems for use in undergraduate laboratories and capstone projects. Some of the many past and ongoing projects performed by students and faculty at American University will be presented. These projects include audio spectrum analyzers, phased microphone/speaker arrays, discriminators, PID controllers, and perceptual experiments.
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Physical Computing with the Arduino Family of Microcontrollers
- FJ02
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Herbert Jaeger
- Type: Invited
- Among a wide selection of microcontrollers, the Arduino is one of the morepopular ones. Unlike many competitors, Arduino’s hardware and software are open-source, and the user has the support of a huge community of hobbyists and engineers at the tips of her fingers. Arduino comprises a family of models, most of which are based on Atmel’s 8-bit AVR-RISC processor. Some models use 5V logic levels, others are 3.3V-based for low power consumption. In this talk I will go over basic applications of Arduino as a low-cost data logger, including interfacing sensors and external circuits with SPI and I2C protocols. Hardware interrupts can be used when timing is essential. We will discus how the Arduino can transmit data to an LCD display, to an SD memory card, or directly into spreadsheet files. Moreover, Arduinos can be connected to the internet and so may be employed in sensing and controlling remotely.
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Arduino-based Upper Level Electronics Class and Student Projects
- FJ03
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
- by Jolene Johnson
- Type: Contributed
- In spring semester 2016, St. Catherine University added a new electronics course that focuses on Arduino applications in addition to the traditional topics taught in an upper-level physics electronics course. This course is an important component of the applied physics major that we are developing, and is 100% lab and project based. In this talk I will discuss the structure and content of this course, concentrating on the Arduino units. For five to seven weeks of the semester, the students worked exclusively on Arduino projects. Project ideas came from other STEM faculty members who shared ideas on new equipment or enhancements to current equipment that would help them with their research. Students in the course worked with these faculty to find solutions to their electronic circuit needs. I will share the results of these projects and lessons learned along the way.
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Arduinos and Research and Design Cohorts at Linn-Benton Community College
- FJ04
- Wed 07/20, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
- by Gregory Mulder
- Type: Contributed
- Five years ago, thanks to an AAPT workshop on Arduino Microcontrollers, Linn-Benton Community College created a 1-credit Arduino class to support the campus' Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) team. Since then, Arduinos have been adopted by a variety of departments at our college. In 2015, LBCC received a five-year NSF S-STEM grant* that has helped us create Arduino-based Research and Design Cohorts (RDCs) as well as provide $100,000 per year in student scholarships. RDCs provide students authentic research experiences starting their first day on campus. Our current RDCs include the original ROV team, as well as a space exploration team, a high-altitude balloon team and a micro-gravity team. I will discuss how Arduinos changed the student and instructor experience on our campus.
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Arduinos as a Vehicle to Teach Circuits
- FJ05
- Wed 07/20, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
by Chuck Winrich, Jeffrey Wetter, Shawn Reeves
- Type: Contributed
- We use Arduinos as part of the Electronics course at Babson College to getacross basic concepts in circuits. Electronics is an option for non-majors to fill a lab science requirement. Instead of a traditional lab sequence, the students work in the lab periods throughout the semester to build a smart device based on the Arduino platform, using a variety of sensors we have available. Through characterizing an analog sensor (specifically a light-dependent resistor) the students learn how the input voltage is interpreted in the Arduino. Students go on to characterize their own sensors as part of their project work. This presentation will include examples of introductory exercises to introduce students to the Arduino project. We will also discuss the students’ troubleshooting activities, and present examples of some student projects from recent semesters.
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Adding Arduinos to a Traditional Analog Electronics Course
- FJ06
- Wed 07/20, 10:00AM - 10:10AM
- by Steve Lindaas
- Type: Contributed
- Students are not usually exposed to microcontrollers like Ardunios in a traditional analog electronics course. However many students either are using them already or want to use them. For students who do not know about these devices, they need to know about them. We have recently added Arduinos to our electronics course. This addition has been useful and actually strengthened the understanding and appreciation of basic components like transistors and sensors. Adding Arduinos also allows a wider spectrum of student projects. Arduinos are a good choice for a gateway device since they are fairly simple, relatively cheap and there is a large user group supporting and contributing to the community of knowledge. In this talk we will share the challenges and opportunities of using Arduinos.
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Art and Science of Teaching
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How Can You Achieve the Ultimate Happiness While Teaching Physics?
- BC01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Eugenia Etkina
- Type: Invited
- Since teaching my first lesson in September of 1982 to a class of 38 teenagers, I noticed a very interesting phenomenon. Every lesson I ever taught (about 13,000 hours since my first) seemed very short. I never notice how time passes and only the bell or an accidental glance at a clock tell me that the lesson is over. Is this a result of poor planning or a sign of something else? About 15 years ago I found an answer. The answer was provided by a man with a very long name - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Croatian-born psychologist who uncovered the secret of ultimate happiness - the state in which one does not notice the passage of time. He called this state - FLOW. In my talk I will discuss what it is, how to achieve this state teaching physics and, most importantly, how to help our students achieve it.
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Teaching Your Senator, Attorney, and Colleague
- BC02
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by R. Steven Turley
- Type: Invited
- As physics teachers, we rightfully expend considerable effort on teaching future physicists, physics teachers, and others in related STEM disciplines. To do so well, we hone our skills in correctly teaching core content of our discipline and its applications. In my institution (and mostly likely in yours) we also have a chance to teach future attorneys, politicians, business leaders, artists, athletes, and academic colleagues from other disciplines. Many will have little direct use for physics professionally, but still take courses in our discipline to broaden their understanding and sharpen their reasoning and problem-solving skills. I will discuss ideas I’ve developed in the art of successful teaching and learning in general education classes. These include making the subject appealing and relevant, giving students a memorable experience, developing transferable skills, and integrating the instruction with other disciplines. Examples will range from classes in large auditoriums to intimate seminars.
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Integrating Physics and Music to Teach Waves
- BC03
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Gordon Ramsey
- Type: Invited
- Sound and music are based on properties of waves. Conversely, wave phenomena provide motivating topics for learning physics and music. Students at all levels can participate in activities that help them understand how music and physics are related through the understanding of waves. The most recent “New Generation Science Standards” (NGSS) requires coverage of waves at all K-12 levels. Meanwhile, studies have shown that active student involvement is important in science education for helping the students understand physical concepts. There are numerous demonstrations, laboratory investigations and hands-on group activities that can be done to involve students in this understanding. This paper suggests ways to incorporate elements of acoustics and music to discuss waves at all levels, including beginning college. It is particularly useful for teachers to include such activities in their classes to enhance the learning of physics and music, and understand their relation.
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Astronomy Paper
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The Cosmic Perspective Timeline
- BK01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
- by Kristi Concannon
- Type: Contributed
- The study of astronomy is vast both in space and time. To students, the 15-week tour of the universe is often little more than a series of facts and figures related to objects beyond reach or comprehension; there is little connection to their human story. To them, our understanding of the universe seems fixed, not fluid. While students may learn the story of the physical universe, they fail to appreciate how our understanding of our human place in the cosmos has changed over time. The cosmic perspective timeline is a short activity that encourages students to consider the timing of the key shifts in our understanding of the universe and to appreciate the changing nature of science.
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Learning to See in Astronomy: Distinguishing Nebula in Telescopic Images
- BK02
- Mon 07/18, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
- by Luke Conlin
- Type: Contributed
- A critical skill in astronomy, for professional astronomers and citizen scientists alike, is to distinguish astronomical objects in telescopic images. Little is known about the process of learning this skill, or how to effectively teach it. This study presents an experimental comparison of two approaches for training undergraduate students to distinguish and classify nebulae (planetary nebulae and supernova remnants). In one approach, students learned the visual characteristics of nebulae by comparing several exemplars to highlight similarities. In the other approach, students compared images that were paired as contrasting cases to highlight differences. Results from pre- and post-test measures show that both approaches helped students learn to distinguish nebulae, with contrasting cases showing descriptively (but not significantly) higher gains. Pre- and post-test measures of confidence suggest that part of the learning may be metacognitive: students learned to attune their confidence to their performance. Implications for teaching and research will be discussed.
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Impact of Prior Astronomy Learning Experiences on TOAST Scores
- BK03
- Mon 07/18, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
by Katie Berryhill, Timothy Slater , Stephanie Slater
- Type: Contributed
- As Introductory Astronomy educators become more interested in experimentally testing innovative teaching strategies to enhance learning in ASTRO 101, scholars are placing increased attention toward better understanding factors impacting student gain scores on the widely used Test Of Astronomy STandards (TOAST). Usually used in a pre-test and post-test research design, one might naturally assume that the pre-course differences observed between high- and low-scoring college students might be due in large part to their pre-existing motivation, interest, and attitudes about astronomy. To explore this notion, 12 non-science majoring undergraduates taking ASTRO 101 at West coast community colleges were interviewed in the first few weeks of the course to better understand students pre-existing affect toward learning astronomy. Perhaps surprisingly, there was only weak correlation between students’ motivation toward learning astronomy and their pre-test scores. Instead, the most fruitful predictor of pre-test scores was the quantity informal, self-directed astronomy learning experiences.
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Overview of U.S. Astronomy Education Research Dissertations in the iSTAR Database
- BK05
- Mon 07/18, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
by Stephanie Slater, Coty Tatge, Timothy Slater, Sharon Schleigh, Paulo Bretones
- Type: Contributed
- Collecting and synthesizing the surprisingly vast amount of discipline-based astronomy education research is of great interest to astronomy education research scholars trying to understand the range and depth of prior studies. In support of those efforts, the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research has been developing the infrastructure needed to create and curate a comprehensive International Study of Astronomy Reasoning (iSTAR) Database, an online, searchable research tool, intended to catalog, characterize, and provide access to astronomy education research production, world-wide. As a first step to test iSTAR's functionality we surveyed the previously uncatalogued set of U.S.-based doctoral dissertations. This first-light target population was selected for its anticipated familiarity to the iSTAR team, and for its small expected sample size (50-75 objects). To our great surprise, our first-light observations revealed an excess of 300 astronomy education research dissertations, which were characterized across multiple variables.
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Best Practices in Educational Technology
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Supporting Sense-Making in Computational Modeling
- BA01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
by Ruth Chabay, Shawn Weatherford, Brandon Lunk
- Type: Invited
- Students at the introductory level can approach both physical and computational laboratory activities either as routine tasks to be completed or as opportunities to apply and explore physics concepts. We’ll show examples of student interactions as they approach computational modeling tasks, and discuss ways of supporting and encouraging sense-making in these contexts.
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Voice Recognition Breaks into Education
- BA02
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by William Dittrich
- Type: Invited
- In all of education today, and physics included, the fact that so little educational effort is expended toward students honing oral expression skills, and using those skills to enhance academic success, is highly problematic. While earning an online degree, it is even possible that the student could have never spoken a single word during their education. This is true in light of the fact that oral exercise has been shown to increase understanding of academic content, enhance concept retention, and improve grades (Nelson, 2011). There is extensive research attesting to oral communication being a prerequisite to student’s academic, personal, and professional success. Numerous studies express the benefit for adding an oral expression compliment to curriculum, at all levels of education (Ford, 2009; Butler & Stevens, 1997). This problem is addressed with a new, patented, educational software technology called Instant Note Capture (INC) and the Virtual Oral Recitation/Examination (VORE) technologies. These new educational interventions will be described.
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Two-way Communication with Students Via Videos
- BA03
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Andy Rundquist
- Type: Invited
- Teacher-produced screencasts and videos have long been a useful resource for students. When I realized how dense their information content can be, I wanted to explore how students could use them to submit their assessments. In this talk I’ll describe how student-submitted screencasts are integral to my assessment approach and also discuss the related logistical issues. My feedback to my students is also a video and I’ll describe the whole feedback cycle and why I find it to be very complimentary to my Standards-Based Assessment strategy. I’ll also describe my switch to a back-flip teaching method that changes when I produce video resources from before class to after class.
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The Power of Student Coding in Physics
- BA04
- Mon 07/18, 3:00PM - 3:30PM
- by Joshua Gates
- Type: Invited
- Technology affords teachers numerous methods to improve the efficiency, flexibility, and speed of the sorts of tasks that educators have been doing for decades. These efficiencies are readily recognized and widely available, but they do not change the teaching or learning experiences in a meaningful way. The potential to explore qualitatively different avenues in physics education through technology is therefore often untapped, as many classrooms operate in much the same way as they did before the influx of classroom gadgets. There is, however, the potential to meaningfully change what is done in these classrooms, by using student coding. The potential for transformative effect of coding in classrooms reaches from introductory to upper-level courses. Tools, example assignments and applications, and ideas for effective coding instruction in the physics classroom will be presented.
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CIRTL: A Network Model to Transform STEM Education and Prepare Future Faculty
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The Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning: Preparation of the Future STEM Faculty
- AG01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Robert Mathieu
- Type: Invited
- Graduate students at research universities shape the future of STEM undergraduate education in the United States. These future faculty flow into the STEM faculties of several thousand research universities, comprehensive universities, liberal arts colleges, and community and tribal colleges. The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) uses graduate education as the leverage point to develop STEM faculty with the capability and commitment to implement and improve effective teaching and learning practices. CIRTL has developed, implemented, and evaluated successful strategies based on three core ideas -- teaching-as-research, learning communities, and learning through diversity. A decade of research demonstrates that STEM future faculty in CIRTL learning communities understand, use, and advance high-impact teaching practices. Today the CIRTL Network includes 46 research universities. Ultimately, CIRTL seeks a national STEM faculty who enable all students to learn effectively and achieve STEM literacy, whose teaching enhances recruitment into STEM careers, and whose leadership ensures continued advancement of STEM education.
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New Doorways to Physics Instruction: Blending A MOOC and Classroom Discussion to Train Graduate Students and Postdocs in Evidence-based Teaching
- AG02
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
by Bennett Goldberg, Henry (Rique) Campa, III, Derek Bruff, Robert Mathieu, Kitch Barnicle
- Type: Invited
- A challenge facing physics education is how to encourage and support the adoption of evidence-based instructional practices that years of physics education research has shown to be effective. Like many STEM departments, our community struggles to overcome the barriers of faculty knowledge, motivation and time; institutional cultures and reward systems; and disciplinary traditions. Research has demonstrated successful transformation of department-level approaches to instruction through critical components of local learning communities, in-house expertise, and department administrative support. In this presentation, I will discuss how physics and other STEM departments can use a MOOC on evidence-based instruction together with in-person seminar discussions to create a learning community of graduate students and postdocs, and how such communities can affect departmental change in teaching and learning. Four university members of the 21-university network working to prepare future faculty to be both excellent researchers and excellent teachers collaborated on an NSF WIDER project to develop and deliver two massive open online courses (MOOCs) in evidence-based STEM instruction. A key innovation is a new blended mode of delivery where groups of participants engaged with the online content and then meet weekly in local learning communities to discuss, convey current experiences, and delve deeper into particular techniques of local interest. The MOOC team supported these so-called MOOC-Centered Learning Communities, or MCLCs, with detailed facilitator guides complete with synopses of online content, learning goals and suggested activities for in-person meetings, as well as virtual MCLC communities for sharing and feedback. In the initial run of the first MOOC, 40 MCLCs were created; in the second run this past fall, more than 80 MCLCs formed. Further, target audiences of STEM graduate students and postdocs completed at a 40-50% rate, indicating the value they place in building their knowledge in evidence-based instruction. We will present data on the impact of being in an MCLC on completion and learning outcomes, as well as data on departmental change in physics supported by MCLCs.
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Teaching and Research Training: A Graduate Student Perspective
- AG03
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Alexander Becker, Bennett Goldberg, Manher Jariwala
- Type: Contributed
- CIRTL seeks to improve the teaching and research training of graduate students. At Boston University, two major initiatives are the "Teaching Fellow Peer Mentoring” program (TFPM) and the "Teaching as Research" fellowship (TAR). I will offer a graduate student's perspective on these efforts to train future educators. Having been first mentee and then mentor within the TFPM, I will present experiences, data, and activities that sustain and expand this student-run program. The TAR fellowship comprises a seminar and research project, for which graduate students and professors team up to investigate one aspect of undergraduate or graduate education. Getting graduate students involved is one goal, another one being the further improvement of teaching at BU. I will present challenges and opportunities, by example of my own TAR research project.
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The CIRTL Network and Graduate Professional Development at Texas A&M University
- AG04
- Mon 07/18, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
- by Robert Webb
- Type: Contributed
- The CIRTL mission is to improve undergraduate education in the STEM disciplines through providing future faculty (a.k.a. grad students and postdoctorals) with various forms of professional development using the three CIRTL pillars: teaching as research (TAR); learning communities; and learning through diversity. Texas A&M has been a member of the CIRTL Network for nearly 10 years and during that time we have developed a number of programs aimed at addressing this mission. In this presentation we will give an overview of the primary TAMU CIRTL activities at Texas A&M and then spend a few minutes discussing how these activities have begun to impact physics education research in our department.
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Celestial Navigation in the Pacific: Polynesian Insights into Old Traditions
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Celestial Navigation in the Pacific: Polynesian Insights into Old Traditions
- TOP01
- Mon 07/18, 12:00PM - 1:30PM
- by Stephanie Slater
- Type: Topical
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Climate Change
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Climate Physics in the Classroom
- EH01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Michael Wiescher
- Type: Invited
- The question of climate and climate change is dominated by emotional discussion and by ideological agendas. A new course was developed to investigate the science conditions that determine climate and that instigate climate change. The presentation will provide an overview on motivation and content of the course which includes topics such as energy physics of climate, the microphysics of climate, the atmospheric and hydrospheric physics of climate, climate history, climate proxies and signatures, closing with possible methods for climate stabilization.
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Climate Change and California: Potential Impacts and Solutions
- EH02
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Guido Franco
- Type: Invited
- California’s climate is changing and will continue to evolve in the foreseeable feature at a rapid rate driven mostly by the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. This talk will describe how our climate is changing in California and how these changes are just a prelude to what is expected to occur in the rest of this century. The presentation will also describe what is known about the potential impacts of climate change on the different sectors of our economy and on the energy sector in particular. Finally, the presenter will describe the actions that California is taking to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to prepare for the impacts that are no longer avoidable.
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Climate Change Films for the Physics Classroom
- EH03
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
- by Jeffrey Groff
- Type: Contributed
- Film can be a powerful medium for engaging, informing, and inspiring students. This talk will highlight climate-change-themed films suitable for screening in a physics class. The showcased films have all been official selections of the American Conservation Film Festival in Shepherdstown, WV, and are accompanied by an online resource kit for instructors. This resource kit includes film summaries, suggested topics for discussion, and a mapping between the content of each film and specific units encountered in the physics curriculum.
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A Selection of Climate Myths from AAPT Posters
- EH04
- Tue 07/19, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
- by Gordon Aubrecht
- Type: Contributed
- Posters outlining climate myths arising almost exclusively from letters tothe editor of my small-town newspaper have been a feature of previous and the current meeting. I present a selection of "greatest hit" myths in this short talk.
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Physics of Climate
- EH05
- Tue 07/19, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
- by Celia Chow
- Type: Contributed
- While the global climate pattern is changing drastically, we physics teachers need to update our knowledge constantly in order to understand the Nature and to cope with her. Above all, we will share our understanding with students. Some concepts and models of climate will be presented.
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Comparing World-Class Physics Education Ideologies: A Closer Look at AP, Cambridge, and IB Programs
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Comparing World-Class Physics Education Ideologies: A Closer Look at AP, Cambridge, and IB Programs
- CJ
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 6:00PM
- by Tiberiu Dragoiu-Luca
- Type: Panel
- Physics is very much an experimental core science course, taught in many countries throughout the world. The College Board-AP Physics 1/2/C originated in the USA, the Cambridge Physics A/AS-levels generated in the UK, and the IB Diploma Programme Physics SL/HL created in Switzerland are different schools of thought about teaching Physics at the high school level to 15-19 years old students. But are they really different? In this discussion panel, representatives from these three major organizations will present the fundamental principles that guide their ideologies and curricula. Furthermore, the interactive conversation will revolve around student learning outcome, skills and competences developed during the course, internal and external methods of assessment, teacher’s professional development, and other pertinent topics.
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Advanced Placement Program
- CJ01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
- by Trinna Johnson
- Type: Panel
- The College Board AP program is a rigorous academic program built on the commitment, passion, and hard work of students and educators from both secondary schools and higher education. Since 1955, the AP Program has enabled millions of students to take college-level courses and exams, and to earn college credit or placement while still in high school. The AP College Board program offers more than 30 courses. By taking an AP course and scoring successfully on the related AP Exam, you can save on college expenses: most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit, advanced placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. AP can transform what once seemed unattainable into something within reach. There are a million paths to a student’s future. By giving students the opportunity to explore their interests, AP courses can help them find and pursue their unique direction.
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Cambridge International Examinations A and AS Levels
- CJ02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
- by David Styles
- Type: Panel
- Cambridge International AS and A Levels are recognized worldwide. Typically A Level is a two-year course while AS is a one-year course. Students can specialize or study a wide range of subjects from a choice of 55 syllabuses. A Level students take either a staged assessment route with some assessment after one year or a linear route with all assessment at the end of the course. The syllabuses develop a deep understanding of subject material enabling students to apply knowledge and understanding to new and familiar situations. Students develop transferable skills such as independent thinking skills, presenting ordered, coherent arguments and communicating logically and clearly. Cambridge International AS and A levels are accepted at over 500 U.S. universities including all Ivy League universities as well as leading universities worldwide. Good grades in carefully chosen A Level subjects can result in up to one year of university course credit.
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Physics in the International Baccalaureate
- CJ03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
- by Graeme Anderson*
- Type: Panel
- The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year programme in which students study six subjects covering a range of subject areas, as well other core elements including Theory of Knowledge. The selection of subjects allows for a student to specialise in one area while maintaining a broad spectrum. All students completing the IB Diploma Programme are also required to complete a 4000-word individual research project on a topic of their choice. The IB aims to do more than other curricula by developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are motivated to succeed. The study of physics, particularly at higher level, provides students with the required knowledge and skills for success at college or university in a wide range of different courses. Credit can be given for high grades in physics or based on the total number of points awarded in obtaining the Diploma.
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Computer Modeling and Simulation in Sustainability Courses
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Computer Modeling and Simulation in Sustainability Courses
- AL
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 10:00AM
- by Juan Burciaga
- Type: Panel
- Climate change, the environment, sustainability … all of these topics present challenges that can best be addressed using computer models and simulations. And increasingly, to have a good understanding of issues and arguments in these areas, voters are required to have a sophisticated appreciation and understanding of the power and limitations of models and computer simulations. How should we be using models and simulations in our courses in sustainability and the environment? What should be our goals for both majors and non-majors in these courses? What should we be including in our courses? What pedagogical challenges are there in teaching computer models and simulations? The session will begin with several invited panelists presenting their views and then we will break into a mini-poster session. Please contribute a poster on the role, objectives and implementation of computer models and simulation in courses of sustainability, environmental physics, …
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Deepening Understanding by Implementing (Simple) Systems Modeling
- AL01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 10:00AM
- by Steve Lindaas
- Type: Panel
- As physicists we often take a reductionist viewpoint and simplify our systems. This cause and effect approach supports the notion that the interaction between objects in the natural world is linear. A watch analogy is often used to describe this view. Understanding how the watch (whole system) works can be accomplished by taking the watch apart to understand the interaction of each gear and part. Unfortunately systems in the natural world exhibit feedback that produces non-linear and often unexpected outcomes. Having students model systems promotes deeper understanding. Students can ask “what if” questions to gain deeper insight and comprehension. Modeling has been implemented in two sustainability courses: “Energy and the Environment” and “Thinking in Systems: Introduction to Sustainability.” These courses are designed for non-majors but are also part of the sustainability major. Modeling is done using spreadsheets to make it more accessible but there are still challenges… and opportunities.
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Computer Modeling in the Environmental Physics Course
- AL02
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 10:00AM
by Tara Peppard, Miron Kaufman
- Type: Panel
- Since 1996 we have been offering at Cleveland State University a course entitled Environmental Physics. The goal of the course is to teach the physical laws underlying environmental and sustainability issues. The students have a variety of backgrounds: ranging from physics and engineering to urban studies, law and education. The students learn to work in interdisciplinary groups. The course is, by necessity, algebra-based. To compensate, we use computer modeling extensively. It enhances the understanding of phenomena through visualizations, and it teaches students useful skills such as data analysis. For example, the students are exposed to chaos theory by analyzing the period-doubling route to chaos prevalent in population models. The diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere and radioactive decay are taught through Monte-Carlo simulations. The Brunt-Väisälä oscillations are modeled and the stability of the atmosphere is discussed. Simulations are also performed on models of consumption such as the Hubbert model, to illustrate aspects of sustainability.
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Computer Modeling and Simulation in the IPLS Course
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Learning Physical Biology via Modeling/simulation: New Course and Textbook*
- FD01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Philip Nelson
- Type: Invited
- Undergraduate life-science curricula remain largely rooted in descriptive approaches, even though much current research involves quantitative modeling. Not only does our pedagogy not reflect current reality; it also reinforces the silos that prevent students from connecting disciplines. I'll describe a course that has attracted undergraduates in several science and engineering majors. Students acquire research skills that are often not addressed in traditional undergraduate courses, using a general-purpose platform like MATLAB or Python. The combination of experimental data, modeling, and physical reasoning used in this course represents an entirely new mode of "how to learn" for most of the students. These basic skills are presented in the context of case studies from cell biology. Documented outcomes include student reports of improved ability to gain research positions as undergraduates, and greater effectiveness in such positions, as well as students enrolling in more challenging later courses than they would otherwise have chosen.
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Stochastic Simulations and Finite-difference Models for the Life Sciences
- FD02
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Peter Nelson
- Type: Invited
- Life-science students are introduced to modeling and simulation using a simple kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulation of diffusion. The model is first introduced as a physical “marble game” and then implemented as a kMC simulation. Students work through a self-study guide introduction to Excel and write their own simulation from scratch in a blank spreadsheet. In a guided-inquiry exercise students discover that Fick’s law of diffusion is a consequence of Brownian motion. Subsequent activities introduce students to: algorithms and computational thinking; exponential decay in drug elimination and radioactive decay; half-life and semi-log plots; finite difference methods (and calculus); the principles of scientific modeling; model validation and residual analysis; and osmosis. Analysis of published clinical data and Nobel Prize winning osmosis research is featured in an active learning environment. Because the materials are self-contained, they can be used in a flipped-classroom approach. Sample chapters are available for free at http://circle4.com/biophysics/chapters/
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Introducing Coarse-Graining Part 1: From Molecular Dynamics to Random Walks
- FD03
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Edit Yerushalmi, Haim Edri, Bat-Sheva Eylon, Samuel Safran, Nava Schulmann
- Type: Contributed
- Applying physics to understand structure formation in chemical and biological systems often requires coarse-graining which averages over the short time and length scales of the system. This allows one to focus on a more limited number of degrees of freedom. We present an instructional sequence intended to introduce this concept to introductory level students. The sequence involves comparison between several computational models for diffusion differing in their length and time scales. At the shortest scales one can treat all the interacting particles in the many-body system using deterministic mechanical laws (Molecular Dynamics). While this provides complete information, coarse-grained models are needed to reduce complexity and to obtain physical intuition: In the Langevin model, where the mechanical laws are applied only to the colloidal particles while the solvent is accounted for by friction and stochastic forces. At even larger scales, random walk on a lattice model, involving only the colloidal particles.
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Introducing Coarse-Graining Part 2: Structuring and Problematizing
- FD04
- Wed 07/20, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by Haim Edri, Bat-Sheva Eylon, Samuel Safran, Edit Yerushalmi
- Type: Contributed
- Applying physics to understand structure formation in chemical and biological systems often requires coarse-graining which averages over the short time and length scales of the system. This allows one to focus on a more limited number of degrees of freedom that govern the properties on long spatial and time scales. The concept was introduced in an instructional sequence involving several computational models of diffusion (of a molecule in a gas or liquid or a colloidal particle in a solvent), that apply to different time and spatial scales. At increasingly larger scales, one can represent the system using effective laws such as molecular dynamics, Langevin dynamics and random walks. We present activities structured to enable introductory level students to construct the various models, as well as activities intended to problematize students' work when examining the transition between these models.
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Modeling of Brownian Motion Using VPython in an IPLS Course
- FD05
- Wed 07/20, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
- by Betsy Chesnutt
- Type: Contributed
- Random motion at a microscopic level is extremely important in the life sciences, but this topic is rarely encountered in a traditional physics course. At the microscopic level, particles suspended in a gas or liquid move in a random manner known as Brownian motion. As a result, cells and other biological materials must move through fluids in a way that is very different from the way that larger objects move through the world. It is essential to understand and characterize this volatile behavior if we hope to make sense of the biological world. To help introductory physics students understand Brownian motion and how it effects the motion of cells in liquid environments, a series of activities have been developed, which include modeling random motion using VPython. The computational model is then used to visualize directed motion of a cell-like object as it collides with particles undergoing Brownian motion.
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Modeling the Heart's Dipole Moment in the Introductory Physics Laboratory
- FD06
- Wed 07/20, 10:00AM - 10:10AM
by Mary Ann Klassen, John Hirshfeld, Catherine Crouch
- Type: Contributed
- We present an introductory laboratory in which students measure their own simplified electrocardiogram (ECG), a set of potential differences measured on the surface of the body, and learn to interpret it in terms of the moving electric dipole moment of the heart during a single pumping cycle. Using Vernier software EKG sensors, students acquire data for the two basic "leads" (electrode configurations) that are the starting point for clinical measurements (which involve additional electrode pairings). Students are guided through analyzing the raw voltage-time data to compute the magnitude and direction of the heart's dipole moment through one contraction cycle. A simple Mathematica script is used to visualize and animate the data.
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Attitudes of Life Science Majors Towards Computational Modeling in Introductory Physics
- FD07
- Wed 07/20, 10:10AM - 10:20AM
by Brandon Lunk, Anna Lewis, Robert Beichner
- Type: Contributed
- Biological and health-care majors comprise one of the largest populations of students enrolled in physics courses each year. Because of this, there is a growing interest within the physics and biology communities to restructure the introductory physics courses for life science majors to better support the needs of these students. In this context, computational modeling could prove to be an accessible and compelling tool for exploring biologically and medically relevant phenomena within in the physics course. As a first step leading to implementation, we conducted an exploratory study to help us learn about life-science majors' attitudes towards programming. Our observations suggest that these students had an apprehension towards programming but at the same time held a positive attitude towards the use of spreadsheets, which could be used to scaffold more rigorous computational modeling tasks in the classroom.
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Developing Experimental Skills at all Levels
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Assessing Students’ Laboratory Skills in Introductory and Intermediate Physics Courses
- BE01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
- by Duane Deardorff
- Type: Contributed
- For the past 15 years at UNC-Chapel Hill, we have been assessing students’laboratory skills in the introductory physics courses, and this past year we added a practicum to the intermediate physics lab course. The purpose of these exams is to evaluate how well our students are meeting our learning goals that include making accurate measurements with typical laboratory instruments, analyzing and interpreting empirical data, evaluating results, analyzing measurement uncertainties, and properly communicating findings. Trends in student performance and lessons learned will be shared in this talk. Sample lab exam questions and answers with explanations are provided for students to help them prepare for their exams; these can be found on our department website: www.physics.unc.edu/labs
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Teaching Techniques for Experimental Success
- BE02
- Mon 07/18, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
by David Allred, Nathan Powers, Dallin Durfee
- Type: Contributed
- Physics laboratory instruction in some institutions focuses on teaching students how to perform classic or state-of-the-art experiments. In some cases, the experiments involve using complex and sometimes expensive equipment. While working with these tools exposes students to equipment that they may use at a future time, it can leave them feeling dependent on specific equipment to carry out experiments. I describe an advanced laboratory course that instead focuses on introducing students to some core components and techniques that are incorporated into more advanced equipment. Students use the equipment and techniques to design and carry out their own experiment. This approach helps students understand the concepts, limitations, and advantages behind more advanced tools while promoting confidence in their ability to create their own solutions. Examples of student experiments are also presented.
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Enhancing Student-designed Experiments Using a Real-world Funding Scenario
- BE03
- Mon 07/18, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
by Nathan Powers, David Allred, Dallin Durfee
- Type: Contributed
- Acquiring funds and resources is a critical skill for all experimentalistsand technical professionals but the benefits of this skill go beyond money. The act of proposal writing requires one to become aware of what is interesting, important, and achievable. Thus, the process of competing for funds improves both the experiment and experimentalist. While proposal writing is not typically associated with laboratory education, it is an effective tool for enhancing a student’s ability to design and carry out experiments. I describe a real-world funding scenario that was incorporated into an advanced laboratory course to improve the quality of student-designed experiments. To do this, different sections of a class formed a review panel that decided which experiments should be “funded”. “Funded” projects were then developed into full proposals that were reviewed for final approval. Students found the peer evaluation aspect both engaging and insightful.
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Developing Student Attitudes About Experimental Science and Being a Scientist
- BE04
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
by Linda Strubbe, Doug Bonn, Joss Ives
- Type: Contributed
- Learning in the affective domain is an important goal in many undergraduate laboratory courses: e.g., goals that students increase their appreciation of physics as an evidence-based way of understanding the world, and that they increase their self-identity as scientists. Unfortunately, studies have found that students’ attitudes about science are difficult to improve. In our “structured quantitative inquiry” first-year physics lab course at UBC, we have introduced several course components specifically targeting students’ beliefs about the nature of science and their self-identification as scientists. We use the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS) to investigate students’ differing incoming attitudes, and how these attitudes change through the course. We describe preliminary results for the ~600 students in our course this year, who include a variety of science majors at both honors and non-honors levels.
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Exploratory Freedom for Student Learning in Laboratory Settings
- BE05
- Mon 07/18, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
- by Peter Odom*
- Type: Contributed
- This paper discusses two separate physics laboratory experiments where thestudents were permitted to use more time than traditionally scheduled for each lab as well as permitted to deviate from specific lab instructions if they desired. The result of this added freedom was unprecedented success in experimental measurement accuracy. One of the experiments was to measure the speed of light using the Foucault method, and the other was to measure the charge-to-mass ratio of the electron using J. J. Thompson's method. With their measurement of the speed of light, they eventually achieved an accuracy that only had 0.8% error relative to the accepted value. Comparable success was achieved with their measurements of the charge-to-mass ratio of the electron. After recounting the process by which the students improved their methods in these two experiments, this paper discusses the merit of letting students have more freedom when exploring experimental methods.
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Scientific Reasoning Curriculum Effect on Students’ Control of Variables Skills
- BE06
- Mon 07/18, 2:20PM - 2:30PM
by Krista Wood, Kathleen Koenig, Lei Bao
- Type: Contributed
- There is a need to explicitly target the development of scientific reasoning (SR) skills in physics lab and to research the effects of SR-targeted curriculum on students SR skills. Focusing on one SR skill, this study evaluated the development of students’ abilities in control of variables (COV) during the first implementation of a SR-targeted lab curriculum at a TYC. Students’ COV skills were evaluated using nine COV questions from the Inquiry for Scientific Thinking and Reasoning (iSTAR) assessment that targeted various complexity levels of COV skills. Findings indicated that students’ skill development varied at the different COV skill levels. The curriculum appeared to have the greatest impact at the intermediate COV skill level and less impact at the low and high skill levels. These findings will be used to inform lab curriculum revisions, as well as to improve the implementation of the lab curriculum in future terms.
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Troubleshooting in the Electronics Lab: A Study of Instructor Practices
- BE07
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
by Dimitri Dounas-Frazer, Heather Lewandowski
- Type: Contributed
- The ability to troubleshoot systems is a crucial aspect of experimental physics research and an important learning goal for undergraduate laboratory courses. Electronics courses are well suited to developing students' troubleshooting abilities because the need to troubleshoot arises naturally in most lab activities. To understand the role of troubleshooting in electronics courses, we interviewed 19 electronics instructors from 17 distinct institutions. Preliminary analysis of interview data suggests that: (1) developing the ability to troubleshoot is fundamentally tied to the purpose of electronics courses, (2) electronics courses are perceived to be one of the few places in the curriculum where students develop troubleshooting skills, and (3) instruction about troubleshooting occurs primarily during lab activities via apprenticeship-style interactions between the instructor and pairs of students. Few interviewees indicated that they implemented activities or assessments explicitly designed to teach or test troubleshooting ability. In this talk we describe our study in more detail.
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Flipped Modular Skills-based Introductory Electronics Course: First-year Results
- BE08
- Mon 07/18, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
- by Eric Ayars
- Type: Contributed
- After enjoying good results with a flipped introductory physics course, I decided to flip our department's sophomore-level "Electronics for Scientists" course and associated lab. The course redesign got out of control, though, and the course ended up a collection of interdependent modules through which students could progress at their own pace, along multiple paths of their own choosing. As of the submission date for this abstract it is unclear whether this redesign is a good thing or not; but there are already some clear advantages to this approach as well as some expected (and unexpected) problems. I expect that the advantages will dominate, but either way this talk promises to be educational for anyone considering such a course change.
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A Pedagogical Method for Advanced Laboratory Writing: Letters Home Project
- BE09
- Mon 07/18, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
- by Charles Ramey II
- Type: Contributed
- The Modern Physics course at Texas Tech University (TTU) serves as a bridge to other upper-level courses. In the lab segment, students expand their conceptual understanding while learning experimental and observational skills which are fundamental for advanced labs and research experience. This presentation will focus on a research project we call Letters Home (LH). LH are an informal means of practicing scientific writing skills to various levels of audience while engaging the writer in gathering, critically analyzing, and reporting data. In fall 2015 we conducted 4 sets of LH with 28 students. Currently, we are analyzing the results from the previous semester and report our results. We also used a survey, the Colorado Learning about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS), to assess students’ attitudes about physics, communication, and experimentation. We are continuing this research to increase our understanding of students learning and attitudes.
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Normal Modes and Symmetry Breaking in Single Two-Dimensional Pendulum
- BE10
- Mon 07/18, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
by Arvind Arvind, Paramdeep Singh
- Type: Contributed
- A two dimensional pendulum is expected to execute planner oscillations if the observation time is small compared to one day, so that the effect of the coriolis force can be neglected. What if the cylindrical symmetry of the suspension is broken? It turns out that such a pendulum with a controlled symmetry breaking can be turned into a pedagogical tool. We have developed an experimental setup to demonstrate normal modes and symmetry breaking in a two-dimensional pendulum. The broken cylindrical symmetry leads to non-degenerate normal modes of oscillation whose interplay gives rise to complex motion. This motion has several qualitative and quantitative features that help us use this experiment to teach three concepts: normal modes, symmetry breaking and appreciating the difficulties associated with building a Foucault's pendulum.
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Developing Experimental Skills at all Levels I
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Developing Scientific Communication Skills Using Lab Notebooks
- EI01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
by Jacob Stanley, Heather Lewandowski
- Type: Invited
- In experimental physics, the use of lab notebooks for scientific documentation is an essential part of the research process. For all of the ubiquity of lab notebooks, little formal attention has been paid to addressing what is considered “best practice” and how researchers come to learn these practices. To explore the role of lab notebooks in table-top experimental physics, we conducted interviews with physics graduate students at a large research university. From these interviews, we gained insight into their experiences with lab notebooks in their undergraduate and graduate education, as well as what features of their lab notebooks they felt were essential for their research. I will present some of the common themes in the interviewees’ experiences and the broad guidelines for what constitutes authentic scientific documentation, which emerged from the interviews. Additionally, I will provide some pedagogical suggestions for how to incorporate these guidelines into a lab course setting.
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Physics Laboratory Activities for Pre-health and Life Science Students*
- EI02
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
by Elliot Mylott, Justin Dunlap, Ralf Widenhorn
- Type: Invited
- As part of our work in reforming undergraduate physics education for pre-health and life science students at Portland State University, we have developed multiple laboratory activities that present important physical concepts in a biomedical context. Each activity explores the fundamental physics principles behind aspects of physiology or common medical equipment. The biomedical subjects of the activities include radiography, computed tomography, pulse oximetry, bioelectrical impedance analysis, electrocardiograms, and the optics of the human eye. The laboratories teach multiple physical concepts including: how electromagnetic radiation interacts with matter, the Beer-Lambert Law, electronic amplification and filtering, AC circuits, and image formation. By framing the physical application of these concepts in a biomedical context, the activities effectively convey to students the relevance of physics to medicine and the life sciences.
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Implementation of a Laboratory Activity Designed to Promote Scientific Practice
- EI03
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
by Abhilash Nair*, Marcos Caballero
- Type: Contributed
- In the context of transforming a second-semester introductory physics lab course to better align with scientific practice, we investigate the alignment of student work with the envisioned goals of an activity that took place in the pilot semester. We first highlight learning goals of the two-week activity as well as broader course goals that were collected through interviews with the designers of the transformation. We then present analysis of small group work to consider the implications of such a design in helping promote practices such as students in working collaboratively in a group, developing a systematic approach to experimental design, understanding how to utilize different measurement devices, and understanding the uncertainties involved in measurements. We use these results to consider how to iterate on the design of course structures and lab activities to better support students in achieving the learning objectives.
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From Cookbook to Authentic Research -- What Skills Should They Be Learning
- EI04
- Tue 07/19, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
by Natasha Holmes, Carl Wieman
- Type: Contributed
- The positive outcomes of undergraduate research experiences have been wellcategorized in a variety of disciplines and many institutions are beginning to try and replace standard lab courses with more authentic research-like experiences. I will present our recent work evaluating the cognitive decisions and processes that students carry out during both undergraduate research experiences and in a variety of lab courses. These comparisons can guide the curricular goals and designs for lab courses, either to better prepare students for research, or to provide a more authentic alternative to research experiences.
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Assignment Sequences for Experimental Skill Development in Physics Advanced Lab
- EI05
- Tue 07/19, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
- by Sean Robinson
- Type: Contributed
- I will describe how the concept of assignment sequences --- preparatory online work, followed by a hands-on in-lab exercise, followed by a detailed homework exercise --- is applied in the MIT Physics Junior Lab course to help develop various professional skills both horizontally and vertically. Examples of skill domains include data analysis and basic test bench instrumentation.
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Changes in Lab Curriculum to Develop Lab Skills
- EI06
- Tue 07/19, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
- by David Kardelis
- Type: Contributed
- Labs currently use equipment ranging from the low-tech stop watch timings and a ruler to data loggers and video analysis. This seemingly random mix of high and low tech is being modified to bring a more coherent approach to have students gaining lab skills throughout the semester. For example, the changes have included bringing back some classic labs such as Hooke's law but with more emphasis on graphing and meanings obtained from the data less on confirming Hooke’s law. Other labs bring in newer technology such as video analysis, to help illustrate other aspects of data taking, such as distributions of measurements and uncertainty. A few of the changes and the desired outcomes from these labs will be discussed.
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Design, Build, Measure!: “Do-It-Yourself Experimental Atmospheric Physics"
- EI07
- Tue 07/19, 3:10PM - 3:20PM
- by Holly Maness
- Type: Contributed
- “Do-It-Yourself Experimental Atmospheric Physics” is designed to introducesophomore students to the full cradle-to-grave process underpinning modern observational experiment. Organized around four interdependent projects, students design, build, and deploy instruments constructed from basic components like photodiodes, filters, polarizers, lenses, and gratings to measure fundamental properties of the atmosphere including opacity, polarization, and composition. Through construction of a radiative transfer code, students learn the basics of experimental design — how to ask a scientific question, estimate instrument requirements, and identify components. Students learn later how to build, calibrate, and test their resulting instruments, gaining proficiency with basic lab equipment like electronics test gear, optomechanical components, and computer-aided fabrication tools. Ultimately, students deploy their instruments in the field and interpret their measurements statistically in the context of their model predictions. Completion of this course arms young undergraduates with the skills, knowledge, and confidence necessary to tackle current research questions of their choice.
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Do Try This At Home!
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From Online Stunt to Science Literacy
- GK01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:30PM
- by Pati Sievert
- Type: Invited
- Between YouTube and Pinterest, there’s plenty of bad science mixed in withsome really cool things for our students to try out at home. How do we turn a cool science activity found online into good science that’s still fun? I’ll dissect a few old standards along with some bad examples you can turn to your advantage. Having pre-collegiate students interact with family members in the execution of their “at home experiment” can increase both the student and family members’ understanding of scientific processes, which along with engineering processes are one thread in the three dimensional NGSS.
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Get Your Science On with the Little Shop of Physics
- GK02
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Brian Jones
- Type: Invited
- The Little Shop of Physics team has shared our hands-on science experiments with half a million K-12 students. Our emphasis is on accessibility—we want the barrier to experimentation to be low. We have a podcast series that tells students how they can reproduce anything we’ve built at home, and we make sure that the necessary skills and equipment are quite basic. In this talk I’ll share some of our favorite experiments, and show where you find information about many more.
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Physics Beyond the Formulas: Creating and Sharing Demonstrations
- GK03
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Dianna Cowern
- Type: Invited
- In classroom learning, the question is often asked, “what does this have to do with real life?” Some of the most effective learning comes from student-driven questions, curiosity and from when students can tie learning concepts to their daily lives. The aim of the PBS YouTube series Physics Girl has been to connect physics to the real world in a conceptual way through curiosity-inspired questions. There are two parts to this talk. One will focus on the characteristics of effective physics demonstrations as guided by the success of certain experiment-based physics videos in an online world full of non-educational noise. What demos work in videos and why? The second part will focus on how sharing can enhance the learning experience. What makes viewers care about these demonstrations? This part will address the collaboration and feedback gained by sharing physics during the learning process.
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Improving Student Involvement Outside of Class with Family Fizx Fun & Everyday Physics Calculations
- GK04
- Wed 07/20, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
- by Stephanie Hawkins
- Type: Contributed
- Getting regular and low-level physics students to do schoolwork beyond theschool day can be a major challenge. By asking students to do non-traditional homework has greatly improved my low level students' involvement beyond the school day. One important way to motivate the students is to incorporate parent support in at-home assignment. Family Fizx is a fun low expectation assignment that gets parents interested in helping their student success in my class. There are endless demos which students can take home to their families. Another at-home activity is real world data calculations, an example includes having students analyze the motion of a MapMyRun workout. Taking the excitement of physics home has allowed me to provide students with more learning experiences, increased parent involvement, and increased out-of-school participation for low-level students.
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Try This Experiment Right Now!
- GK05
- Wed 07/20, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
by Anna Spitz*, James Lincoln
- Type: Contributed
- Physics experiments you can do with no additional equipment! Just the cellphone in your pocket or the computer in front of you. Created for the AAPT Films Video Project, this series continues and helps teachers and students who have little access to equipment or just want to learn something new!
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Effective Practices in Educational Technologies
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Vignette Studio Software for Interactive Online Teaching*
- AC01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Robert Teese, Thomas Reichlmayr
- Type: Contributed
- Vignette Studio is a cross-platform application for creating online activities that contain narrative videos as well as interactive elements such as video analysis, prediction questions and branching. It is being used to develop assignments for introductory physics, advanced physics labs and introductory biology. The software that powers the activities is delivered over the Internet and runs in a normal browser on the user's device. It can be used to make short, single-topic Interactive Video Vignettes, pre-lab exercises, or Interactive Online Lectures for flipped classrooms, online learning and MOOCs. New features added in the past year include text, checkbox, and data table inputs, menus, completion certificates, multi-language closed captioning and bar graphs. The software will be demonstrated and plans for its future development will be described. Vignette Studio is available for download at http://compadre.org/ivv/ .
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An Interactive Video Vignette on Fall Rates for Different Masses
- AC02
- Mon 07/18, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Priscilla Laws, Patrick Cooney, David Jackson
- Type: Contributed
- Several years ago members of the LivePhoto Physics Group received collaborative NSF grants* to create short, single-topic, online activities that invite introductory physics students to make and test individual predictions about a phenomenon though video observations or analysis. Each Interactive Video Vignette is designed for web delivery as: (1) an ungraded homework assignment or (2) an exercise to prepare for a class or tutorial session. Sample IVVs are available at the ComPADRE website http://www.compadre.org/ivv/. A new vignette on free fall made at Dickinson College using Vignette Studio software will be presented. Using normal and high-speed videos, this vignette is designed to help students understand that both light and massive objects fall with the same acceleration. Finally, research on the impact of some of our vignettes on student learning will be discussed.
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Creating Learning Communities with Web Technology in Professional Development Programs
- AC03
- Mon 07/18, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by Andrew Dougherty, Bruce Patton
- Type: Contributed
- The School Year Based Inquiry Learning Program (SYBIL) is a large Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) Program that works with a number of school districts throughout central Ohio. K-12 teachers participate in a year-long professional development program that uses active inquiry-based learning to improve participant teacher and student science and math content gains. Teachers incorporate inquiry methods into their classrooms, and development inquiry-based lesson modules with accompanying pre/post formative assessments. SYBIL staff support teachers throughout the process and maintain contact with the teachers in subsequent school years, in order to further the incorporation if inquiry techniques into as many classrooms as possible. In order to maximize contact with participants, and to foster a learning community among participant teachers spread throughout many buildings and districts, SYBIL has begun leveraging web technologies to improve communication and access to inquiry materials. A brief summary of capabilities useful for a PD program is presented.
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Lab Away From Lab: The IOLab’s Potential for Avoiding the Space and Equipment Constraints of the Traditional General Physics Lab
- AC04
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Stephen Mecca, Seth Ashman, Nicole Boyd, Kerry McIntyr
- Type: Contributed
- Commercial and open-source multi-sensor instruments have become common in the marketplace. Some of these, for example the basic tablet or smartphone, can be inexpensive but may lack features such as adequate sample rates for basic motion experiments. Commercial products from PASCO and Vernier are being introduced with Bluetooth capability allowing a laptop, tablet or hybrid logger to acquire data wirelessly. These products and the open-source IOLab device offer the opportunity to accomplish particular lessons of the general physics laboratory without the need for a physical laboratory and without an expensive inventory of lab equipment. This paper presents the authors’ use of the IOLAB with a minimal set of additional components to replicate or slightly modify the existing General Physics laboratory exercises in our two semester sequence in the Department of Engineering-Physics-Systems at Providence College. The potential of this approach to laboratory instruction in traditional laboratory curricula, for distance learning or for resource constrained environments, such as rural schools in the developing world is discussed.
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Update on the Development of Distance Learning Labs for Introductory Physics Using IOLab
- AC05
- Mon 07/18, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by David Sokoloff, Erik Bodegom, Erik Jensen
- Type: Contributed
- In January, we presented a preliminary report on our project to develop and research the effectiveness of distance learning (DL) introductory laboratories based on the IOLab, a versatile, relatively inexpensive data acquisition device developed by Mats Selen and his colleagues at University of Illinois (2). With a cost of around $100, students can purchase their own individual IOLab, and can—in theory—use it to do hands-on laboratory experiments at home. The labs we have developed for IOLab are based on RealTime Physics (3), (4). Thus far, testing of these labs has been done in supervised laboratory environments at Portland State University and Chemeketa Community College, with research on conceptual learning and student attitudes carried out using the FMCE (5) and ECLASS (6), respectively. We will report on these preliminary results, and how they have guided us in our first round of testing the labs in a DL environment that is taking place at Chemeketa this Summer.
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Exploring JITT with Traditional Classroom and Modern Technologies
- AC06
- Mon 07/18, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by Gen Long, Mostafa Sadoqi, Huizhong Xu
- Type: Contributed
- In this presentation, we report an ongoing exploring study of adopting Just In Time Teaching in a classroom with heavy traditional setting while adopting modern technologies to help students learn whenever they see fit. By requiring students to preview and review lectures content on their own, as well as providing lecture videos online so that they can access them whenever needed, we found that the average grades of the class are improved.
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Investigating Students’ Usage Pattern of Web-based Computer Coaches
- AC07
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
- by Bijaya Aryal
- Type: Contributed
- This presentation describes introductory level physics students’ usage patterns of web-based Computer Coaches for physics problem solving. Nineteen students volunteered to participate in this study. Each student interacted with the Coaches individually, followed by semi-structured clinical interviews. Three patterns of usage ('clickers', 'reflectors', and 'optimizers’) were identified by analysis of the interview data. Data analysis also revealed that students’ difficulties interacting with the Coaches negatively impacted student learning of physics problem solving. Results of this study indicate the importance of adjusting Coaches' interactions for optimal task time and rigor for maintaining student engagement in order to improve educational impact of the tool. This study found a qualitative relationship between students’ usage pattern and their problem solving and educational performance in physics. Moreover, it demonstrates strong links between the time spent in different parts of a problem solving task and student motivation to use the Coach.
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Let’s Code Physics: A Playful Approach to Learning Computational Physics
- AC08
- Mon 07/18, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
- by W. Brian Lane
- Type: Contributed
- Let’s Code Physics is a YouTube channel that examines physics-related scenarios using computational modeling. Following the popular Let’s Play format (in which a video gamer records their progress through a game while providing commentary, thereby offering both entertainment and insights to the viewer), these Let’s Code videos record the development and implementation of a computational model (the code for which is made available so the viewer may “play along”) while offering commentary on the planning and revision of the code and an analysis of the results. The goals of Let’s Code Physics include spreading interest in computational physics, demonstrating successful coding practices, sharing ideas with viewers, and reducing the perception of dry formality of programming. Let’s Code Physics has proven popular (with 640 subscribers in 70 countries at the start of its second season), particularly among Let’s Play fans and physics students.
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Model Making and Model Breaking with Direct Measurement Video
- AC09
- Mon 07/18, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
by Peter Bohacek, Matt Vonk
- Type: Contributed
- Curriculum based on direct measurement videos (DMVs) can be used to teach model making and model breaking skills. We define model making as the ability to determine a mathematical pattern in a data set measured from a physical phenomenon. This skill set includes experimental design, measurement, graphing data, curve fitting, and using mathematical relationships to make and test predictions. Model breaking is defined as the ability to determine whether a known mathematical model accurately describes a specific scenario. Our 160-student study shows evidence that students who use DMV-based curriculum to learn these skills show increased mastery compared to students who do not. We'll also provide updates on new videos and our upgraded web app.
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Effective Practices in Educational Technologies - I
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Usage of Web-based Personal Response System
- DC01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Jing Han*, Zhao Fu, Joseph Fritchman, Lei Bao
- Type: Contributed
- As more classrooms look to use clicker systems, the need for easy to use, cost-effective solutions grows. The vast majority of college students, and an increasing number of younger students, come to class with Internet-connected devices, making the use of a web-based clicker system to fulfill this role feasible. This study examines the practical and effective use of WebClicker.org as the personal response system in the physics classroom. Usage of WebClicker is free, requires minimal setup time for students and teachers, and allows multiple question and answer formats including the ability to create questions on the fly and share responses with the class. Results show that using web-based clickers achieves similar improvement on students’ conceptual learning when compared to traditional clickers. Web-based personal response systems such as WebClicker provide a simple and robust way to promote interactive-engagement in the classroom.
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Smartphone and Tablet Physics: Unanswered Questions in Educational Technology
- DC02
- Tue 07/19, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Rebecca Vieyra, Chrystian Vieyra
- Type: Contributed
- Conversations about general educational technology frequently revolve morearound "technology" than "education." This is especially true with the broad implementation of smartphone and tablet apps in K-12 education, and technology that is advancing more quickly than sound educational research to support it. Although there is a research base for the use of commercial probeware in the K-12 and higher education classroom, the educational technology world has given less attention to the use of personal mobile devices as tools for scientific inquiry. This presentation will briefly present some of the unanswered questions in tech ed research, relevant specifically to physics education research and student learning at the K-12 level.
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Innovative Ways to Use Web-based Technologies in Introductory Physics
- DC03
- Tue 07/19, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
- by Thomas Moore
- Type: Contributed
- Web-based technologies provide many novel opportunities for enhancing student learning in the introductory physics course. Web-based simulation apps and computerized grading systems represent well-known examples. In this talk, though, I will explore some more unusual applications of web-based technology in the introductory course, including targeted apps that allow students to perform calculations that would be otherwise impossible, and a system that supports an innovative student-centered approach to homework. I will also discuss the pedagogical philosophies behind these applications.
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iTunes U and iBooks: Pathway to OER
- DC04
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
- by Shahida Dar
- Type: Contributed
- Description of workshop: The attendees will learn about how to create interactive, dynamic documents using iBooks. The course management using iTunes U will also be explained. Presenter will show various examples of content creation and management. The use of iTunes U and iBooks in setting up Open Education Resources (OERs) will also be discussed.
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Personalized Learning in Physics with Tabletkoulu Learning Environment
- DC05
- Tue 07/19, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
- by Hannu Turunen
- Type: Contributed
- Engineering students have widely varying skill of physics. Lecturing to the whole group is not working. Some students could move forward more quickly while others would require a slower progression. Personalized learning solves that problem. I introduce a special E-learning environment (Tabletkoulu.fi) where every student can progress with own rate and the teacher is able to see students progression in real time. The teacher gives assistance to the student exactly when needed. The student moves to the new topic only after he masters the earlier content. The environment guides student to do self-assessment after each unit. Student will also take the quiz to test if he masters the content. If student do not pass test, he guides to study more that topic. Student go forward only when he pass the test. I will present how this environment can support personalized learning and how assessment can be done easily.*
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Space Taxi Paradigm for Freebody Analysis
- DC06
- Tue 07/19, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
- by Richard Zajac
- Type: Contributed
- For years we have used this compelling 1980s computer game in the introductory course to establish a common experiential basis with which to frame Newton’s laws. More than just a fun visualization tool, the shared experience has been found to serve as a powerful cue for triggering students to activate a Newtonian mindset when modeling real situations. Free-body diagrams and other conventional anlaysis tools emerge naturally from the game, not as imposed pedagogical formalism. Classroom experience and collected student feedback are discussed.
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Two Visualizations of Momentum Conservation in Introductory Physics
- DC07
- Tue 07/19, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
- by Darrell Schroeter
- Type: Contributed
- I will present two visualizations of momentum conservation used in the introductory physics course at Reed College. One uses Mathematica to simulate the motion of a handful of particles interacting with each other and display the vector sum of their individual momenta. The other uses video frames ripped from YouTube and a drawing program to demonstrate momentum conservation in a pool break. While these have been used as lecture demonstrations, they can both be straightforwardly reconfigured as hands-on activities.
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Lesson Study as a Vehicle to Promote Active Learning in College Physics
- DC08
- Tue 07/19, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
- by Sachiko Tosa
- Type: Contributed
- It is customary that university physics faculty is little trained in teaching, and they often follow their own way for teaching college physics classes. In this study, a collaborative faculty development scheme called lesson study is used to help physics faculty improve their teaching in a network system including seven universities in Japan. A mentor conducted regular discussion sessions with the participating faculty members through Skype. A survey and interviews are used to examine changes in participants’ thoughts and beliefs about physics teaching. The results based on qualitative analysis indicated that discussion with the mentor plays an important role for helping them shift their view for teaching from instructor’s side to students’ side.
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Exhibit Hall Open (Monday)
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Exhibit Hall Open (Monday)
- EXH02
- Mon 07/18, 10:00AM - 5:00PM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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Exhibit Hall Opens
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Exhibit Hall Opens
- EXH01
- Sun 07/17, 8:00PM - 10:00PM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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Favorite TPT Articles
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TPT Favorites---Overall Trends and Individual Impact
- CE01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
- by Gary White
- Type: Invited
- It’s a little like picking favorites among children! Perhaps I have favorites, but is it really wise to admit it? So rather than trying to offer up a “Top Ten” or a “Best of TPT” list, I plan to highlight two kinds of favorites from The Physics Teacher: electronically popular and personally impactful. With the former, I hope to give some sense of which articles get downloaded the most, both by people within AAPT and outside the association. While TPT has thrived for decades without any of this kind of feedback, these are quick-changing times, and there are lessons lurking in these data, methinks. With the latter, I’ve selected a few papers whose clever ideas and thoughtful approaches have ended up in my own classroom, hopefully in a way that does justice to the authors’ visions. Even with this very specific criterion for selection, the pool of papers from which these few are selected is a lot deeper than I imagined, a fact that speaks to the richness of content in TPT. Wise or not, I look forward to sharing these favorites with you.
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Favorites from The Physics Teacher
- CE02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
- by Thomas Greenslade, Jr.
- Type: Invited
- Over the last 50 years, about 7000 articles have been published in The Physics Teacher. My favorite articles are those published in the latter years of the 20th century by Al Bartlett and Tom Rossing. We all thought that the series of articles that Al published on The Exponential Function would go on to – well – infinity! And we were all attuned to the series of articles that Tom wrote about Musical Acoustics; I often find myself referring to them. I was responsible for writing LVIII articles under the running title of “Nineteenth Century Textbook Illustrations” that ended up as two and three page articles with several illustrations. Then I wrote a series of articles on the general topic of oscillations and waves. Recently I have been writing a series of articles with John Daffron of Memphis in which we bring older apparatus back to life once more.
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Coming Full Circle: TPT for All Phases of Teaching
- CE03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:10PM
- by Diane Riendeau
- Type: Contributed
- Throughout my professional career, The Physics Teacher served as a fantastic source for information, inspiration, dissemination, and affirmation. In this talk, I will highlight the articles that supported my growth as I worked through my teaching career, as a teacher, author, and column editor. I will highlight articles that helped me transform my teaching style, increased my content knowledge or encouraged me to keep pressing on. As column editor of “The New Teacher,” I hope to “pay it forward” to new teachers. I will highlight some of my favorite articles from this era, as well.
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LEDs go to School
- CE04
- Mon 07/18, 5:10PM - 5:20PM
by Gorazd Planinsic, Eugenia Etkina
- Type: Contributed
- LEDs are becoming a ubiquitous feature of our life. Our students are surrounded by LEDs and yet there is almost no LED presence in a physics course. Although the detailed understanding of operation of these devices exceeds introductory physics curriculum, students can understand several fundamental physics ideas behind LEDs and these ideas might help them learn required traditional physics better. In the series of four papers we described how LEDs can be used in active learning units across the introductory physics curriculum so that students not only learn the physics underlying the LED operation but also to deepen their knowledge in other areas of physics and learn how to think like scientists. In this talk we will present examples of the experiments and related activities and share our experiences using LEDs with different student populations.
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The Sand Pendulum
- CE05
- Mon 07/18, 5:20PM - 5:30PM
- by Stephen Kanim
- Type: Contributed
- One of the aspects of The Physics Teacher that I find most appealing is that so many of the articles offer ways to share our enthusiasm for physics with others. In this talk I use The Sand Pendulum written by Joe Rizzo and published in TPT in April 1987 as an example of how much impact a single such article can have. In 2004 I worked with an undergraduate student to build a hallway demonstration based on this paper. Our sand pendulum has been tracing out Lissajous figures in the hallway outside our lecture halls ever since. I will describe the modifications we made to the sand pendulum, and show some examples of the different patterns it makes.
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Why "Wherefore a Science of Teaching?” Is My Favorite TPT Article
- CE06
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 5:40PM
- by Dwain Desbien
- Type: Contributed
- "Wherefore a science of teaching?" is my favorite TPT article for many reasons. First it was the article that got me interested in doing my PhD work in PER with its author David Hestenes. Second, even though published in 1979, many of the points in it are just as valid today as they were 36 years ago. I will share what speaks to me in this article and why I continue to recommend it to readers today.
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Memorable Gems
- CE07
- Mon 07/18, 5:40PM - 5:50PM
- by Christopher Chiaverina
- Type: Contributed
- When The Physics Teacher journal editor, Karl Mamola, asked if I would like to edit a new column for the journal that would, in his words, “be devoted to very brief contributions that describe all sorts of creative physics teaching ideas such as, but not limited to, simple experiments and demonstrations,” I jumped at the chance. I concurred with Karl’s suggestion that the column be called “Little Gems,” for the name reflects the fact that the activities were to be useful, engaging, and to the point. This coming fall will mark the beginning of the 11th year for “Little Gems.” The number of creative experiments, demonstrations, and teaching tips that have been submitted since the column’s inception has been gratifying. This talk will provide examples of what we consider to be “Little Gem” highlights.
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Equations as Delightful Guides to Thinking
- CE08
- Mon 07/18, 5:50PM - 6:00PM
- by Paul Hewitt
- Type: Contributed
- Teaching the laws of physics ought to be central in any introductory physics course, whether for non-science or science students. Especially when students are taught to view the laws of physics as the laws of nature — nature’s rules — many of which are in equation form. Equations are non-intimidating when presented as guides to thinking, rather than as formulas for solving algebraic problems. Focus on the meaning of symbols and how concepts relate to one another can result in a delightful learning experience. By postponing time-consuming computations to a second course (where they will be welcomed!) time allows coverage of a broad swath of classical and modern physics. Concepts first, computations later.
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Finding Time To Do It: New Lessons in Time Management for Busy Faculty
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Finding Time To Do It: New Lessons in Time Management for Busy Faculty
- TOP02
- Mon 07/18, 12:00PM - 1:30PM
- by Tim Slater
- Type: Topical
- Faculty are busy—busier than ever. No matter what your institutions’ size,focus, or location, there is simply more to be done every day than can be. There are students to be taught, papers and reports to be written, and meeting and service commitments to attend to. All of this while you are supposed to be innovatively creative and lead a balanced reflective and supportive personal life. If you are going to get out of the whirlwind and be more productive at work while successfully maintaining a healthy home life, you need some tried and true time management strategies that actually work for busy professors. With the right mindset and a carefully tuned toolbox of time saving techniques, you can successfully manage your email, get more writing done, innovate in the classroom, be more responsive to students, be prepared and on time for meetings, and still have a healthy home life.
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Friday Registration
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Friday Registration
- REG01
- Fri 07/15, 4:00PM - 7:00PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Registration
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Frontiers in Astronomy
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Discovering Cosmic Simplicity: The 350-year Journey to the Standard Cosmological Model
- AB01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Lloyd Knox*
- Type: Invited
- Starting from Newton's discovery of universal gravitation, through Einstein's discovery of general relativity, and on to the latest results from cosmological surveys, I will tell a story of how we came to our current understanding of the cosmos and its origins. The story emphasizes the remarkable simplicity and universality of natural laws, and the extraordinary power of human thought, experimentation, and observation to reveal them.
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Dark Matter in Galaxy Clusters: Past, Present, and Future
- AB02
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by David Wittman
- Type: Invited
- Dark matter makes a wonderful case study in the nature of science. What should astronomers do when they see orbits that apparently conflict with the known law of gravity? Two competing explanations always arise: dark matter (unseen mass influencing the orbit according to the known law of gravity) and modified gravity. I will briefly review two historical examples---one in which dark matter turned out to be the correct explanation and one in which modified gravity turned out to be correct---to set the stage for the modern conception of dark matter. Turning to the present, I will explain how merging clusters of galaxies prove the case for dark matter despite its apparently extravagant violation of Occam's razor. Looking to the future, I will show how the latest observations of merging clusters could tell us something surprising about dark matter.
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Gender
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Gender Differences in Students’ Epistemologies Regarding the Nature of Experimental Physics
- GE01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:10PM
by Bethany Wilcox, Heather Lewandowski
- Type: Contributed
- The existence of a gender gap has been repeatedly demonstrated in scores on conceptual and attitudinal assessments. This gap is often present in student's pre-instruction scores and persists in their post-instruction scores. One instrument that has not been examined for the existence of a gender gap is the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). Here, we utilized a national data set of responses to the E-CLASS to determine if they demonstrate a significant gender gap. We also investigate how this gap varies along multiple student and course demographic slices, including course level (first-year vs. beyond-first-year), major (physics vs. non-physics), and pedagogy (traditional vs. transformed). We find that a gender gap in pre- and post-instruction scores is observed in nearly all cases; however, when controlling for pre-instruction scores, the gap in post-instruction scores vanishes for several of these subpopulations (e.g., physics majors and beyond-first-year students).
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Sense of Belonging in STEM: Intersections of Race and Gender
- GE02
- Wed 07/20, 1:10PM - 1:20PM
by Katherine Rainey, Melissa Dancy, Elizabeth Stearns, Roslyn Mickelson, Stephanie Moller
- Type: Contributed
- Sense of academic and social belonging have been shown to affect retentionand performance of students in STEM. Though many studies have looked at differences among gender or race in this respect, few studies discuss the intersections of the two. To investigate factors contributing to students’ choices to major in STEM, interviews were conducted with over 300 college seniors who majored in STEM, left a STEM major, or avoided majoring in STEM. Interviews were analyzed and coded based on social connection and study habits. In this presentation, we discuss factors regarding women’s sense of belonging in STEM, specifically focusing on racial aspects.
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Sentiment Analysis of Teaching Evaluations to Explore Gender Bias
- GE03
- Wed 07/20, 1:20PM - 1:30PM
by Scott Franklin, Andamlak Terkik, Emily Prud'hommeaux, Cecilia Ovesdotter Alm
- Type: Contributed
- Sentiment analysis is a computational linguistics tasks that characterizesaffective meaning, such as positive-negative tone, expressed in language data. We analyze more than 5,500 student comments spanning over eight years of biology, chemistry, physics, and math courses and explore differences in sentiment pertaining to instructor competence, organization/presentation, personality/helpfulness, and overall satisfaction. Of particular interest are differences in perception conveyed toward male and female faculty, and between faculty of different disciplines. We also compare automatically extracted sentiment scores with quantitative Likert ratings that students enter alongside their comments, and report on the extent to which the quantitative and qualitative evaluations correlate.
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Student Discourse About Equity in an Introductory College Physics Course
- GE04
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
- by Abigail Daane
- Type: Contributed
- In a typical introductory college calculus-based physics course, the makeup of the classroom looks much like the physics community, including few women and even fewer underrepresented minorities. This lack of representation is well known, but is rarely an explicit topic of conversation in physics courses. In an introductory physics course at Seattle Pacific University, I facilitated several activities aimed at raising student awareness about the disparity between the demographics of the physics community and the demographics of the general population. Students had the opportunity to discuss and reflect about what it means to do physics, who does it, and why particular groups of people are not equitably represented in the field. In this presentation, I share preliminary findings about the impact of and response to these activities.
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The Role of Personality and Gender in Performance in Physics
- GE05
- Wed 07/20, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
by Rossina Miller, John Stewart, Seth Devore
- Type: Contributed
- The Big Five Inventory (BFI) measuring the 5-factor personality model was given to 804 science and engineering students in introductory physics classes across two semesters at a large Eastern university. Science and engineering students showed similar personality characteristics as would be expected from measurements of the general population, with only women scoring significantly differently on the neuroticism scale. The BFI facets had differential explanatory power for test average and course grade with the conscientiousness facet as the only significant treatment effect for course grade, but it was not significant for test average. Personality facets, when combined with high school GPA, explained substantially different levels of variance in course grade for male and female physics students.
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Learning Assistant Practices in an Active Learning Landscape
- GE06
- Wed 07/20, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
by Hagit Kornreich-Leshem*, Rocio Benabentos, Zahra Hazari, Geoff Potvin, Laird Kramer
- Type: Contributed
- With increased efforts to engage women and underrepresented minorities in STEM our project focuses on the impact of Learning Assistants in collaborative STEM College classrooms on student success and intent to pursue a STEM career. Using epidemiological-type methods, this retrospective cohort study examines the extent to which classroom interactions with Learning Assistants influence academic outcomes, affective outcomes and career aspirations. LA practices under examination include frequency of interactions, type of conversations between LAs and students, discussion facilitation, conditions that broaden student participation, and positioning acts. Controlling for experiences outside the classroom with and without LAs, study habits and instructor interactions allows for a construction of predictive models that isolate the effect of in-class student interactions with LAs. We will present findings that bridge practice and research and provide foundation for addressing issues associated with student success and retention in Introductory STEM courses.
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Impacts of Lecture-based Teaching and Faculty Disconnection on STEM Majoring
- GE07
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
by Melissa Dancy, Katherine Rainey, Elizabeth Stearns, Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, Stephanie Moller
- Type: Contributed
- Over 300 university seniors were interviewed about their experiences pursuing a major. The students were either STEM majors, had left a STEM major, or had considered but never pursued a STEM major. The majority of students interviewed were from an underrepresented group, i.e. women and/or racial minority. Students reported a preference for interactive teaching yet experienced high levels of lecturing in college classes. Additionally, they report positive influences of high school teachers but rarely of college faculty in their decisions to pursue or continue a STEM major. Students report particularly negative experiences in physics. Poor college level teaching appears to disproportionately impact underrepresented groups.
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Graduate Student Topical Discussion
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Graduate Student Topical Discussion
- TOP04
- Mon 07/18, 6:00PM - 7:30PM
- by Claudia Fracchiolla
- Type: Topical
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High School
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Teaching AP Physics 1 to the World, a Second Time
- FG01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
- by Andrew Duffy
- Type: Contributed
- This year, for the second time, Boston University taught an AP Physics 1 course online on edX, with a goal of helping students prepare for the AP Physics 1 exam in May. In this talk, we will discuss improvements we made to the course between the first and second runs, and also compare the outcomes from the first run (Jan. – May 2015) and the second (Sept. 2015 – May 2016). After the first run, students who took the AP Physics 1 exam told us that our course needed to be even more conceptual than it was, and we will discuss, in particular, how we responded to that feedback.
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Closing the STEM Learning Gap for Underserved Populations
- FG02
- Wed 07/20, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
- by Mark Greenman
- Type: Contributed
- Many students from low-income urban communities are denied access to rigorous college-level Advanced Placement science courses. A team at Boston University is testing a blended MOOC that incorporates the best of the formal supportive structures from the student’s home school, a private online tool specifically adapted to support underserved students and weekly tutoring and laboratory experience at a local university to test a scalable and replicable model for effectively delivering AP physics to underrepresented high school students. This is the first year of a pilot program impacting 25 students from seven different Boston area high schools that do not offer AP Physics as part of the school’s program of study. Seventy percent of participating students are students of color and/or ethnic Latino. Twenty weeks into the program, attendance at tutoring sessions remains high at 90% and the dropout rate remains low at 8%.
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Summarizing Discussion Interventions and Student Content Learning Gains
- FG03
- Wed 07/20, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
- by Jared Sommervold
- Type: Contributed
- This physics education research study focuses on how student-led summarizing discussions help solidify physics content understanding following inquiry-based lab activities among high school students. This study was conducted in eight sections of physics taught by three teachers. We investigated different formats for running summarizing discussions, and compared them to learning outcome data. Discussion formats that were studied included whole class student led discussions, consensus board discussions with grade impact, gallery walk with anonymous feedback, and teacher led discussions which resembled traditional lecture formats. Findings suggest that different formats range in their effectiveness, and discussions do not always lead to assessment growth gains. Results will be shared, and limitations and benefits of each format will be discussed.
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The Effect of Discussion and Student-Generated Data on Written Scientific Explanations
- FG04
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Alisa Grimes, Valerie Otero
- Type: Contributed
- Students need help learning how to use evidence and reasoning to support their claims when developing written explanations. Constructing and critiquing evidence-based explanations engages students in an authentic scientific practice and helps them develop problem-solving and reasoning skills. In this study we examine ways to help secondary students build written scientific explanations. We employed 4 treatments: (1) students were provided data but no time was given to discuss with their peers before they wrote their scientific explanation; (2) students physically collected quantitative or qualitative data and used this data to write their scientific explanation; (3) students were provided class time to participate in a whole class or small group discussion regarding their data before they wrote their scientific explanation; and (4) students physically collected data and were provided time to discuss this data in a whole group or small group discussion before they wrote their scientific explanation.
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AP Chemistry Content Knowledge and Guided Inquiry Lab Instructional Strategies
- FG05
- Wed 07/20, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
- by Emily Knapp
- Type: Contributed
- With the extensive content requirements for Advanced Placement Science courses, teachers may find it challenging to teach adequate content without compromising time for laboratory data analysis during lessons. The College Board published a series of guided inquiry experiments for AP Chemistry with the goal that students have the opportunity to engage in science practices while learning the necessary content. This study examines how instructional strategies, such as small group presentations and whole-class consensus discussions about these guided inquiry labs, may influence student assessment performance on nationally normed AP Chemistry released questions.
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A Customizable Private Online Resource for Flipping Your AP Physics Classroom
- FG06
- Wed 07/20, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by David Pritchard, ZhongZhou Chen, Chris Chudzicki, Sunbok Lee
- Type: Contributed
- The RELATE.MIT.edu group at MIT is offering our audited College Board AP Clevel physics MOOC, 8.MechCx Introductory Mechanics, as a free Custom Course on edX.org (CCX) for high school or college instructors. “Custom Course” is a new feature of the edX platform that allows individual instructors to assign resources (problems, videos, texts) chosen from our MOOC to their own students according to their own schedule. This course features over 1000 high quality problems at different levels of difficulty, over 370 pages of e-text written and edited by MIT faculty based on PER research, as well as interactive online simulations, labs based on Direct Measurement Videos created by Peter Bohacek and simple “build it yourself” laboratories. In this talk we will describe the course and the research-based pedagogy; then demonstrate the CCX course, show how to enroll your own students, assign resources, set due dates and view student progress.
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Innovative Uses of Technology Enabled Spaces
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Appreciating the “Space” in Technology Enabled Spaces
- EC01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Edward Price
- Type: Invited
- Technology is increasingly available in our physics classrooms and instructional labs - from dedicated infrastructure to one-to-one computing to smart phones carried by nearly every student. Educators must consider how to use this technology effectively, if they choose to use it at all. This talk will catalog ways classroom technology can support physics education, including structuring participation and interaction; enabling sharing, archiving, and review of material generated in-class; collecting and analyzing data; supporting the use and coordination of multiple representations; and providing access to resources such as simulations. I will discuss these uses in various physical and technological spaces, including studio-style rooms with dedicated computers, instructional labs with tablets, and standard classroom spaces where students have smartphones. Across these cases, I argue that choosing a particular technology is less important than ensuring alignment between the technology’s affordances and the instructor’s pedagogical goals, and that the physical configuration of the classroom space has a strong influence on both the technology and pedagogy.
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Leveraging “Teaching-to-Learn” with Technology to Enhance Student Learning
- EC02
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
by Susan Nicholson-Dykstra*, Mary Beth Cheversia, Julie Thompson
- Type: Invited
- When students participate in Teaching to Learn (TtL) experiences, in whichthey learn new content, learn about the process of teaching and learning, and apply their understanding of both the content and pedagogy to develop a lesson, they demonstrate greater conceptual understanding of the content. Students can harness technology to create TtL products, such as screencasts, stop-go videos, interactive posters, and animations, in order to communicate scientific ideas to authentic audiences of peers and digital communities. These studies investigate how educators in three different tech-enriched environments utilize TtL products as tools for evaluating student proficiency in language and content understanding. Additionally, these studies examine the role that technology-infused TtL projects play in increasing student engagement and confidence in explaining scientific ideas, and in development of a collaborative scientific community, due to a heightened sense of accountability to peers and community.
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Smartphones in Labs Don’t Have to Be “Black Boxes”
- EC03
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
- by Colleen Countryman
- Type: Contributed
- The internal sensors within students’ smartphones can be used to collect data in introductory mechanics labs. Our free "MyTech" app provides students with meaningful laboratory experiences that positively impact their attitudes about physics. Our project includes the development of a curriculum, the creation of a mobile app, and the determination of the impact of students’ smartphones on their learning of physics concepts, attitudes regarding their laboratory experience and use of the devices outside of class. In addition to enhanced abilities to make "real world connections," students using the MyTech app were also more adept at describing how their laboratory equipment collected data when using the smartphone app and its corresponding curriculum. We posit the reasoning for this improved understanding of how the devices collect data. We will discuss these results and how instructors can utilize the app and curriculum in their own classroom.
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Integrating Computation into the Curriculum
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Computational Physics Skills and Practices in the Undergraduate Physics Curriculum
- BH01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Ernest Behringer
- Type: Invited
- The AAPT issued a statement on Computational Physics in 2011 urging “everyphysics and astronomy department [to] provide its majors and potential majors with appropriate instruction in computational physics.” The urge to include computational physics provided part of the motivation for the establishment of the AAPT Undergraduate Curriculum Task Force (UCTF) in January 2013. UCTF members have developed a set of recommendations for including computational physics skills and practices in the undergraduate physics curriculum, and these recommendations will be described here. Information about current implementations of computational physics instruction will also be presented.
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Using PER to Investigate Student Use of Computational Modeling
- BH02
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Marcos Caballero
- Type: Invited
- Computation has revolutionized how modern science is done. Modern physicists use computational techniques to reduce mountains of data, to simulate impossible experiments, and to develop intuition about the behavior of complex systems. And yet, while computation is a crucial tool of practicing physicists, modern physics curricula do not reflect its importance and utility. In this talk, I will discuss the urgent need to construct such curricula and present recently completed work that demonstrates that curricula can be developed into existing course structures at a variety of levels (high school through upper-division courses). I will also discuss how Physics Education Research can be leveraged to investigate student proficiency with computation and to document how students draw from physics, mathematics, and computing knowledge to construct working computational models. This research will help develop effective teaching practices, research-based course activities, and valid assessment tools.
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Computation as Part of a Balanced Physics Curriculum
- BH03
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Marie Lopez Del Puerto
- Type: Invited
- The University of St. Thomas Physics Department has been working toward a balanced undergraduate physics curriculum by embedding computation, experiment, and communication skills throughout our program. In this talk we will detail how we have integrated computation by 1) providing an introduction to computational physics in our sophomore-level Applications of Modern Physics course and laboratory, 2) adding short computational projects in many of lecture-based courses, and 3) developing a Methods of Computational Physics course. We will outline the homework problems and laboratories that have been developed as part of the Applications of Modern Physics project, discuss our experience implementing them, and give interested faculty information on how to obtain these materials. This project has been funded in part by NSF grant DUE-1140034.
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The Role of Computational Modeling in Engaging and Developing Successful Physics Students
- BH04
- Mon 07/18, 3:00PM - 3:30PM
- by Aaron Titus
- Type: Invited
- Departmental learning objectives at High Point University include theory, experimental physics, and computational modeling. All three are important, and all three are woven into the four-year curriculum. Physics students learn VPython in the introductory calculus-based physics course using "Matter and Interactions" by Ruth Chabay and Bruce Sherwood. Simultaneously, students engage in a year-long introductory research project that often includes both experimental and computational components. At the second year and beyond, students use Jupyter Notebook (formerly IPython Notebook) for computational modeling, data analysis, and informal communication of their work. This approach prepares students to use computational modeling as a tool for research and problem solving, starting in their first year. Furthermore, it has an extraordinary impact on growing a thriving department. I will provide details of our approach, examples of student work, and evidence of its impact.
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Interactive Lecture Demonstrations: What’s New? ILDs Using Clickers and Video Analysis
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Interactive Lecture Demonstrations: Active Learning in Lecture Including Clickers and Video Analysis
- DA01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
by Ronald Thornton, David Sokoloff
- Type: Invited
- The results of physics education research and the availability of computer-based tools have led to the development of the Activity Based Physics Suite. (1) Most of the Suite materials are designed for hands-on learning, for example student-oriented laboratory curricula such as RealTime Physics. One reason for the success of these materials is that they encourage students to take an active part in their learning. This interactive session will demonstrate, through active audience participationŠ Suite materials designed to promote active learning in lectureŠ--Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs) (2), including those using clickers and video analysis. Research results on their effectiveness will also be presented.
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ILDs and Other Strategies that Enable Students to Understand Newton’s Third Law
- DA02
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
by Priscilla Laws, David Sokoloff, Ronald Thornton, Robert Teese, Kathy Koenig
- Type: Invited
- Although most students who complete introductory physics courses can recite Newton’s third law, very few understand the law or are aware of the fact that they don’t believe it. In this talk, we compare normalized learning gains on Newton’s third law questions for: (1) students who studied physics in traditional lecture/laboratory courses; (2) students who were exposed to Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs) at Tufts University and the University of Oregon; and (3) students in Workshop Physics (WP) classes during the first few years of its development. Next we demonstrate how the first ILD on Newton’s third law is used as part of the WP curriculum. We then discuss why the addition of this single ILD when followed by student groups doing a series of related activities on their own leads to dramatic improvements of their learning gains. In addition we demonstrate how student completion of a short Interactive Video Vignette (IVV) on the third law in traditional introductory physics courses can also lead to significant improvements in student understanding of the third law. We conclude with some reflections on why ILDs and IVVs have such a positive effect on student understanding.*
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Preference Voting and Clickers
- DA03
- Tue 07/19, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Stephen Parker, Carol Overdeep, James Overdeep
- Type: Contributed
- The use of clickers in the classroom has become a ubiquitous presence in many physics departments. The ability to poll students and receive instant feedback histograms has helped to guide the discussions in many of our classes. Instead of just voting for a single choice, we have explored the idea of using “preference voting” to rank the various options from worst to least. A computer program has been created to help compile the responses from the clicker software. It then uses a variety of different vote counting schemes to attempt to select the overall winner. In a cruel twist of the mathematical pen* though, the “winner” can vary depending on the method used to actually count the votes. With the use of clickers and the computer program, we can see this effect happen “live” with real time voting situations.
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Introductory Courses
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Satellite Splat! Exploring Sticky Collisions with a Surface Launched Projectile
- GD01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:10PM
by Philip Blanco, Carl Mungan
- Type: Contributed
- A projectile launched from the surface of a planet collides and sticks to satellite in a circular orbit. What happens next? The resulting motions display a rich variety of outcomes dependent on the projectile’s trajectory, the satellite’s orbital radius, and the projectile/satellite mass ratio. We show how conservation of mechanical energy, angular momentum, and linear momentum are used to determine whether the combined object will subsequently crash into the surface of the planet, remain in orbit, or escape. One important result is that there is a maximum orbital radius beyond which a satellite cannot be brought down in this manner. This exercise can help students gain insight into the role of angular momentum in orbital motion. We shall present simulations of some of the motions involved, and suggest further investigations for students to explore.
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Students’ Understanding of “Centripetal Acceleration” as Evidenced by Answers to a Guided Inquiry-based lab
- GD02
- Wed 07/20, 1:10PM - 1:20PM
by D. G. Sumith Doluweera, Brian Thoms, Joshua Von Korff, Carola Butler
- Type: Contributed
- GSU is a comprehensive PhysTEC site and has undertaken a reform of calculus-based physics labs in introductory physics sequence I and II. Enhancing students’ conceptual understanding of basic physics is a major goal of lab reforms. FCI is the standard instrument of measuring conceptual understanding of mechanics and FCI gains recorded after the introduction of reformed labs (Fall 2014 and later) show significant increase in gains. Increased gains suggest that labs have positively impacted on students' learning. To further investigate the effectiveness of the labs one of the guided inquiry based labs developed, “Centripetal Acceleration” is presented as a case study. An analysis of students’ answers for the selected lab for understanding related concepts, how well students managed to get good data, understanding and interpreting graphs, and making a conclusion based on available data are discussed.
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Student Symbolic Problem Solving Skills in Introductory Calculus-based Physics
- GD03
- Wed 07/20, 1:20PM - 1:30PM
- by Gregory Mulder
- Type: Contributed
- Symbolic reasoning is a critical skill for being a physics major, particularly in making the transition from introductory to more advanced physics courses. We explore students’ performance and views about solving and interpreting problems symbolically. We will present the results of problem solving interviews with students in a third quarter of calculus-based introductory physics course. During these interviews, students solve pairs of problems with numeric and symbolic parameters. We will discuss differences in student performance on these two problem types and consider cognitive affordances of numeric and symbolic parameters.
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Power Boxes: A Novel Graphical Representation of Energy in Circuits
- GD04
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
by Jason Dowd, Daryl McPadden, Eric Brewe
- Type: Contributed
- In order to clarify and provide a conceptual understanding of energy use in circuits, we introduce a new representation for analyzing DC circuits – Power Boxes. Although DC circuits are not generally considered to be among the most insidious topics in introductory physics courses, understanding the role of energy in such circuits can be deceptively challenging. Oftentimes, students see circuits as an infinite source of energy, and many mechanical energy analogies only further this idea. Instead, Power Boxes allow us to discuss and illustrate the role of electric potential energy in circuits at a given time, while simultaneously building upon (rather than competing with or writing over) representations of energy established in mechanics. Power Boxes can provide an intermediate, conceptual step between drawing a circuit diagram and writing equations.
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Implementing Studio Physics: The Effect on Physics Identity Development
- GD05
- Wed 07/20, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
by Robynne Lock, William Newton, Melanie Schroers
- Type: Contributed
- The number of students earning bachelor's degrees in physics has increasedin recent years but remains small. To increase the number of physics majors, modifications to introductory courses are needed. Strategies found to have a positive effect on physics identity, a predictor of physics career choice, include focusing on conceptual understanding and students teaching classmates. Models such as Studio Physics and SCALE-UP are consistent with these strategies. Additionally, these models have previously been found to improve problem-solving ability and to have a neutral effect on attitudes. We report on the implementation of Studio Physics in our two-semester introductory calculus-based physics sequence at Texas A&M University-Commerce. The effect of Studio Physics on students' physics identities was measured using a previously-developed physics identity instrument. Additionally, we interviewed students. We measured the effect on conceptual understanding through pre/post testing with the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation and the Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment.
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Game Design and Demonstration to Highlight Evidence-based Reasoning
- GD06
- Wed 07/20, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
- by Kathleen Harper
- Type: Contributed
- At Ohio State, an elective engineering course, based on Maloney’s work,1 focuses on puzzles and games as metaphors for human problem solving and scientific reasoning. One activity that is currently unique to Ohio State’s offering is a game design and demonstration assignment. This experience not only incorporates engineering principles, but prompts the students to think critically about the role of evidence. Students work in groups to design a new game, with the constraint that they may only use materials from the four games they previously played in class. Once they have developed a full set of rules for the new game, they must create a short series of demonstration games that, when observed by someone unfamiliar with the game, will allow that person to determine the rules. Details of the assignment, along with samples of student work, will be shared.
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Changing the Paradigm of the Jumping Ring Demonstration
- GD07
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
by Rondo Jeffery, Farhang Amiri
- Type: Contributed
- The opposing-poles explanation for the force on the jumping ring is challenged by recent experiments using a long-coil design where the ring is allowed to move over the energizing coil and not just the extended iron core. Iron filings show a dipole field pattern, with a reversal of the radial magnetic field at the center of the long coil. Rings jump up or down, depending on if they are placed above or below the point where the radial field changes sign, called the Null Point. With the apparatus in the horizontal configuration, narrow rings will jump left or right of the Null Point. This contradicts the prediction of the opposing-poles theory but is completely consistent with the Lorentz force theory. We hope these new results will open a dialog on the proper explanation to give for this popular physics demonstration.
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Data-Driven Efforts to Improve General Physics at NIU
- GD08
- Wed 07/20, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
by Michael Eads, Greg Alley, Wataru Hashimoto
- Type: Contributed
- Northern Illinois University is a large, public, research university located 40 miles west of Chicago. About 500 students enroll in algebra- and calculus-based general physics courses each semester. The format of these courses has historically been very traditional, focused on lectures with a weekly lab session. Starting in 2013, standard assessment instruments (such as the Force Concept Inventory) were administered as part of an effort to critically assess the effectiveness of these courses. As of the fall 2015 semester, concept inventories are being administered in all sections and levels. This data is now being used to help judge the effectiveness of several course improvement efforts, including a small Themed Learning Community section, and changes to instructional strategies, including active learning efforts. While state and university budget situations make for a challenging environment for course transformation, other efforts to improve the general physics sequence are ongoing.
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Interpretations of Physics Differentials and Derivatives in Introductory Physics
- GD09
- Wed 07/20, 2:20PM - 2:30PM
by Nathaniel Amos, Andrew Heckler
- Type: Contributed
- Introductory university physics courses frequently involve calculus concepts in physical contexts. Existing evidence suggests that students in these courses may lack basic conceptual understanding of calculus in physics despite traditional calculus instruction. Because derivatives in physics can be understood as both instantaneous rates of change and quotients of differentials, we conducted group-tutorials to determine if training on either of these interpretations yielded differences in score on a short post-test, which assessed both. The “rate” condition emphasized derivatives as instantaneous rates of change; differentials were explicitly instructed as “not rates.” By contrast, the “differential” condition avoided the concept of rate, and instead built derivatives from infinitesimal quantities, or “differentials.” In addition, we also assessed the effect of units and dimensional analysis on this training. Our results show significantly higher post-test performance among students trained on the differential quotient interpretation of derivatives; dimensional analysis was not a significant main effect.
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Why Active Learning Physics Teachers Should Think about Facework
- GD10
- Wed 07/20, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
by Jon Gaffney, Amy Housley Gaffney
- Type: Contributed
- Interacting with other people requires a certain amount of vulnerability, and one of the ways we protect others and ourselves is through the mechanism of “facework.” Face refers to the favorable self-worth that we hope others have of us; whenever we feel that self-worth threatened or attacked, we feel negative emotions such as embarrassment or shame. However, in social interactions, we can help others “save face,” which should mitigate those negative feelings. As active-learning physics classes become more ubiquitous, teachers in those classes find themselves with the power (and obligation?) to support their students’ face needs during classroom interactions. In this short talk, we discuss how facework correlates with student satisfaction, and we challenge teachers to think about their own classroom interactions in light of this theoretical construct.
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Introductory Labs/Apparatus
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Simple Hack of a CRT for Photoelectic Effect Demonstration
- CF01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:10PM
- by John Avallone
- Type: Contributed
- This presentation will show how a cathode ray tube, laser pointers and an ammeter can be used to demonstrate, in "real life", the photoelectric effect. It is a simple, possibly accessible demonstration of a topic that, in high school classrooms, may otherwise only be heard about and "demonstrated" through PhET applet or the like. I have found it an exciting and attention grabbing "mystery" for my students to solve, that sets the stage for a deeper discussion of the topic.
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Hacking the PASCO Power Brick for Direct Analog Measurements
- CF02
- Mon 07/18, 4:10PM - 4:20PM
- by Roland Woodward
- Type: Contributed
- The rapid and large-scale data acquisition made possible by microcomputer-based laboratory equipment has undeniably been a boon for physics teaching labs. However, I often found that my students must use the full system of computer, interface box, and sensor, in situations where a simple manual measurement would suffice. (The two most common measurements were temperature and magnetic field.) Rather than purchase new equipment, I modified the power supply "brick" for the PASCO interface box so that it could drive any PASCO analog sensor directly and feed the resulting signal to an ordinary voltmeter. In this talk, I give the details of the modification, describe my experience with it in my introductory physics labs, and argue that, in addition to reducing my dependence on my increasingly flaky computer interface boxes, this arrangement gives the students a more authentic lab experience.
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Adapting AAPT Lab Recommendations to Meet Local Conditions: DATA Lab*
- CF03
- Mon 07/18, 4:20PM - 4:30PM
by William Martinez, Kelsey Funkhouser, Abhilash Nair, Marcos Caballero
- Type: Contributed
- The AAPT Recommendations for the Undergraduate Physics Laboratory Curriculum developed broad learning goals, in part to focus physics instruction on critical practices that are best engaged within a laboratory. However, adapting these goals to an institution’s curriculum must involve molding these recommendations to local conditions. In this talk, strategies and practices that we employed at Michigan State University will be discussed, primarily focused on faculty interviews to set goals and develop buy-in. These discussions have led to locally implemented learning goals for Design, Analysis, Tools, and Apprenticeship (DATA) Lab, our recently transformed algebra-based lab for non-majors. Further, we will describe how our local goals relate to those set forth by the AAPT. *This work is funded by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Grant
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Teaching Experimental and Data Analysis Skills in Online Labs
- CF04
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 4:40PM
by Firas Moosvi, Stefan Reinsberg, Georg Rieger
- Type: Contributed
- In this study, we evaluate the feasibility and pedagogy of transforming the lab component of an introductory physics course (N=800) such that it can be done entirely at home with common materials, a smartphone, and online support. Student performance in the online labs is compared to students doing similar labs face-to-face in a campus laboratory. The comparison is based on the end-of-term final projects that serve as the main assessment of learning for the lab component of the course. For the final projects, students first come up with a research question and then use the experimental and data analysis techniques learned over the term to attempt to answer the question. Fifteen TAs were used to assess the final projects using a rubric, and no signi?cant performance difference was found between the face-to-face and the online lab format. The main features of the labs and the comparison analysis will be presented.
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A Laser Apparatus for Measuring Angular Resolution of the Eye
- CF05
- Mon 07/18, 4:40PM - 4:50PM
by Timothy McCaskey, Luis Nasser, Nathan Linscheid
- Type: Contributed
- We have built a device using laser light and fiber-optic cables to let students measure the angular resolution of the human eye. The cables transmit laser light to the front of a black box where the separation of sources can be carefully adjusted. Experimenters move the light sources closer together until a distant observer can no longer resolve them. By using different colors of laser light, one can investigate the effect of source wavelength on spatial resolution.
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An Introductory Laboratory Reform Effort at the University of Illinois
- CF06
- Mon 07/18, 4:50PM - 5:00PM
by Mats Selen, Katherine Ansell, William Evans
- Type: Contributed
- At the University of Illinois, we have piloted a new laboratory approach that has changed students lab experiences by introducing dorm room pre-lab experiments and focusing the classroom activities on experimental design and sense-making rather than physics concepts. This semester-long study involved students in our first-semester calculus-based mechanics course and used Interactive Online Laboratory (IOLab) devices with a curriculum inspired by the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE). In this presentation, which is the first of three related talks in this session, we will describe the overall approach and discuss student experiences with the technology as well as the instructional approach.
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A Situated Learning Approach to Introductory Laboratory Reform
- CF07
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:10PM
by Katherine Ansell, Mats Selen
- Type: Contributed
- At the University of Illinois, we have piloted a new laboratory approach that has changed the context of students’ lab experiences by introducing dorm room prelab experiments and increasing the flexibility of the laboratory classroom setting. These changes were chosen in order to facilitate a shift from a “classroom” learning approach toward an “authentic” approach - that is, a learning approach that is consistent with coherent and purposeful activities – according to situated learning theory. The prelab experiments, which are held through an online delivery and response system, adds a new social context that both affects students’ learning approach in the course and documents the effects of this approach. In this talk, we will discuss our observations of this learning approach and its implications for instruction.
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Investigating Effects of Reformed Laboratories on Student Motivation and Attitude
- CF08
- Mon 07/18, 5:10PM - 5:20PM
by William Evans, Mats Selen
- Type: Contributed
- At the University of Illinois, we have piloted a new laboratory course that has changed the context of students’ lab experiences by introducing dorm room pre-lab experiments and increasing the flexibility of the laboratory classroom setting in order to focus on critical thinking and sense-making. In this presentation we report on the effects of this new laboratory experience on students’ motivation, attitude, and achievement goal orientation. We also look at the effects of the lab experience on other aspects of the course, including their ability to learn from analogous solutions. The information from the reformed lab sections is compared to that from parallel sections taught in a more traditional style.
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Ionizing Radiation Experiments as a Mobile Lab
- CF09
- Mon 07/18, 5:20PM - 5:30PM
by Jan Beks, Ad Beune, Ad Mooldijk, Rob van Rijn
- Type: Contributed
- Initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Education, the Ioniserende Stralen Practicum at the Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht University, developed a mobile lab around 45 years ago. While currently equipped with three mobile labs, students from the 10th through 12th grades throughout the Netherlands familiarize themselves with radionuclides, the produced ionizing radiation and some of the processes involved. We describe the unique character of the experiments in their simple and easy to troubleshoot set-ups. The schools are offered closed lab instructions or open lab instructions, in which students design experiments using the limitations as given by the provided lab equipment. We will discuss (i) how the experiments support a physics curriculum, (ii) our unique approach of offering labs regarding ionizing radiation, and (iii) evidence of their positive impact on student concepts. In addition, we will share some early plans for implementing the use of smartphones and tablets to acquire and process data.
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The Physics of Color Temperature in Photography
- CF10
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 5:40PM
by Steven Wetrich*, James Lincoln
- Type: Contributed
- When setting up lighting for photography or video, mixing color temperatures is an enormous problem. The origins of the problem are that the human eye adjusts to the color temperature of the environment, correcting for color temperature differences in order to recognize contrasting tones. In this talk, I begin with the Planck Black Body Theory and discuss how various light sources are represented, such as tungsten, fluorescent, and sunlight. Then I discuss how photography is an important application of this Modern Physics concept and how knowing more about it can engage students in these ideas.
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Lab Guidelines Focus Area 3: Modeling
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Model-Based Reasoning in Upper-division Lab Courses
- FF01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Heather Lewandowski
- Type: Invited
- Modeling, which includes developing, testing, and refining models, is a central activity in physics. Modeling is most fully represented in the laboratory where measurements of real phenomena intersect with theoretical models, leading to refinement of models and experimental apparatus. However, experimental physicists use models in complex ways and the process is often not made explicit in physics laboratory courses. We have developed a framework to describe the modeling process in physics laboratory activities. The framework attempts to abstract and simplify the complex modeling process undertaken by expert experimentalists. The framework can be applied to understand typical processes such the modeling of the measurement tools, modeling “black boxes,” and signal processing. We demonstrate that the framework captures several important features of model-based reasoning in a way that can reveal common student difficulties in the lab and guide the development of curricula that emphasize modeling in the laboratory.
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Modeling the Physical World with RealTime Physics
- FF02
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by David Sokoloff
- Type: Invited
- One of the six focus areas included in the AAPT Recommendations for the Undergraduate Physics Laboratory Curriculum (1) is Modeling: “. . . developing an abstract representation of a real system being studied in the laboratory.” In the experiments that make up the four Modules of RealTime Physics: Active Learning Laboratories (RTP) (2), (3) students construct models from real observations of the physical world. These observations are often aided by computer-based tools like sensors and video analysis. The results are usually presented as graphs of the observed physical quantities, and students use analytical tools included in the software to construct descriptive and/or mathematical models of the phenomena. This paper will illustrate RTP modeling with examples from a diverse collection of introductory physics laboratory activities like projectile motion, Coulomb’s law of the electrostatic force and Malus’ law for intensity of light transmitted through a linear polarizer.
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Leadership and Other Skills in the Undergraduate Curriculum
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Strategies for Gender Equity in STEM
- BG01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 1:50PM
- by Carol Isaac
- Type: Invited
- Research concludes that institutional transformation is required to ensureequal opportunities for the participation and advancement of men and women. Such transformation requires changing the habitual attitudes and behaviors of faculty and students in higher education. Approaching implicit bias as a remediable habit, this presentation will present a theoretical basis and conceptual model to give the attendees tools to promote bias literacy among students as a step toward career advancement. This presentation will give an overview of how significant organizational cultural change occurred within an institution (Carnes et al., 2014). This presentation will address three topics: implicit bias as a habit, constructs underlying implicit bias, and strategies to reduce the influence of implicit bias. While this presentation will focus on gender equity, this information is applicable to other under-represented groups as well. This practical framework gives strategies to mitigate destructive cognitive distortions created by educators as well as their students.
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Students Leading for Change: Collaboration Outside the Classroom
- BG02
- Mon 07/18, 1:50PM - 2:10PM
- by Edmund Bertschinger
- Type: Invited
- Leadership skills are learned by practice, not by rote. As the past year has shown, some of the best examples on college campuses arise from student activism. #ConcernedStudent1950 has reminded us of the leadership inherent in Margaret Mead’s words, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Teachable moments abound: from sit-ins to teach-ins to student/administration collaboration to effect change. In all cases, the key to success is the development of relationships. Students crave and benefit from relationships with faculty that value them as individuals. In my experience, the most effective relationships are honed outside the classroom, even on the street. I will describe how such relationships led to a collaborative rather than confrontational approach to diversity and inclusion at one university that empowers all students.
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A Fleet of Ships – From Scholarship to Entrepreneurship to Leadership
- BG03
- Mon 07/18, 2:10PM - 2:30PM
by Robert Brown, Edward Caner
- Type: Invited
- The set of goals in the classes we teach are usually described in terms ofcritical thinking and mastery of material – the higher learning of scholarship. We hope to encourage students to work well together to solve problems in school and to overcome the fear of giving, defending, and promoting one’s ideas – the development of leadership and citizenship. In today’s world we place a high premium on interdisciplinary education – the interrelationship of the many different areas of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics). For almost two decades, Case Western Reserve University has offered PEP – Physics Entrepreneurship Program – with courses and internships and start-up possibilities available to young undergraduates as well as the master’s student. We will discuss how undergraduates bolster their group work, interdisciplinary experiences, capability for innovation, self-directed thinking skills, and develop leadership in ESTEAM – Entrepreneurship STEAM.
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Educating the Whole Student
- BG04
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 2:50PM
- by Roel Snieder
- Type: Invited
- Educating undergraduate students is an awesome task. In doing so we ted tofocus on teaching them the disciplinary skills and knowledge, this is the easy part of education. But what we are tasked to do as educators is to teach students in their formative years when it concerns growing into the professional of tomorrow. The young professionals will go out in the world, and have an impact for better or for worse, and because they likely will educate or supervise other young people, there is a huge multiplier effect of the way in which we educate students. So what are the ways in which we can help grow young professionals into balanced and well-rounded professionals? I will give an overview of existing educational initiatives at the Colorado School of Mines that assist in this growth.
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Leveraging Strengths of Diverse Populations
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Creating Safe Spaces in Teaching and Learning Physics
- DD01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Konstantinos Alexakos*
- Type: Invited
- How can we facilitate emotionally safe spaces for our students, especiallythose from negatively stereotyped groups? In my presentation I will review my research on emotions and mindfulness in physics and science education. By undertaking this work and investigating how emotions impacts teaching and learning, I will provide a rationale for the use of mindfulness, breathing meditation, cogenerative dialogues, and heuristics (especially those dealing with thorny issues such as gender, race, and sexuality) as interventions to understand and minimize undesirable negative emotions in the classroom, produce more positive emotional climates and contribute to more healthy and successful teaching and learning practices.
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Who Do We Study, And How Inclusive Is Physics?
- DD02
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Ximena Cid
- Type: Invited
- Recently, a few supreme justices questioned, “What unique perspective doesa minority student bring to a physics classroom?” This question created a lot of dialogue around diversity issues, minority issues, women issues etc. Though a majority of members in our Astronomy and Physics fields have responded with a very loud voice stating more diverse student populations are better for the field as a whole, fewer conversations describe what does diversity mean and how do we use it in physics? This talk will focus on how student populations have been described in the physics education literature and why we need to broaden our ideas of how we support diverse populations.
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Physics Teaching and Education Research Guided by Anti-deficit Approaches
- DD03
- Tue 07/19, 9:30AM - 10:00AM
by Geraldine Cochran, Chandra Turpen
- Type: Invited
- Prior research has focused on documenting gaps in achievement and perceived deficits of African American, Latino(a) American, and Native American (AALANA) students fitting into a national rhetoric that emphasizes the “lack of preparation” of AALANA students in science education. Education researchers have called for a paradigm shift toward an anti-deficit framework, e.g., Harper (2010)’s reframing of the deficit-oriented question “Why are they so underprepared for college level mathematics and science courses?” to “How do STEM achievers from low resource high schools transcend academic underpreparedness and previous educational disadvantages?” In a similar vein, the speakers in this session have offered ambitious alternatives to the usual rhetoric by changing research practices and investigating classroom interventions that leverage students’ strengths. Our talk will synthesize the themes from across these presentations. Lastly, we will think together about how these speakers offer us new visions of how physics education could be different.
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Make, Play, Learn
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Make, Play, Learn
- DJ
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 10:00AM
- by Gene Easter
- Type: Panel
- Join in the fun as we construct science equipment exemplifying one of the most effective ways for K-12 students to learn: Active Engagement. Our crackerjack panel will kick-off this round-robin style share-a-thon with engaging “make n take” projects complete with excellent support activities. Participants will construct their own apparatus with the materials provided. Also, participants are highly encouraged to contribute their favorite classroom activities. Please bring sufficient materials and instructions to share with 25 other teachers.
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Mining Data Generated in the Classroom
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Big Data and PhysPort
- GH01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:30PM
by Eleanor Sayre, Adrian Madsen, Sarah McKagan
- Type: Invited
- PhysPort (http://physport.org) is a website that supports physics faculty in implementing research-based teaching practices in their classrooms, by providing expert recommendations about teaching methods, assessment, and results from PER. The PhysPort Data Explorer is an intuitive online tool for physics faculty to analyze their assessment data. Faculty upload their students' responses using our secure interface. The Data Explorer matches their pre/post data, scores it, compares it to national data, and graphs it in an interactive and intuitive manner. We accept data in almost any format for the most popular research-based assessment instrument in physics (FCI, FMCE, BEMA, CSEM, CLASS, MPEX); more assessments will be available soon. We augment Data Explorer data with secondary analyses of all peer-reviewed papers which publish data from U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities to compare the effects of different teaching methods at different kinds of institutions with varying student populations. We investigated student understanding in introductory mechanics & EM and student beliefs and attitudes across the curriculum. In this talk, I'll detail some initial results from the Data Explorer and compare them to published literature.
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Mining FCI Data to More Effectively Diagnose Student Conceptions*
- GH02
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
by Eric Brewe, Jesper Bruun, Ian Bearden
- Type: Invited
- We describe a project using network analysis of existing FCI data to identify modules of student conceptions. This project, which is an alternative to factor analysis, uses network analysis to find and characterize latent structure within the dataset. The is built on a small data set, however, the scalability and intent of identifying patterns within a dataset are consistent with the move to big data. We describe our approach that involves constructing a bipartite network of students by answers, projecting this to an answer network, using sparsification methods to reduce our data, and community detection to identify modules of student ideas. Our work identified nine modules which we then interpreted. We present several modules along with our interpretation and distinguish these from factors found using factor analysis. Finally, we discuss how network analysis will be used to provide more robust diagnostic analysis of existing assessment tools like the FCI.
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It's All in the Data -- But What Is It?
- GH03
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Gerd Kortemeyer
- Type: Invited
- Even without being “massive,” online components of blended, flipped, or virtual courses produce vast amounts of data: accesses, submissions, transactions, discussions, navigation -- down to one-second resolution for every student, already transcribed and contextualized. Before “Learning Analytics” became a buzzword for campus administrators and redefined into what more correctly may be characterized as “Academic Analytics,” transactions within courses were analyzed as a unique window into student learning. Over the last 15 years, what have we found in the data streams generated within our physics courses with respect to learning effectiveness, student behavior, and success factors?
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Modern Physics Demonstrations and Labs
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Demonstrating the Photoelectric Effect in a Simple and Comprehensive Way by Using an Antique Photo cell and LabVIEW virtual instrumentation
- CL01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
- by Urs Lauterburg
- Type: Invited
- An antique photoelectric cell is used in conjunction with modern LabVIEW type data acquisition technology to demonstrate the concept of the photoelectric effect in a lecture hall environment. The design and the layout of the experimental setup will be explained and discussed. The presenter will also walk through the steps of the demonstration and its physical content to illustrate the didactical aspects of the experiment.
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Chaotic Oscillation of a Magnetic Dipole
- CL02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
by Eric Ayars, Brandon Thacker, Tucker Hartland
- Type: Invited
- We have built a chaotic oscillator consisting of a rotating magnetic dipole in an oscillating magnetic field. The apparatus allows complete computer control of oscillator parameters via SCPI commands and offers students a unique opportunity to investigate chaos in a simple-to-understand system. In this talk we will present typical student data that can be obtained with this apparatus, and uses of the apparatus in upper-division lab courses.
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Thin Film Tunneling in an SIN Junction
- CL03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
- by Dean Hudek
- Type: Invited
- Thin film tunneling has been a staple in our advanced labs for many years – which is only appropriate since Leon Cooper, the C in the BCS theory of superconductivity, is one of our faculty. Using photos and videos I will walk through the entire process of performing this lab, from understanding a 4 wire measurement, to creating the junctions in an evaporator, to transferring LHe and finally to collecting data. Along the way I will point out tips, tricks, potential pit falls and safety considerations involved in creating a similar apparatus for your lab and supporting it for students' use. This has long been one of my favorite advanced labs and I look forward to sharing it with you. Hope to see you at the talk!
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Two-Photon Momentum Entanglement and Interference
- CL04
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 5:40PM
- by Scott Johnson
- Type: Contributed
- Many undergrad labs now have the capability of doing experiments with entangled photons. Most of these use polarization-entangled photon pairs. With relatively small modifications, they can use momentum-entangled photons instead. The advantage of this is that the two-particle wave function, to an excellent approximation, can be calculated and graphed using the two-particle Schrodinger equation, allowing for a clearer and more intuitive visualization than for a polarization wave function. In this talk, I will show both experimental data and Schrodinger wave function calculations for two momentum-entanglement experiments. The first puts a pair of slits in one photon’s path and find a correlated interference pattern between the two photons. The second starts with the same slits in photon 1’s path, then puts a lens in the photon 2’s path, and finds an image of the slits in photon 2’s image plane, even though photon 2 never passed through the slits.
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The Teaching Research of Two Dimensional Standing Waves on Metal Plates*
- CL05
- Mon 07/18, 5:40PM - 5:50PM
by Yizhong Fang, Han Shen, Xintu Cui, Deju Liao, Raohui Feng
- Type: Contributed
- The analytical solution of Chladni figures on a thin metal plate is a difficult problem in theoretical acoustics. In our recent works, the two-dimensional standing waves on annular and circular plates (Chladni figures) are investigated both experimentally and theoretically at various kinds of boundary conditions. The experiments accord with the analytical solutions within large frequency scale. Furthermore, the radii of standing wave nodal circles in different frequencies and the elastic modulus of the plate are also obtained. In our program, such a contribution would be divided into three levels for undergraduate training. First, the two-dimensional standing waves of rectangular and circular plates explicated by freshmen experimentally and theoretically on high frequencies. Second, the similar work of annular plate is experienced by sophomores, who have learned the mathematical physics methods. Third, the problem with complex boundary such as fan or triangle will be studied by juniors or seniors.
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An Easily Assembled Spectrograph for the Intermediate Lab
- CL06
- Mon 07/18, 5:50PM - 6:00PM
- by Timothy Grove
- Type: Contributed
- We have been using low-cost spectrographs called shoebox spectrographs fora few years. In the process of our study, we decided to make a spectrograph using the same basic optical design (as the shoebox spectrograph) but with quality optical parts. This spectrograph was found to be easily aligned by students and enables intermediate and advanced students to study molecular spectral lines as well as the spectral line differences between hydrogen and deuterium.
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Monday Afternoon Break in the Exhibit Hall
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Monday Afternoon Break in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH05
- Mon 07/18, 3:30PM - 4:00PM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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Monday Afternoon Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
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Monday Afternoon Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH06
- Mon 07/18, 3:50PM - 3:55PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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Monday Morning Break in the Exhibit Hall
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Monday Morning Break in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH03
- Mon 07/18, 10:00AM - 10:30AM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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Monday Morning Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
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Monday Morning Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH04
- Mon 07/18, 10:20AM - 10:25AM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Exhibit Hall
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Monday Registration
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Monday Registration
- REG04
- Mon 07/18, 7:00AM - 5:00PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Registration
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Online Hybrid
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Technology Enhanced Learning: UT Knoxville’s Engage Engineering Fundamentals Program
- DE01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
by Amy Biegalski*, Richard Bennett, William Schelter, Rachel McCord, Isaac Jeldes
- Type: Invited
- Technology is inseparable from engineering and the current generation of students; educators need to optimize the balance between face-to-face instruction and digital learning. In UT’s interdisciplinary ENGAGE freshman engineering program, interaction and teamwork are merged with e-learning. In ENGAGE, students view online lectures and attend faculty team taught interactive lectures, and student teams collaborate in problem based labs and design projects supported by sensor and tablet technology. Our self-designed ENGAGE website brings cohesion to the program. The website includes an online homework system with feedback, daily supplemental materials, and lecture videos. The online discussion board allows students to get instructor assistance during off-hours. The increased student retention rate and student review data suggest that the program has been successful. The program is always in a transformative state and enhancing the student experience to stay at the forefront of best practices in the STEM higher education community.
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Using HTML5 Simulations to Teach Conceptual Physical Science
- DE02
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Bob Swanson
- Type: Invited
- Are your online physical science students learning through reading and listening? Would they rather be watching and doing? Would you like your online students to have a learning experience that more closely resembles a traditional classroom? One way to supplement your existing online instruction is through the use of video demonstrations, video tutorials, and HTML5 simulations. Utilizing these tools may also create a path toward “flipping” your traditional classroom as well. In any case, transforming your online, hybrid or traditional classes should not require you to reinvent the wheel. This presentation will help you identify low-cost or freely available resources for video production and HTML5 simulations, as well as demonstrate their implementation in an online class setting.
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Teaching Introductory Physics Labs in a Completely Online Environment
- DE03
- Tue 07/19, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Samya Zain, Marie Wagner, Robert Everly, Stephanie Schneider
- Type: Contributed
- In the summer of 2014 due to student schedule limitations we decided to develop an algebra-based introductory physics I course. We wanted it to be a completely online course and labs are an integral part of the course. We recognize that in many online courses students feel unengaged so we tried to make the lab-components as interactive as possible. The labs included an introduction, a pre-lab, lab report and a quiz. The access to each component was contingent on the completion of the previous component. Labs were considered finished on completion of the quiz. For some labs additionally, videos were created to help students feel connected and to allow them to experience a more typical laboratory setting verses impersonal simulations. Subsequently videos were used for the analysis of the data as well. These strategies have delivered encouraging results and help develop stronger teacher-student connections for future online physics classes.
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Other Papers
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Arts + Physics = STEAMed Physix
- DK01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
- by Taoufik Nadji
- Type: Contributed
- The presenter will share parts of a successful workshop conducted at MIAAPT's last fall meeting. He shall discuss/share how he has been incorporating various arts media to introduce physics concepts and encourage deeper reflections, better discussions, and richer writing within the physics curriculum.
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Infinite Circuits Are Easy. How About Long Ones?
- DK02
- Tue 07/19, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Mikhail Kagan, Xinzhe Wang
- Type: Contributed
- A ladder circuit is composed of resistors with alternating connections in series and parallel. An infinite ladder circuit made of identical resistors is known to have a “golden ratio” equivalent resistance. Things get much more interesting when the circuit is not infinite and when resistors are not all identical. We show how to derive a general explicit expression for the equivalent resistance as a function of the number of repeating blocks, R(n). This expression provides an insight on some adjacent topics, such as Fibonacci numbers, continued fractions and a druncard's random walk in a street with a gutter. We also remark on a possible method of solving the non-linear recurrent relation between R(n) and R(n+1). This result can be easily incorporated in a hands-on lab activity.
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Resonance in Long LC-Ladder Circuits
- DK03
- Tue 07/19, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by Elizabeth Seber*, Melanie Geiger, Mikhail Kagan
- Type: Contributed
- We investigated long but finite "ladder" circuits composed of alternating identical inductors and capacitors connected in series and parallel and derived an expression for the equivalent impedance of such circuits. The impedance formula’s remarkable simplicity allowed for the direct procurement of all resonance and anti-resonance frequencies. We tested our analytical results by constructing circuits ranging from one to 100 elements using the standard circuit simulation software (Multisim©), resulting in an equivalent impedance and voltage reading that agreed with our theoretical calculations. Additionally, we resolved the paradoxical phenomenon that for driving frequencies below some critical value, the impedance of a infinite purely reactive infinite circuit acquired a non-zero active part. Our formula revealed no paradox, and we investigated the behavior of the equivalent impedance as the circuit size increased. We did so for various representative values of driving frequency and again found our theoretical predictions in agreement with the modeled circuits.
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Solar Lantern Camp in Guatemala
- DK04
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Mary Brewer Sherer, Blane Baker, Macy Tush, Ian Langford
- Type: Contributed
- A team of physics faculty and students from William Jewell College spent four days with Mayan students in Guatemala teaching them to build solar lanterns for homes without electricity. The students developed the lanterns to be inexpensive, low maintenance, easy to assemble, and built form components that were either available in country or easily brought in. In conjunction with Xela AID, physics students held a four day science and technology camp that included teaching the Mayan students to build the lantern, including teaching electronics, soldering, and the basics of solar energy. Each student built their own lantern to take home.
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Serving Our Students, Measuring Learning Instead of Teaching*
- DK05
- Tue 07/19, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by Gay Stewart, John Stewart
- Type: Contributed
- How do we know if we are doing a good job in a physics course or program? Quantitative measures can seem impractical with small numbers of majors. Introducing innovative classroom techniques is not a guarantee of learning. Yet, there are concrete (if somewhat time consuming) measures that can allow us to improve our programs and demonstrate to our administrations that we are being effective. This sort of assessment can be very valuable in securing resources at your institution. The types of data every department should be keeping and how it impacts program development will be discussed.
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Outreach Program for High School Physics Students and Teachers
- DK06
- Tue 07/19, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by Michael Vineyard, Francis Wilkin
- Type: Contributed
- Beginning in 2008, the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Union College has held an annual workshop for high school physics teachers and students. In this one-day workshop, five to seven teams of teachers and students perform experiments to measure fundamental physical constants and gain experience with modern instrumentation and laboratory techniques. The goals of the program are to stimulate students to study physics and pursue careers in STEM, provide teachers with an exciting and enriching professional development experience, and establish a network through which the Department can support local high school physics education. An average of 17 students and 6 teachers per year have participated in the program. The workshop has been supported by the NASA New York Space Grant, the New York State Section of the APS, and the department. We will describe the workshop and discuss the benefits to the students, teachers, and the department.
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RECON – Citizen Science Investigation of the Outer Solar System
- DK07
- Tue 07/19, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by John Keller, Marc Buie
- Type: Contributed
- The Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network (RECON) is aninnovative citizen science astronomy research effort involving over 50 high schools stretching across the Western U.S. (Buie & Keller, 2016, Astronomical Journal, 151:73). Through support from NSF, we have provided telescopes and training to teachers and amateur astronomers in communities from Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona to create a network for studying Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs). Using stellar occultations, which occur when TNOs pass in front of distant stars, we can learn about the sizes, shapes, and other characteristics of these primordial solar system bodies, including whether they have moons and rings. Established in spring 2015, the full RECON network plans to coordinate 6-8 TNO occultation campaigns each year. With a modest investment in camera and timing equipment, teams from across the country with existing telescope resources (8” or larger) are welcome to join our campaign efforts (www.tnoRECON.net)
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Outreach Demonstrations
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LIGO SEC Connecting the Detection with Demos
- AH01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Kathy Holt
- Type: Invited
- The LIGO Lab in Livingston, LA, on Feb. 11, 2016, announced the detection of gravitational waves or ripples in space-time caused by the collision of two black holes. This is a new way of looking at the universe. LIGO Science Education Center seeks to connect the scientific discovery of gravitational waves to the public through simple science activities and demonstrations. Kathy Holt, Senior Science Educator at LIGO, will encourage the participation in activities and demos.
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What I Do at the U of U (University of Utah)
- AH02
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Adam Beehler
- Type: Invited
- Doing outreach is not my main job and was not the purpose of me being hired at the University of Utah's Department of Physics & Astronomy in Salt Lake City, UT. However, I have a passion for outreach and thus try to provide it when and where I can. I intend to share with you how I am able to pull it off. I will discuss aspects of organization, collaboration, funding, assessment, advertisement, implementation, safety, security, support, adaptation, etc. Basically, since I am the department's Lecture Demonstration Specialist and manage many demonstrations for regular classroom instruction, I am able to present such demonstrations to a wide variety of audiences outside of the regularly scheduled classes. I generally am able to share science this way with about 6,000-10,000 people annually. Hopefully, this talk will help others in some way with their outreach efforts.
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Considerations for a Successful and Long Running Outreach Program
- AH03
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 10:00AM
- by Dale Stille
- Type: Invited
- Many different aspects must come together in the creation of a successful,sustainable outreach program. In many respects the demonstrations and hands-on activities are of secondary importance when weighed against the problems of funding, transportation, staffing, infrastructure, etc. I will focus on those problems and some of the solutions that we have found while coordinating our long running “Hawk-Eyes on Science” and our recently implemented “Hawkeyes in Space” outreach programs at the University of Iowa Department of Physics and Astronomy. In addition I will show examples of demonstrations that we have chosen for their topic versatility and the variety of settings or themes in which we have used them.
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PER Advances in Problem Solving
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Synthesis Problem Solving in Physics
- BD01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
by Bashirah Ibrahim, Lin Ding
- Type: Invited
- Problem solving is a crucial and integral element that needs to be highlighted both as a learning goal and an assessment tool in physics education. Our project deals with synthesis problem solving, i.e physics tasks consisting of two or more distinct concepts, typically from different chapters and separated in the teaching timeline. The core of synthesis problem solving is the integration of multiple concepts and mathematical formulations emerging from the application of relevant concepts. We report on the overarching, on-going studies of this project namely: (i) common difficulties faced by students when tackling synthesis problems; (ii) the effects of mathematical complexity on students’ conceptual and mathematical performance with synthesis problems, and (iii) the effectiveness of two interventions, priming and analogical comparisons, in promoting students’ synthesis problem solving. Instructional implications are discussed.
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Perspectives on Problem Solving and Its Assessment*
- BD02
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Leonardo Hsu
- Type: Invited
- Research on problem solving can be traced back more than half a century. During that time, researchers have had many different perspectives on issues including what constitutes a problem, what are the cognitive processes critical to problem solving, characteristics of expert versus novice problem solving, and how problem-solving expertise can be measured. In this talk, I describe the perspectives of the Minnesota PER group and how they have influenced our work on using computers to coach students to become better problem solvers, as well as how we assess whether students have indeed improved their problem-solving skills.
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The Many Skills Used To Solve Complex Problems
- BD03
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
by Wendy Adams, Carl Wieman
- Type: Invited
- We have empirically identified over 40 distinct sub-skills that affect a person’s ability to solve complex problems in many different contexts. The identification of so many sub-skills explains why it has been so difficult to teach or assess problem solving as a single skill. The existence of these sub-skills is supported by several studies comparing a wide range of individuals’ strengths and weaknesses in these sub-skills, their “problem solving fingerprint,” while solving different types of problems, including a mechanics problem, quantum mechanics problems, and a complex trip planning problem with no physics. We see clear differences in the problem solving fingerprint of physics and engineering majors compared to the elementary education majors who we tested. The implications of these findings for guiding the teaching and assessing of problem solving in physics instruction will be discussed.
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Applying Ideas of Visual Cognition to Problem Solving in Physics*
- BD04
- Mon 07/18, 3:00PM - 3:30PM
by N. Sanjay Rebello, Elise Agra, Xian Wu, Tianlong Zu, Lester Loschky
- Type: Invited
- Problem solving is a major emphasis area of physics education that has been studied extensively over the past several decades. Frequently, physics problems – and their solutions – have strong visuospatial components. However, most research on physics problem solving has not drawn from research in visual cognition. Over the past four years a collaboration of physics education researchers and visual cognitive psychologists has been exploring and exploiting the link between cognition and eye movements manipulated by cueing and feedback to facilitate physics problem solving. We combine theoretical perspectives on problem solving, such as representational change theory with theoretical perspectives on visual cognition, such as multimedia learning theory; as well as empirical research on visual cueing and feedback to develop and refine a conceptual model for physics problem solving with multimedia cueing. I will describe the collaborative work of our group and possible implications for online learning in physics and other STEM disciplines. *This research is supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation under grants 1348857 and 1138697. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Foundation.
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PER Findings Related To Latin American Students
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The Multi-faceted Nature of Building Successful Learning Communities for the Success of Hispanic Students
- DL01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Idaykis Rodriguez
- Type: Invited
- Florida International University is a Hispanic-majority institution that has fostered thriving and successful learning communities for many underrepresented students in STEM majors. In physics, we implemented Modeling Instruction in introductory physics courses, hosted Modeling Instruction professional development workshops for local high school teachers, built a discipline-based education research group, and we have grown a large Learning Assistant (LA) program – all contributing to efforts to model a K-20 learning community that supports the success and persistence of all students. In this talk, I will highlight the long-term partnership between our local public school system and FIU in preparing and recruiting physics majors to the university system and present an examination of physics majors' persistence through to graduation. I will also discuss how reforms in active learning classrooms and the use of LAs have fostered success for our students.
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Physics Education Research: The Case of Latin America
- DL02
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Genaro Zavala
- Type: Invited
- In the last decades in the United States, Physics Education Research has been a research field of physics that has produced many outcomes that has changed how we perceive the education of physics. In many cases these results have influenced the way instructors teach physics in the classroom. Although it is not completely widespread, this influence has been important in the high school and university level. In Latin America there are a number of efforts that are worth to mention. However, the impact has been very low if we compare to that in the U.S. Several factors can be mentioned in order to have this current result. This contribution will describe some cases of success of Physics Education Research in Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America and will discuss some of the factors that prevent Latin America of having much more cases of success.
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PER in Upper Division
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A Framework for Understanding the Patterns ofStudent Difficulties in Quantum Mechanics
- BI01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
by Chandralekha Singh, Emily Marshman
- Type: Invited
- We describe a framework for understanding the patterns of student reasoning difficulties and how students develop expertise in quantum mechanics. The framework posits that the challenges many students face in developing expertise in quantum mechanics are analogous to the challenges introductory students face in developing expertise in classical mechanics. This framework incorporates the effects of diversity in students' prior preparation, goals and motivation for taking upper-level physics courses in general as well as the “paradigm shift” from classical mechanics to quantum mechanics. The framework is based on empirical investigations demonstrating that the patterns of reasoning, problem-solving, and self-monitoring difficulties in quantum mechanics bear a striking resemblance to those found in introductory classical mechanics. Examples from research in quantum mechanics and introductory mechanics will be discussed to illustrate how the patterns of difficulties are analogous as students learn to grasp the formalism in each knowledge domain during the development of expertise.
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Student Ontologies in Teaching Quantum Mechanics and Researching Student Difficulties
- BI02
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Charles Baily
- Type: Invited
- The primary focus of the majority of quantum mechanics education research to date has been on student difficulties with understanding and applying the mathematical formalism. Our research has shown that, regardless of the instructional approach, students do develop mental models of quantum processes, which influence (or are influenced by) their understanding of quantum theory. However, very little has been done to bridge the gap between these two lines of research; for example, the potential relationship between students' ontologies and their successes and difficulties with understanding quantum measurement has yet to be explored in depth. This talk will present evidence of the positive impact on student thinking of a modern physics curriculum that explicitly attends to students' classical and quantum ontologies. I will then summarize some of the efforts to draw connections between student ontologies and their understanding of quantum theory, and suggest potentially fruitful lines of research for the future.
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Ontologies in Quantum Mechanics as a Research and Instructional Lens*
- BI03
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
by Benjamin Dreyfus, Erin Sohr, Ayush Gupta, Jessica Hoy, Noah Finkelstein
- Type: Invited
- Developing expertise in quantum mechanics involves not only learning new physics concepts and using new mathematical tools, but activating new ontologies: conceptions about what kind of entity something is. For example, the quantum mechanical electron shares some attributes with a classical particle and some with a classical wave, but also displays characteristics without clear classical analogs. One element of gaining a deeper understanding of quantum mechanics is increased metacognition about the productive ontologies to activate in a given situation. This talk synthesizes results from a collaborative project at Maryland and Colorado to present the implications for both research and instruction of an ontologies perspective to learning quantum mechanics. Encouraging students’ ontological and metacognitive development has been a design goal for our curricular materials. Our research documents that students have the capacity for flexibility and reflectiveness around ontological conceptions, and this can benefit their understanding of quantum concepts.
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Session Summary: The State of Quantum Mechanics PER
- BI04
- Mon 07/18, 3:00PM - 3:30PM
- by Gina Passante
- Type: Invited
- I will act as a discussant for this invited session on PER in the upper division. In this role I will discuss how the research presented fits into the bigger picture of quantum mechanics PER, how the projects relate to each other, and propose some broader questions. I will leave plenty of time for the audience to ask additional questions of all presenters.
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PER: Diverse Investigations
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Assessing the Interactivity and Prescriptiveness of Professional Development Workshops
- CG01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:10PM
by Alice Olmstead, Chandra Turpen
- Type: Contributed
- Professional development workshops are a primary mechanism used to help physics faculty improve their teaching, and draw in many instructors every year. Although workshops serve a critical role in changing instruction within our community, we rarely assess them through careful consideration of how they engage faculty. In order to encourage a shift towards more reflective, research-informed professional development, we have developed an observation tool, the Real-Time Professional Development Observation Tool (R-PDOT), to document the form and focus of faculty's engagement during workshops. During this talk, I will describe the development of the R-PDOT and introduce example R-PDOT data from sessions at the Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop. We intend this tool to serve as a catalyst for workshop leaders’ critical reflection and a stepping stone for future research on faculty professional development.
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Career Preparation Models: Understanding the Interplay Between Education and Industry
- CG02
- Mon 07/18, 4:10PM - 4:20PM
by Benjamin Zwickl, Anne Leak, Kirk Winans, Kelly Martin
- Type: Contributed
- The national need for a knowledgeable and diverse STEM workforce is a powerful motive for improving physics education and conducting physics education research. However, there is a need for coherent models for workforce training. Some STEM advocates believe training is the responsibility of higher education, while others see industry playing an integral and cooperative role. We studied career preparation using 30 semi-structured interviews with new hires and their managers in physics-related careers. We developed a data-driven model for where learning happens and how it transfers into the workplace, and found that essential learning occurs inside and outside of the classroom (e.g., hobbies, internships). We compared our model with others suggested in literature. Workforce development advocates would benefit from a holistic training model that encompasses higher education and industry. Further, physics departments would benefit from understanding the broad range of opportunities they can offer students for their future careers.
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Curricular Knowledge as an Entry Point for Responsive Instruction*
- CG03
- Mon 07/18, 4:20PM - 4:30PM
by Amy Robertson, Kara Gray, Clarissa Lovegren, Kathryn Rininger, Scott Wenzinger
- Type: Contributed
- Instruction that attends to and takes up the substance of what students are saying and doing – or “responsive instruction” – has the potential to transform learners’ participation in the practices of science, support learner agency and voice, and promote equitable participation in the classroom, while preserving the conceptual gains our field has so long prized. In this talk, we show that the development of curricular knowledge – in this case, an understanding of the purposes of questions or sequences of questions in the "Tutorials in Introductory Physics" curriculum – can support the enactment of responsive teaching practices among novice teachers. We suggest possible implications for teacher education and future research.*The material in this talk is based upon work supported by a Seattle Pacific University Faculty Research Grant and by National Science Foundation Grant Number 122732.
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Linking Workshop Design to Faculty’s Engagement in Professional Development
- CG04
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 4:40PM
by Chandra Turpen, Hannah Jardine, Alice Olmstead
- Type: Contributed
- Faculty often become motivated to try research-based instructional strategies (RBIS) after attending professional development workshops, but they are often underprepared to succeed in using RBIS [1]. In order to further explore the outcomes of faculty professional development, we analyze video-recordings of faculty’s interactions during the Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop. We select workshop episodes using our Real-time Professional Development Observation Tool, which allows us to identify instances where faculty members are voicing their ideas and collaborating with each other. We consider how workshop leaders’ design decisions seem to influence faculty’s engagement, e.g., how faculty take up workshop instructions, make sense of workshop activities, share and elaborate on their ideas, and justify their arguments. Lastly, we discuss the potential implications of these findings for faculty’s future teaching practice.
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Improved Recruitment to Build a Better Faculty Online Learning Community
- CG05
- Mon 07/18, 4:40PM - 4:50PM
by Adrienne Traxler, Gillian Ryan, Andy Rundquist, Joel Corbo, Melissa Dancy
- Type: Contributed
- A Faculty Online Learning Community (FOLC) is a follow-up experience for participants in the Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshops. FOLC cohorts, composed of faculty members from around the country, meet biweekly by video for discussion with guest speakers and with each other about implementing active learning in their classrooms. Between meetings, members continue conversations, post materials, and ask for advice in a private social media group. FOLCs are intended to support faculty in meeting the challenges of classroom reform, which can be substantial even after attending the New Faculty Workshop. As a secondary benefit, FOLC cohorts have also proved to be a sounding board and discussion space for a broader range of issues facing junior faculty. Here we describe the ongoing development of the cohort formation process, with a particular focus on how recruitment and community-building efforts have evolved during the project.
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Online Learning Communities to Support Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- CG06
- Mon 07/18, 4:50PM - 5:00PM
by Andy Rundquist, Melissa Dancy, Joel Corbo, Charles Henderson, Adrienne Traxler
- Type: Contributed
- Faculty Online Learning Communities (FOLC) have recently been added to theNew Faculty Workshops for Physics and Astronomy to help foster reflective teachers who are aware of and successfully adopt evidence-based pedagogical strategies. FOLC participants are encouraged to research their own teaching and the FOLC serves to support them and provide opportunities for communal research. This presentation will detail the first round of this research including an effort by several participants to have their students assess the work of their colleagues’ students on the same lab taught at multiple institutions.
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How Can Asynchronous Communication Support Virtual Faculty Learning Communities?
- CG07
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:10PM
by Joel Corbo, Melissa Dancy, Charles Henderson, Andy Rundquist
- Type: Contributed
- The Physics and Astronomy New Faculty Workshop (NFW) does a good job of inspiring participants to try evidence-based teaching practices, but participants often face significant barriers to innovation that cause them to eventually revert to traditional instruction. Faculty Online Learning Communities (FOLCs) are year-long, virtual faculty communities designed to support participants after attending the in-person NFW. FOLCs provides participants with a community of peers and ongoing support to make it more likely that they will overcome barriers to improved teaching. In this presentation, we will analyze one FOLC communication channel: a private online message board. We will discuss how factors like the frequency and type of comments change over time as FOLC participants generate mutual trust and how these discussions support the learning that takes place during the synchronous FOLC meetings.
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Helping Engineers to Become Effective Physics Teachers – Part A
- CG08
- Mon 07/18, 5:10PM - 5:20PM
by Shulamit Kapon, Avraham Merzel
- Type: Contributed
- How can we attract top university physics and engineering students to a career in teaching physics? How should we structure our teacher training programs to fit and best prepare talented people to become effective physics teachers and educational leaders? The Views program, launched at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, invites Technion graduates back to the Technion to earn an additional bachelor's degree in the Faculty of Education in Science and Technology. This talk discusses the physics education track within this program and focuses on the changes that are being made in the four physics PCK courses to provide a better fit for this unique population of students. The underlying principle guiding the design is to train these prospective physics teachers to become “learning engineers” instead of “transmitters of knowledge”, and to shift their attention from “what I teach” to students’ engagement and their learning.
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Helping Engineers to Become Effective Physics Teachers – Part B
- CG09
- Mon 07/18, 5:20PM - 5:30PM
by Avraham Merzel*, Shulamit Kapon
- Type: Contributed
- How can we attract top university physics and engineering students to a career in teaching physics? How should we structure our teacher training programs to fit and best prepare talented people to become effective physics teachers and educational leaders? We discuss the design, teaching, and learning in an innovative physics methods course that was structured as a workshop. This course is the first of four that focus on physics PCK in the Views program at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The program invites Technion graduates back to the Technion to earn an additional bachelor's degree in science teaching. We present preliminary findings from a study that followed the students throughout the course, focus on the difficulties these pre-service teachers experienced with regard to the design and teaching of engaging lessons in physics, and discuss how we supported the students in this process.
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Supplemental Instruction Leader Development: A Longitudinal Study
- CG10
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 5:40PM
by Sissi Li, Gabriela Vasquez, Jennie Evangelista, Philip Janowicz
- Type: Contributed
- Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a program developed to target gateway courses with low passing rates. Students in these courses have the option to attend regular sessions outside of lecture where they are guided through problem solving and learning through group work. Each session is led by an SI leader, a student who has done well in the course and has applied for the position. Because student success is the primary goal of the program, much of the research focuses on student success. However, SI leaders also learn and grow significantly as a result of participating in the program. In this study, we have conducted longitudinal interviews with SI leaders in STEM disciplines to examine their experience in the program. We will present findings about the SI leaders’ ideas about teaching and learning, their growth as content experts, and professionals in their fields.
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National Survey: Computation Uses, Resources, and Attitudes in Undergraduate Physics*
- CG11
- Mon 07/18, 5:40PM - 5:50PM
by Norman Chonacky, Marcos Caballero, Laura Merner, Robert Hilborn
- Type: Contributed
- During past decades, computers have evolved from useful lab instruments tonecessary problem solvers. Computation has become indispensable, interrelated to both theory and experiment, as a third methodology for solving scientific and engineering problems. By comparison, its effects on undergraduate education have been large in a few enclaves, spotty in others, and somewhere nearly nil. At least a decade of research on recent graduates with physics bachelor degrees has concluded this is a significant problem. Until now there has been no comprehensive assessment of departmental uses of computation, institutional environments for its integration into courses, personnel resources to effect such change, and local understanding of instructional methods helpful to its efficacy for learning physics. This survey is now completed. We report initial results in the context of computational curricular experiences, departmental resources and plans that the survey was designed to assess; complete details will follow at the 2017 winter meeting.
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PER: Evaluating Instructional Strategies
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Effects of Animated Video Solutions on Learning and Metacognition
- EB01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
by Jason Morphew, Jose Mestre
- Type: Contributed
- Students preparing for physics exams must make decisions on what material to study, how to best prepare, and estimate their preparedness. Previous research has demonstrated that low performing students tend to over predict their learning and preparedness. Research has shown that simplifying the reading level in texts leads to gains in comprehension as well as larger gains in confidence in comprehension. We present data where low performing students in an introductory mechanics course completed an animated video solution intervention. Participants completed a pre-test, viewed video solutions, then completed a post-test. Confidence judgements were made after attempting each problem and after viewing the video solutions. Data will show whether or not students are able to learn from viewing video solutions for previously solved problems. We also present data about students’ prediction of their performance. We discuss the educational implications of our findings.
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Comparison of Lecture/Laboratory Format with SCALE-UP Classes
- EB02
- Tue 07/19, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
by Zeynep Topdemir, Ebru Oncul, David Trusty, Brian Thoms
- Type: Contributed
- In this study, we have examined the differences of lab and lecture activities in Lecture/Laboratory format and SCALE-UP classes for algebra-based introductory physics. Also, we have investigated the effects of these differences on success and withdrawal rates, student conceptual learning as measured by the Force Concept Inventory (FCI), and student attitudes as measured by Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS). Even though SCALE-UP algebra-based physics classes show no significant increase in FCI gains over traditional classes, SCALE-UP intervention shows a significant improvement in CLASS favorable scores for both Conceptual Understanding and Problem Solving categories.
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Evaluating JiTT and Peer Instruction Using Clickers in a Quantum Mechanics Course
- EB03
- Tue 07/19, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
by Ryan Sayer, Emily Marshman, Chandralekha Singh
- Type: Contributed
- Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) is an instructional strategy involving feedback from students on pre-lecture activities in order to design in-class activities to build on the continuing feedback from students. We investigate the effectiveness of a JiTT approach, which included in-class concept tests using clickers in an upper-division quantum mechanics course. We analyze student performance on pre-lecture reading quizzes, in-class clicker questions answered individually, and clicker questions answered after group discussion, and compare those performances with open-ended retention quizzes administered after all instructional activities on the same concepts. In general, compared to the reading quizzes, student performance improved in individual concept tests administered using clickers after lecture focusing on student difficulties found via electronic feedback. The performance on the group concept tests administered after the individual concept tests and on retention quizzes also showed improvement. We discuss possible reasons for the improvement in performance from pre-lecture quizzes to post-lecture concept tests and from individual to group concept tests and retention quizzes.
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Using and Improving Mastery-Style Online Homework in a Large Introductory Course
- EB04
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
by Brianne Gutmann, Gary Gladding, Timothy Stelzer, Noah Schroeder
- Type: Contributed
- The successful implementation of mastery-style online homework into our preparatory mechanics course has been a long-term project, currently in its second year. By requiring students to perfect a single unit of defined competencies before moving on to its successive unit (with intervening narrated animated solutions for instructional support), this homework delivery method replaced traditional immediate feedback online homework for the class of about 500 students. After the first year of data collection and analysis, significant revisions were made to the system’s delivery, content, and messaging. The impact of these changes and second year data will be presented.
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Measuring the Impact of Mastery Inspired Activities in Introductory Physics
- EB05
- Tue 07/19, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
by Tim Stelzer, Ferrona Lie, Noah Shroeder
- Type: Contributed
- We have introduced mastery inspired activities into our introductory electricity and magnetism course. These activities provide students an opportunity to develop basic skills through repeated practice and feedback. In this talk we will present results on the impact these activities had on student learning in a large introductory electricity and magnetism class at the University of Illinois.
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Toward Instructional Design Principles: Inducing Faraday’s Law with Contrasting Cases
- EB06
- Tue 07/19, 2:20PM - 2:30PM
by Eric Kuo, Carl Wieman
- Type: Contributed
- In discussion sections of a large, introductory physics course, a pair of studies compare two instructional strategies for teaching Faraday’s law: having students (i) explain a set of contrasting cases or (ii) apply and build on previously learned concepts. We show that contrasting cases not only lead to better performance on subsequent Faraday’s law questions, but also prepare students to better learn related topics, such as Lenz’s law. We argue that early exposure to contrasting cases better focuses student attention on a key feature: change in magnetic flux. Importantly, the benefits of contrasting cases are enhanced for students who did not first attend a Faraday’s law lecture, suggesting that being told the answer can circumvent the benefits of its discovery. These studies illustrate an experimental approach for understanding how the structure of classroom activities affects learning and performance outcomes, a first step toward design principles for effective instructional materials.
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The Effects of Group Structure in an Introductory Studio Classroom
- EB07
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
by Kristine Callan, Samuel Spiegel
- Type: Contributed
- At Colorado School of Mines, we teach introductory physics using a hybrid lecture-studio model. In studio, students are split into groups of three to work through scaffolded problems and experiments. We want to know whether heterogeneous or homogenous group structures yield the most effective learning in our particular context. Each group structure has its own set of advantages (e.g., diversity of understandings and skills vs. ease of communication) and disadvantages (e.g., difficulty of communication vs. potential lack of understandings and skills). To explore the answer to this question, we assigned half of each studio class to groups with mixed physics proficiency and gender, and the other half to groups with matched physics proficiency and gender. We evaluate the performance of each group type according to the students’ scores and responses on the FMCE, common course exams, the CLASS, and an internal survey about their studio groups.
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Students’ Investigation of Thermal Radiation with Infrared Cameras
- EB08
- Tue 07/19, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
- by Jesper Haglund*
- Type: Contributed
- First-year university physics students (N = 42) were engaged in an open-ended laboratory module of a thermodynamics course, with a focus on understanding a chosen phenomenon or the principle of laboratory apparatus, such as thermal radiation or a heat pump. In the practical investigation, students had at their disposal handheld infrared (IR) cameras. Students’ interaction with the laboratory exercises and oral presentations were video recorded, and three episodes were selected for qualitative analysis. Students used IR cameras in the investigation of interaction of thermal radiation with matter, e.g. metals, glass or whiteboard surfaces. For instance, the function of a glass window is to let through visible light, but reflect radiation in the IR range for insulation purposes. Students were intrigued to find black- and white-painted surfaces to have similar thermal emissivity. As an implication, IR cameras were found to be useful tools in open practical thermodynamics exercises.
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Specifications Grading in a Large Enrollment ISLE Physics Class
- EB09
- Tue 07/19, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
- by David Brookes
- Type: Contributed
- I will report on an experiment to implement a specifications grading* approach to assessment in a large-enrollment (130 students) introductory algebra-based physics course at California State University, Chico. In specifications grading, criteria for adequate performance need to be clearly specified, and all criteria are graded pass/fail. In adapting this assessment approach to the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) philosophy, I created homework and exam questions that that tested different (sometimes overlapping) clusters of scientific abilities. Students needed to perform adequately on all the specified scientific abilities in order to pass that particular question. This allowed for a more process-focused approach to assessment while still emphasizing key physics content. I will report on the effectiveness of this approach to assessment as gauged by quantitative shifts in students’ attitudes and gains in conceptual understanding as well as qualitative data from student interviews.
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Reform Introductory Quantum Mechanics: Three Years In*
- EB10
- Tue 07/19, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
by R. Daryl Pedigo, Gina Passante, Paul Emigh
- Type: Contributed
- During the 2012-13 academic year, a small team at the University of Washington began development of a thoroughly revamped sophomore-level introduction to quantum mechanics course for physics majors. The course was first taught in the summer of 2013, and has been revised continuously since that time. Over 400 students have taken this course to date. An outline of the course structure and materials will be presented, along with one set of pre-/post-test results plus commentary on what seems to work and what does not.
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Pathways Through Introductory Physics: Effects of Switching Between Course Formats*
- EB11
- Tue 07/19, 3:10PM - 3:20PM
by Jacquelyn Chini, Matthew Wilcox, Zeynep Topdemir, Jarrad Pond
- Type: Contributed
- As part of a project to explore the varying success of studio-mode courses, we are investigating institutional barriers that may lead to different student outcomes. As institutions adopt new instructional models, some may embrace the change more slowly, such that students have the option to take courses in multiple formats. We explore the pathways of students through the introductory physics sequence at two universities that have transformed some of their sections into studios, such that students may take the first semester course in either lecture-mode or studio-mode and then choose to stay with that mode or switch for the second semester. We report on correlations between first semester student outcomes on their choice to “switch” or “stay” and subsequent outcomes in the second semester as measured by conceptual and attitudinal surveys.
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Natural Language vs. Multiple Choice Format in Computer-Based Practice
- EB12
- Tue 07/19, 3:20PM - 3:30PM
by Ryan Badeau, Andrew Heckler
- Type: Contributed
- In order to evaluate the relative effectiveness of different question formats and levels of interaction during computer-based practice, students from two introductory-level mechanics classes were trained on the concepts of force and motion as part of one of four different training conditions. The training conditions varied the format of student responses (short answer, natural language versus multiple choice format) and the level of interaction in the feedback provided (a single, provided explanation versus constructive follow-up questions). Overall, the natural language format with follow-up dialog provided the largest gains over control, with retention over a month after training. In addition, we see some evidence that the effectiveness of the different formats varies based on initial student knowledge.
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PER: Examining Content Understanding and Reasoning
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Examining Student Reasoning with Multi-variable Expressions*
- EJ01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
by Mila Kryjevskaia, Cody Gette, Paula Heron, Andrew Boudreaux, MacKenzie Stetzer
- Type: Contributed
- It has been shown that students encounter significant reasoning difficulties when interpreting and applying multi-variable expressions. For example, students often argue that because the frequency of a periodic wave is expressed in terms of wavelength and propagation speed, the frequency must change when the speed changes. Similarly, many students think that the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor will change if the potential difference between its plates is varied. In this talk, we report on an investigation of the extent to which problematic reasoning approaches are related to (1) the level of abstractness of a presented situation and (2) the specific features of the task itself.
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Examining Students' Abilities to Follow and Evaluate Qualitative Reasoning Chains*
- EJ02
- Tue 07/19, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
by William Ferm, John Speirs, MacKenzie Stetzer
- Type: Contributed
- While there has been a large body of work investigating the effectiveness of scaffolded, researched-based physics instruction, much less is known about the development of students’ reasoning abilities in these instructional environments. As part of a larger collaborative project, we have been examining the ability of students to construct qualitative reasoning chains. In particular, we have been designing and implementing tasks to assess the extent to which introductory physics students are able to logically follow and characterize hypothetical student reasoning in a variety of physics contexts. In one task, for example, students are asked to infer the conclusions that would be drawn from different lines of reasoning articulated by hypothetical students. In this presentation, we will discuss the development of such tasks and share preliminary results.
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Examining Students’ Multi-step Reasoning in Energy Contexts*
- EJ03
- Tue 07/19, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
by Andrew Boudreaux, Beth Lindsey
- Type: Contributed
- As part of a multi-institution collaboration, we are examining students’ multi-step, qualitative reasoning in physics. An important part of this work is developing methods for disentangling conceptual understanding from reasoning. In this talk, we present and analyze responses on tasks in which students apply energy concepts to simple situations. One such task involves a hand moving a book with changing speed through a uniform gravitational field. Most students struggle to coordinate the energy input (work done by the hand) and the energy changes (changes in kinetic energy and in gravitational potential energy). At the 2016 Winter AAPT meeting, Lindsey described the reasoning of introductory physics students at Penn State Greater Allegheny; this talk follows up by presenting results from interviews with pre-service teachers and upper-division physics students at Western Washington University.
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Probing Student Ability to Construct Reasoning Chains: A New Methodology*
- EJ04
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
by J. Caleb Speirs, William Ferm Jr., MacKenzie Stetzer, Beth Lindsey
- Type: Contributed
- Students are often asked to construct qualitative reasoning chains during scaffolded, research-based physics instruction. As part of a multi-institutional effort to investigate and assess the development of student reasoning skills in physics, we have been designing tasks that probe the extent to which students can create and evaluate reasoning chains. In one task, students are provided with correct reasoning elements (i.e., true statements about the physical situation as well as correct concepts and mathematical relationships) and are asked to assemble them into an argument that they can use to answer a specified physics problem. In this talk, the task will be described in detail and preliminary results will be presented.
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Student Ability to Use Complex Numbers in Quantum Mechanics
- EJ05
- Tue 07/19, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
by Tong Wan, Paul Emigh, Gina Passante, Peter Shaffer
- Type: Contributed
- The Physics Education Group at the University of Washington has been investigating student ability to use complex numbers in quantum mechanics. Complex numbers are essential to quantum mechanics. In particular, the relative phases of quantum states, which can be represented by complex numbers, are critical to understanding quantum concepts such as interference and time dependence. We present data from sophomore and junior-level quantum mechanics courses to illustrate some of the errors that students encounter in using complex numbers.
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Student Construction and Use of Three-Dimensional Coordinate System Differential Elements*
- EJ06
- Tue 07/19, 2:20PM - 2:30PM
by Benjamin Schermerhorn, John Thompson
- Type: Contributed
- As part of an effort to examine students’ understanding of the structure of non-Cartesian coordinate systems and the differential elements associated with these systems when using vector calculus in electricity and magnetism (E&M), students in junior E&M were interviewed in pairs. In one task, students were asked to determine differential length and volume elements for an unconventional spherical coordinate system. While all pairs eventually arrived at the correct differential elements, some students unsuccessfully attempted to reason by recalling and/or mapping from elements in spherical or Cartesian coordinates, only to recognize their error later when checking their work. We have documented several ideas that students use, and certain actions they undertake, while working through the task. Across-interview comparisons allow for characterization of student successes and difficulties in terms of whether these ideas are present and how they are grouped and ordered.
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Student Difficulties with Expectation Values in Quantum Mechanics
- EJ07
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
by Chandralekha Singh, Emily Marshman
- Type: Contributed
- To investigate the difficulties that upper-level undergraduate and graduate students have with expectation values of physical observables in the context of Dirac notation, we administered free-response and multiple-choice questions and conducted individual interviews with students. We find that advanced students display common difficulties with expectation values. Results will be discussed. We thank the National Science Foundation for support.
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Student Difficulties with Quantum Operators Corresponding to Observables
- EJ08
- Tue 07/19, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
by Emily Marshman, Chandralekha Singh
- Type: Contributed
- To investigate the difficulties that upper-level undergraduate and graduate students have with quantum operators in the context of Dirac notation, we administered free-response and multiple-choice questions and conducted individual interviews with students. We find that students display common difficulties with these topics. Results will be discussed. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation.
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Student Ideas About Coordinate Systems in the Upper Division
- EJ09
- Tue 07/19, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
by Brian Farlow, Mike Loverude, Marlene Vega, Warren Christensen
- Type: Contributed
- As part of a broader study on student thinking about mathematics in the undergraduate physics curriculum, we report on students’ ideas about coordinate systems in the upper division. Early evidence suggests that upper-division physics students struggle to answer conceptual and pictorial questions requiring the use of Cartesian and non-Cartesian coordinate systems. Specifically, students have difficulty identifying the motion of objects using plane polar coordinates. Not recognizing that both radial displacement and polar angle change with respect to time for motion along non-circular paths is a specific example of this difficulty. We report findings from one-on-one interviews that used a think-aloud protocol designed to shed light on student thinking within this domain.
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Student Reasoning with Vectors through the Physics Curriculum*
- EJ10
- Tue 07/19, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
by Michael Loverude, Marlene Vega
- Type: Contributed
- The vector concept is used in physics instruction beginning in the introductory level. While initial encounters with vectors are firmly grounded in experience, (e.g., a displacement vector in two- or three-dimensional space, with magnitude and a direction), the vector concept grows to include far more abstract ideas. As part of an NSF-supported research and curriculum development project, we have studied student reasoning across several upper-division physics courses, including mathematical methods. For this presentation, we describe theoretical and empirical views of the development and expansion of the vector concept, with examples of student responses and a discussion of implications for instruction.
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PER: Exploring Problem Solving Approaches and Skills
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Can Analogical Reasoning Help Students Learn to Solve Synthesis Problems?
- AI01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Daniel White, Ryan Badeau, Bashirah Ibrahim, Andrew Heckler, Lin Ding
- Type: Contributed
- Improving students’ skills in solving synthesis problems, which are problems requiring the application of multiple concepts such as energy conservation and kinematics, is typically a key instructional goal. We have previously found that students struggle with some synthesis problems more than their single-concept counterparts in part because of difficulty recognizing all the relevant concepts or that multiple concepts are needed. Analogical reasoning, which involves practice activities that guide students through comparisons of the deep structure of physics problems, is a promising technique for helping students recognize relevant concepts in novel problems. We report on a couple experiments testing simple implementations of analogical reasoning and show that these activities can be effective in improving student performance on synthesis problems. However, we also show evidence that these activities may not be as useful in cases where concept recognition is a less significant bottleneck.
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Identifying Student Difficulties in Causal Reasoning
- AI02
- Mon 07/18, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Lindsay Owens, Lei Bao, Kathy Koenig
- Type: Contributed
- There has been an increasing push for the refinement of curricula in university level algebra-based and calculus-based physics classes to focus on scientific reasoning skills. There are nine recognized domains of scientific reasoning, and this study focused on the causal reasoning domain. Quantitative data were gathered from selected items given as part of the Inventory of Scientific Thinking and Reasoning (iSTAR) assessment at the beginning and end of two semesters. The focus of this analysis was to identify student difficulties in making causal judgements. Initial results from the data suggested that students entangle forward and reverse causality statements; they often selected a forward causal statement "X causes Y" and a reverse causal statement "Y causes X" simultaneously to explain some observed result.
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Prompted Evaluation in Calculus-based Introductory Physics
- AI03
- Mon 07/18, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by MacKenzie Lenz, Elizabeth Gire
- Type: Contributed
- Physics instructors generally expect students to think about the correctness and reflect on the meanings of their answers. This answer evaluation process may include a variety of considerations, including checking units, looking at limiting cases, and thinking about the reasonableness of numbers. In order to encourage answer evaluation, instructors explicitly prompt for it in class assignments. We examine students’ responses to such a prompt on homework and exam problems in a large enrollment first term calculus-based physics course. We will discuss the distribution of strategies students used, student performance with these strategies, and the extent to which the development of answer evaluation skills was supported throughout the course.
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Purpose of Representation Use in Modeling Instruction Physics
- AI04
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Daryl McPadden, Vashti Sawtelle, Marcos Caballero, Eric Brewe
- Type: Contributed
- Representations (i.e. graphs, equations, pictures) are the foundational tools that students use to understand and solve physics problems. This study aims to understand the purpose with which students use particular representations. In the Modeling Instruction courses, representation use is a primary focus with explicit class time spent on introducing, practicing, coordinating, and applying multiple representations. Consequently, we conducted pre/post think-aloud, problem-solving interviews with groups of students in the Modeling Instruction – Electricity and Magnetism (MI-E&M) course. In each recorded interview, students were asked to solve three physics problems, which varied by context (mechanics and E&M), difficulty, and familiarity with the topic to show the breadth of how students use representations when problem solving. From video analysis and coding, we will present the common themes and purposes with which students use various representations.
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The Impact of Students’ Epistemological Framing and Beliefs on a Task Requiring Representational Consistency*
- AI05
- Mon 07/18, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by Alexandru Maries, Chandralekha Singh
- Type: Contributed
- The ability to flexibly transform between different representations (e.g.,from mathematical to graphical representations) of the same concept is a hallmark of expertise. This ability is often lacking in many introductory students as evidenced by the lack of consistency in students’ representations (i.e., students construct two representations for the same concept in the same situation that are not consistent with one another). In this study, we asked students to construct two representations for the electric field for a situation involving spherical symmetry (charged conducting sphere surrounded by charged conducting spherical shell). This type of problem has been found to result in many students constructing representations that are not consistent with one another. Here, we present findings from individual interviews with students which suggest that students’ lack of consistency may partly be attributed to the type of knowledge that the graphical and mathematical contexts trigger. Using the epistemic games framework terminology, the two representations students are asked to construct (mathematical vs. graphical) may lead them to play two different epistemic games. We discuss how students’ epistemological framing and beliefs may contribute to their lack of representational consistency.
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Using Spaced Recall to Encourage Expert Practice
- AI06
- Mon 07/18, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by Eugene Torigoe, Dominic Licata
- Type: Contributed
- Introductory physics students were shown an example problem and asked to recall the solution from memory over a period of weeks, with feedback after each attempt. The structure of this activity was designed to reward expert practices that benefit the long-term retention of information. For example, reasoning with a diagram to form the proper equation, rather than just memorizing the equation. This talk will discuss the performance of a class of 15 students throughout an entire semester, as well as the analysis of four videotaped interviews.
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Using the Cognitive Reflection Test to Investigate Student Reasoning Inconsistencies*
- AI07
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Nathaniel Grosz, Mila Kryjevskaia, Cody Gette, Andrew Boudreaux, MacKenzie Stetzer
- Type: Contributed
- Students who demonstrate correct conceptual knowledge and formal reasoningapproaches on one physics question often abandon these approaches in favor of more intuitive reasoning on an isomorphic question. The heuristic-analytic theory of reasoning suggests that the intuitive approaches used by these students stem from the heuristic process and are cued by salient, distracting features of the isomorphic problems. This apparent failure to engage the analytic process productively may stem from a lack of metacognition. We speculate that the students who continue to use formal reasoning on the isomorphic problems tend to be more reflective, analytical thinkers. In order to investigate this possibility, we have been using the Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) in conjunction with a pair of isomorphic questions to examine the extent to which students’ reflection abilities impact performance.
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PER: Modeling Student Engagement
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Characterizing How Students Group Themselves for Group Exams
- CB01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:10PM
- by Joss Ives
- Type: Contributed
- When using ad hoc student groups for group exams, how do students group themselves? Are there clear preferences for grouping by sex, ability in the course, or years in university? In courses with multiple opportunities to form these ad hoc groups, do these preferences change as the course proceeds? This research is part of a larger study investigating the factors that contribute to group success, both in terms of the group’s performance on that group exam as well as the performance of individuals on later assessments.
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Group Formation on Physics Exams
- CB02
- Mon 07/18, 4:10PM - 4:20PM
by Steven Wolf, Cody Blakeney, Hunter Close
- Type: Contributed
- As our classrooms become more active and collaborative, we need to consider ways that our assessments can take on the same active and collaborative spirit that our classes have. One way that has come into practice is through the use of group exams. We hypothesize that student groupings are embedded within exam response data giving us an assessment of our students' social profiles. This makes group exam response data an untapped resource that can tell us more about our students than their score on an exam. Using a duplicate exam format, we are developing a method for analyzing group formation for a particular exam using the framework of network analysis. This method will be compared to self-reported student grouping data for verification. Looking forward, we will consider questions such as, “Who do I need to work harder to include in the class?” and “Who might make a good LA?”
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Performance and Active Engagement Through the Lens of Classroom Networks
- CB03
- Mon 07/18, 4:20PM - 4:30PM
by Eric Williams, Justyna Zwolak, Eric Brewe, Remy Dou
- Type: Contributed
- Theories developed by Tinto and Nora identify academic performance, learning gains, and student involvement in learning communities as important facets of student engagement that support student persistence. Collaborative learning environments, such as those employed in the Modeling Instruction (MI) introductory physics course, are considered especially important. Due to the inherently social nature of collaborative learning, we examine student social interactions in the classroom using Network Analysis methods to analyze a survey administered periodically in class. We then calculate centrality, a family of measures that quantify how connected or "central" a particular student is within the classroom social network. Building on previous work indicating relationships between classroom interactions and performance, we investigate this relationship further to better understand how student engagement manifests in the context of a large-scale MI course at Florida International University.
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Assessing Difficult to Assess Learning Goals -- Formative Feedback in P3
- CB04
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 4:40PM
by Paul Irving, Marcos Caballero
- Type: Contributed
- P3 is a transformed introductory mechanics course at Michigan State University that focuses on the development of scientific practices. The design team, as part of the P3 course design made explicit attempts to assess learning goals that can often be perceived as being a part of the hidden curriculum or considered difficult to assess (for example: learning to work productively in a group). This assessment is in the form of formative feedback with students receiving a numbered grade and reflective commentary based around their interactions in the classroom for the week. In this presentation, case studies formed from student interviews conducted at the beginning and end of the semester are discussed to highlight how the formative feedback received, effected changes in student interactions in class. The presentation also highlights students’ reflections on the feedback and how the effect it had on them changed over time.
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"Stupidity in Science" - NOS Lesson or Balm for Inquiry Angst?*
- CB06
- Mon 07/18, 4:50PM - 5:00PM
by Andy Johnson, Brant Hinrichs, Christos Deligkaris
- Type: Contributed
- Students in research-and-inquiry-based physics courses tend to feel uneasywith the lack of answers from the professor or textbook. Years of traditional schooling teach students to seek answers outside of their own reasoning. Also, students tend to bring to our classrooms unproductive views of science as being about "right answers" and they discount sense-making. Despite our efforts to encourage students to take risks and rely on their wits, many students feel unease about their ideas because they are not from authorities. Martin Schwartz addressed a similar concern among scientists in his essay "The importance of stupidity in scientific research". In this article Schwartz frames ignorance or stupidity as the essential driver of scientific research. We have investigated changes in student affect that result from reading this article as a homework assignment and find that, while students often misunderstand the point of the article, their feelings about the course improve considerably. *The Inquiry into Radioactivity Project has been supported by NSF DUE grant 0942699. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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Splits in Students’ Attitudes Toward Classical and Quantum Physics*
- CB07
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:10PM
by Benjamin Dreyfus, Jessica Hoy, Erin Sohr, Ayush Gupta, Andrew Elby
- Type: Contributed
- Instruments that measure students’ attitudes and epistemological beliefs about physics often assume implicitly that “physics” is monolithic. That is, while there are multiple dimensions to student attitudes, physics itself is treated as a single discipline. We administered a survey in modern physics courses for engineering students, with modified CLASS (Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey) survey items in which “physics” was changed to “classical physics” and “quantum physics,” and found significant splits between students’ self-reported attitudes toward classical and quantum physics, both pre- and post-instruction. Specifically, students display greater evidence of real-world connections and problem-solving sophistication with classical than with quantum physics. We also found that, under some conditions, quantum physics instruction was associated with a pre-/post-shift in attitudes toward classical physics.
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Research on Identity Trajectories in Undergraduate Research Experiences
- CB08
- Mon 07/18, 5:10PM - 5:20PM
by Gina Quan, Chandra Turpen, Andrew Elby
- Type: Contributed
- In this talk, we analyze shifts in students’ identity trajectories as undergraduate physics majors participating in their first research experiences. Students in the study participated in an elective seminar in which they were paired with graduate student and faculty mentors on physics research projects and participated in a weekly discussions about research. Using video data from student interviews, classroom observations, research mentor interviews, and research observations, we study the development of students’ identity trajectories. Relational dynamics between students and other members of the physics community contributed to the legitimization and delegitimization of students’ physics identities. We highlight shifts in how students positioned themselves, and were positioned by others as more and less central members of the physics community. Finally, we draw out connections between student trajectories, and discuss implications for future research and programmatic design.
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Traditional Physics vs. IPLS: Comparing Student Experiences
- CB09
- Mon 07/18, 5:20PM - 5:30PM
by Haley Gerardi, Max Franklin, Benjamin Geller, Chandra Turpen, Catherine Crouch
- Type: Contributed
- At Swarthmore College, we recently introduced a first-semester Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS) course that draws on authentic biological examples relating to kinematics, Newtonian mechanics, and thermodynamics. Because the course is offered only every other year, we are uniquely situated to compare the experiences of those students who take the IPLS course to a similar set of students who take a traditional first-semester introductory physics course that covers the same topics but does not foreground biological connections. In this talk we draw on conceptual and attitudinal survey data, as well as a series of case-study interviews, to describe the conceptual, epistemological, and affective differences that we observe between the two student populations. We identify the features of the IPLS experience that were most salient to students, and suggest how particular course structures may have been especially important in supporting students’ ability to do well in the IPLS environment.
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Students’ Problem Solving in an Upper Division Electromagnetic Field Course
- CB10
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 5:40PM
by Hai Nguyen, Deepa Chari, Dean Zollman, Eleanor Sayre
- Type: Contributed
- As part of their upper-division electromagnetic fields course, students work in small groups to solve physics and mathematics problems during class. We categorize their epistemological framing along two orthogonal axes -- physics to math and algorithmic to conceptual -- to determine how shifts in students' framing interact with the instructor's framing and the problem at hand. Drawing from observational video data of classroom interactions, we characterize framing shifts over 50 episodes throughout two iterations of the course, seeking both diversity of student responses and diversity in problem type and duration. In this talk, we present our framework and some preliminary results.
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Student Positioning in an Inquiry-based Physics Content and Methods Course
- CB11
- Mon 07/18, 5:40PM - 5:50PM
by Enrique Suarez, Shelly Belleau
- Type: Contributed
- This PER study focuses on university students in the physics content and pedagogy course, Energy and Interactions (formerly Physics and Everyday Thinking). By design, this course prepares future teachers and fulfills an undergraduate science requirement, thus enrolling students from a wide range of experiences and comfort with science content, from confident to struggling. The course is driven by students as they co-construct principles from lab-based evidence. This study asks how students describe and position themselves as learners in this environment, and how their positioning changes as they engage with different kinds of activities. We analyze students’ weekly reflections and conceptual assessment scores. Preliminary results indicate that students are at first resistant to this student-driven model, but quickly start reporting feeling more confident in their abilities and reasoning, and begin valuing co-constructing knowledge with peers. We will present results and make inferences about how course components influence this shift in positioning.
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Using Clickstream Analysis to Understand Student Peer Evaluation
- CB12
- Mon 07/18, 5:50PM - 6:00PM
by Scott Douglas, John Aiken, Edwin Greco, Michael Schatz
- Type: Contributed
- Peer grading of student work has been used extensively in large-enrollmentcourses, but this evaluative practice has not yet been deeply explored in the context of student work submitted as videos. Georgia Tech has run three semesters of an introductory mechanics course in which students were required to create lab reports as videos and post them online. We investigate student grading behaviors by comparing students’ ratings of peer-produced lab reports with the students’ online (clickstream) interactions with those lab reports during the grading process. We discuss particular features of the peer-grading process which may influence student ratings and engagement.
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PER: Diverse Investigations - A
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Who Let the Cold Out?
- FE01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Carolina Alvarado, Michael Wittmann, Adam Rogers, Laura Millay
- Type: Contributed
- In the MainePSP*, we have observed students improve the way they analyze thermal energy after instruction, but that many of them continue to use the idea that “coldness” transfers. Past researchers have identified that cold is commonly perceived as a separate heat energy. Nevertheless, we have not found specific activities to address this idea. We present the analysis of a collaborative session among K-12 teachers who were trying to analyze how to address coldness in the classroom. During the sessions, teachers got to model the energy in two different scenarios which include an object in room temperature interacting with snow. Then, teachers interacted with two simulations that address thermal energy to consider their utility as an instructional tool. Engaging teachers in these activities led to additional insights and questions about how to convincingly address students’ observable experience, that coldness transfers, using a thermal energy model.
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“Who Can Be an Engineer?” Investigating Attitudes and Self-Identification
- FE02
- Wed 07/20, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Jacqueline Doyle, Geoff Potvin
- Type: Contributed
- Robust physics and engineering identities are strong predictors of students’ choice to pursue a degree in physics or engineering; students who go into either of these fields are often drawn from the same pool of potentially interested high schoolers, who must decide between majoring in the two fields. Many studies of engineering students have treated them as a homogenous population or focus only on one sub-discipline, rather than distinguishing engineers between disciplines more carefully. Recently, we surveyed students on several attitudinal constructs, such as Grit, the “Big 5” Personality Traits, and Performance-Approach mindset, which have been correlated with the development of identity and academic success in these fields. Using data from the 2,966 introductory engineering students surveyed, we investigate the associations between student attitudes and both physics and engineering identity and disaggregate by major to uncover differences and similarities which will help broaden a conversation about who “can” be an engineer.
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Applying Business Literature to Product Development in STEM Education*
- FE03
- Wed 07/20, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by Raina Khatri, Charles Henderson
- Type: Contributed
- Over the past few decades many innovations to improve undergraduate STEM education have been developed, only to fizzle out as they struggle to find an audience. Funding agencies have noticed this problem and are putting increased attention on development projects that build in aspects of sustainability after the project funding has ended. In recent years there has been research done within physics and STEM education on developing and disseminating education research projects. But, there is a much longer history and body of literature with common goals in the business literature related to product development and innovation. In this talk I discuss product development and launching the product from a business perspective, and how what is known about this process can be directly applied to developing and propagating an education innovation. *Supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1122446.
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Embedded Experts: A Productive Approach to Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education*
- FE04
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
- by Stephanie Chasteen
- Type: Contributed
- In order to achieve broader educational change in STEM discipline, research suggests that we need to engage faculty within a discipline, with opportunities to reflect on their teaching over long periods of time. One strategy that achieves this is the “embedded expert” model, where postdocs and other educational experts are partnered with faculty within a department to support course transformation. This model has been successfully used in the Science Education Initiative (http://colorado.edu/sei) at two institutions, using postdoctoral fellows as embedded experts. This model is being adapted and studied at seven institutions, using various embedded experts, in a new NSF-funded project (TRESTLE; http://www.colorado.edu/csl/trestle) in order to test how this intervention can be implemented in different institutional contexts to propagate widespread STEM education reform. I will discuss the embedded expert model, past results, the variations used in TRESTLE, and how we plan to test them.
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Algebra-based Students and Vectors: Assessing Physical Understanding in Arrow vs ijk
- FE05
- Wed 07/20, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
- by John Buncher
- Type: Contributed
- A recent study of students in a calculus-based introductory physics coursefound that students performed significantly better on vector addition and subtraction tasks when the questions were given using the ijk representation instead of an "arrows-on-a-grid'' representation, and also presented evidence that working knowledge of the ijk format was necessary to correctly perform vector operations in the arrow format. A follow-up study found that students in an algebra-based physics course also performed significantly higher in the ijk representation than the arrow representation in both one- and two-dimensional problems, even though no explicit ijk instruction was given in the course. In a subsequent investigation we asked students in the algebra-based course to physically interpret their answers, in order to assess if the higher performance on ijk questions indicates physical understanding or is the result of algorithmic "plug-and-chug'' thinking. Our findings will be discussed along with instructional implications.
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Classroom Instruction Promotes Posterior Medial Cortex Brain Activity During Problem-Solving
- FE06
- Wed 07/20, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by Jessica Bartley, Shannon Pruden, Eric Brewe, Matthew Sutherland, Angela Laird
- Type: Contributed
- Understanding of physics-related concepts is often quantified through physics problem-solving (PPS) assessments. However, no study has characterized neurobiological processes underlying PPS or skill development via classroom instruction. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to delineate PPS brain networks and probe differences resulting from classroom instruction. 15 students underwent pre- and identical post-instruction PPS fMRI sessions. We assessed brain activity and identified regions more engaged post- relative to pre-instruction (P<0.05). Data revealed consistent fronto-parietal networks contributing to PPS. Moreover, significantly increased post-instruction fMRI activity in posterior medial cortex (PMC), accompanied by improved PPS scores, implicated this region’s critical role in skill development. As PMC supports spatial memory and attentional focus [1,2], these novel neurobiological observations provide insight into how education experience may augment brain activity which, in turn, contributes to enhanced PPS skills. [1] Leech et al. 2014 Brain 137 [2] Vann et al. 2009 Nat Rev Neurosci 10
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Examining Time Use in Introductory Calculus-based Physics Students
- FE07
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Seth DeVore, John Stewart
- Type: Contributed
- Student time use is a major element of success in any course, especially in physics courses in which expertise is earned largely through exposure to the problem-solving process. Surveys were developed which probed the distribution of student time use across various typical tasks associated with the introductory, calculus-based physics sequence. These surveys were implemented at four points in each the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters. Two of these surveys explored time use during weeks in which students were preparing for the first two exams of the semester, while the other two were implemented during typical non-test weeks. Measurements of incoming student SAT/ACT score, student grade expectations and student test grades were taken. An analysis of this data, including how students at large and potential sub-categories of students regulate their time use in response to exam scores and grade expectations, will be discussed.
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Identifying Different Student Groups Using Cluster Analysis
- FE08
- Wed 07/20, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by John Stewart, Rachel Stoiko
- Type: Contributed
- This paper presents an analysis of the effect of pre-preparation and effort on the performance in a physics class using data collected over 21 semesters (N=1747). An overall significant negative correlation with total time out-of-class time invested was found (p<0.0001). Cluster analysis was used to identify distinct subgroups of students with different levels of incoming preparation for the class and distinctly different out-of-class study behaviors. The highest performing subgroup invested the lowest out-of-class time but began the class with superior preparation in the material covered. Representation of students of different gender was not uniform across the set of clusters (p<0.0001). Female students were underrepresented in the cluster of students with high pre-preparation and overrepresented in the cluster whose primary mode of exam preparation was reading. Male students were overrepresented in the cluster identified by the failure to submit required assignments.
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What Happens After Paired Teaching? Continued Use of Research-based Instructional Strategies
- FE09
- Wed 07/20, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
by Jared Stang, Linda Strubbe
- Type: Contributed
- Paired (or co-) teaching is an arrangement in which two faculty are collaboratively responsible for all aspects of teaching a course. By pairing an instructor experienced in research-based instructional strategies (RBIS) with an instructor with little or no experience in RBIS, paired teaching can be used to promote the adoption of RBIS. We report on several examples of instructors who were the relative novices in such pairs. Using data from in-class observations, the Teaching Practices Inventory, and interviews with the instructors, we characterize the extent to which they have continued using RBIS in the courses they have taught after pair-teaching. Preliminary results indicate both a continued use of RBIS when teaching in the same course that they pair-taught in and some transfer of RBIS to new contexts.
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When Buy-in Is Not Enough: GTAs’ RIOT Profile in Mini Studios*
- FE10
- Wed 07/20, 10:00AM - 10:10AM
by Matthew Wilcox, Yuehai Yang, Jacquelyn Chini
- Type: Contributed
- Using the Real-time Instructor Observing Tool (RIOT), we observed six Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) and coded for the amount of time they spent on various teaching actions to create an “action profile.” The GTAs were teaching in a student-centered combined recitation and laboratory “mini-studio.” At the end of the semester, we asked all GTAs to use the RIOT protocol to describe action profiles from several perspectives: 1) what the course designers want; 2) what the GTA thinks is most helpful; 3) what the students think is most helpful; and 4) what the GTA thinks his/her actual profile resembles. In this talk we compare the responses of an exemplary GTA to find a high amount of buy-in to the mini-studio method but an actual profile that more closely resembled what she believed her students wanted. These findings are supported by the GTA’s other responses about her teaching experiences.
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PER: Diverse Investigations - B
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New Resources on PhysPort: Supporting Physics Teaching with Research-based Resources
- BB01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
by Sarah McKagan, Adrian Madsen
- Type: Contributed
- Physics education researchers have created research results, teaching methods, curricula, and assessments that can dramatically improve physics education. PhysPort (www.physport.org) is the go-to place for ordinary physics faculty to find resources for research-based teaching and assessment. First released in 2011 as the PER User's Guide, PhysPort has undergone re-branding, redesign, and expansion, including many new resources: overviews of over 50 research-based teaching methods and over 50 research-based assessment instruments, Expert Recommendations, the Virtual New Faculty Workshop, the Periscope collection of video-based TA training and faculty professional development materials, and the Assessment Data Explorer, an interactive tool for faculty to get instant analysis and visualization of their students’ responses to research-based assessment instruments including the FCI, BEMA, and CLASS, and compare their results to national averages and students like theirs. The development of PhysPort includes research to determine faculty needs and usability testing to ensure that we meet those needs.
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Pathways to a Physics Degree: A Statistical Story
- BB02
- Mon 07/18, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
by John Aiken, Marcos Caballero
- Type: Contributed
- Michigan State University (MSU) has collected a wide body of data on students for over 10 years allowing for a robust, statistical picture to be painted of how students enter and exit the physics world. This data includes course grade, gender, ethnicity, student major choices, etc. and can help us paint a pathway of every student who has received a physics bachelor's degree at MSU. While this data set contains over 100,000 students who have taken math and physics courses at MSU only 2% of these students have declared a physics major and only 0.5% of students have gone on to graduate with a bachelors in physics. Students who declare physics and then move away from the major perform poorly in introductory courses and are demographically different from the typical physics graduate.
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SPOTing Effective Teaching: An Engaging and Reflective Faculty Workshop Series*
- BB03
- Mon 07/18, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
by Cassandra Paul, Katrina Roseler, Cara Theisen
- Type: Contributed
- Because so few physics faculty are formally trained in education and pedagogy, in-service faculty professional development workshops are important for improving teaching skills. While these workshops often address the importance of engaging students in active and reflective classroom activities, emergent research suggests that more can be done to engage faculty workshop attendees in active and reflective activities. In this presentation, we discuss analysis of data collected from implementation of the SPOTing Effective Teaching Workshop series, a professional development experience that integrates use of the Student Participation Observational Tool (SPOT) within a faculty community of practice. This experience incorporates interactive and reflective elements to guide faculty in a shared experience of analyzing their teaching and discussing alternative approaches. Results indicate that as a result of this experience, faculty articulate pedagogical discontentment and identify desired changes to their teaching practice that are more in line with active, student-centered approaches.
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STEM Workplace Communication and Implications for the Physics Curriculum
- BB04
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
by Anne Leak, Kelly Martin, Benjamin Zwickl
- Type: Contributed
- Though communication is essential for success in STEM careers, it is typically a minor focus within the undergraduate physics curriculum. With the emphasis of argumentation in K-12 NGSS and key role of collaboration and discussion in active learning environments, it is important to more fully understand how such practices prepare students to communicate effectively in STEM careers. We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with new hires and their managers in academia and industry, using the field of optics as a disciplinary focus. We coded these interviews using emergent and grounded theory approaches to better understand how communication skills were developed and used in the workplace. Findings include a taxonomy of diverse communication skills ranging from written (e.g. documentation), visual (e.g. interpreting diagrams), and oral (e.g. asking questions) communication. In each case there were unexpected situations where communication was necessary and inseparable from technical knowledge used in the workplace.
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The Access Network: Working Towards More Equitable and Inclusive STEM
- BB05
- Mon 07/18, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
by Angela Little, Chandra Turpen, Gina Quan, Kali Johnson, Alex Brimhall
- Type: Contributed
- The Access Network consists of six university-based programs co-working with graduate and undergraduate students from across the country towards a vision of a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible STEM community. To realize this vision, Access and its member programs empower students as co-leaders, giving them voice and ownership over local and national efforts. Access sites focus on fostering supportive learning communities, engaging students in authentic science practices, and attending to students' development as STEM professionals. Programmatically, sites offer a range of services from summer programs to academic year mentoring. In this talk, we will share preliminary evidence of our network’s efforts: (1) building a community of student representatives committed to communicating across sites, celebrating local successes, and supporting each other through local struggles, (2) developing and implementing our first in-person gathering of student representatives from Access sites, and (3) fostering routines for sharing of ideas across sites.
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The Effects of Grader Assessment Feedback on Student Self-Regulation
- BB06
- Mon 07/18, 2:20PM - 2:30PM
by Annie Chase, Cassandra Paul
- Type: Contributed
- Self-regulation is a self-initiated process through which students identify obstacles to their learning, find strategies that will allow them to overcome those obstacles, and finally exert the effort needed to succeed. Through collection of student responses to a web-based survey, we investigate what student self-regulation looks like across different undergraduate physics populations. Specifically, we examine how different styles of feedback on assessments correlate with students’ self-regulation. We combine two models of self-regulation – (1) the Winne & Hadwin model which describes how external feedback influences student self-regulation and (2) Zimmerman’s cyclical model of student self-regulation consisting of the phases forethought, self-control, and self-judgement – to create an a priori coding scheme. Informed by our theory of self-regulation, we also develop emergent, open codes from the data. We hypothesize that instructors can use particular feedback to influence subcomponents of student self-regulation, aiding students’ knowledge construction.
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Student Feedback as a Tool in Physics Course Development
- BB07
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
- by Ilkka Hendolin
- Type: Contributed
- The effects of instructional reforms in university physics are typically evaluated through formative assessment, standardized concept inventories and/or attitude surveys. In addition, student feedback is collected by many departments, but reports of its use in course development are rare. At the University of Helsinki, Finland, student feedback has been regularly collected at fundamental physics courses since 2007. Over the years, feedback has proven to be an invaluable source of information for course development. It has revealed characteristics of physics courses and effects of instructional reforms hardly found by other means. Key factors for success are that all students have been motivated to give their considered opinions and feedback is solely used for the purposes of course development (and not e.g. for faculty promotions). In this talk, the feedback procedure will be presented along with examples of findings.
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The Importance of Student Voice in Partnerships: Examples from the CSU Learning Assistant Program*
- BB08
- Mon 07/18, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
by Mel Sabella, Felicia Davenport, Fidel Amezcua, Andrea Van Duzor
- Type: Contributed
- The CSU Learning Assistant (LA) program has grown from three students, in one discipline, to 19 students, in five disciplines. Central to this growth is the cultivation of teaching partnerships between LAs and faculty. In these partnerships, student ideas are valued and leveraged to improve the program, inform LA programs across the country, and publicize the program at the local and national level. In this talk we explore how recent interviews with LAs and the implementation of an LA Panel at CSU allows faculty and peers to get a glimpse of the LA Program that would not be possible without student voice. We also explore how the use of student voice to inform the program can create broad scale buy in for the LA Program and other types of instructional reform in the STEM classroom.
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Using Conceptual Blending to Analyze Student Inquiry in Computer-based Environments
- BB09
- Mon 07/18, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
by Bor Gregorcic, Jesper Haglund
- Type: Contributed
- Modern digital technologies allow students to engage in inquiry-based activities in topics that have traditionally been out of experimental reach, such as astronomy and particle physics. An expert-like understanding of a topic requires recognition and awareness of the different roles of formalisms, computer simulations, and physical experiments. Conceptual blending (also known as conceptual integration) is a framework for describing cognitive processes. We will illustrate how conceptual blending can be used to interpret how students make sense of the motion of stellar objects, as they explore them in an interactive whiteboard-based investigative group activity. Main findings include that students quickly accept the idea of being able to throw planets into orbit in the interactive computer environment. For consolidation of learning and for building an expert-like understanding, experiences from this playful activity and from everyday life have to be projected onto formal physics theory.
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Situated Self-efficacy in Introductory Physics Students
- BB10
- Mon 07/18, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
by Rachel Henderson, Seth Devore, John Stewart, Cabot Zabriskie, Lynnette Michaluk
- Type: Contributed
- Students’ perceptions of self-efficacy in the general university environment have been extensively studied and findings suggest that self-efficacy plays a role in student success. The role of perceived self-efficacy in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) student success is investigated in the current research. A survey measuring students’ feelings of self-efficacy within multiple environments, including science, mathematics and physics classes as well as within their major department and intended future career, was developed based on Pintrich et al. “Self-Efficacy for Learning Performance” subscale of the Motivated Learning Strategies Questionnaire. The survey was administered over the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters and demographic data was gathered for the introductory, calculus-based physics classes. An analysis of student perceived self-efficacy and its relation to student success will be discussed. The effect of gender and major on perceived self-efficacy and student success will also be explored.
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Probing Indicators of Studio-mode Physics Student Success Through Instructor Interviews*
- BB11
- Mon 07/18, 3:10PM - 3:20PM
by Jarrad Pond, Westley James, Jacquelyn Chini
- Type: Contributed
- As part of a project to explore successful strategies for using studio methods, such as SCALE-UP, we are investigating attitudes that students possess and actions they take that bolster or hinder success in their studio-mode physics courses. We interviewed SCALE-UP physics instructors at two large-enrollment research universities to explore their perspectives on the student-level variables that influence students’ chances of excelling in their algebra-based studio-mode physics courses. We developed a coding scheme to characterize the beneficial and detrimental student qualities instructors observe and the actions instructors take to encourage beneficial student attitudes/behaviors and discourage detrimental ones. We present a snapshot of the coding scheme used and discuss common ideas about studio-mode physics student success identified by our participants.
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The Evolution of Department-level Teaching Social Networks at One Institution
- BB12
- Mon 07/18, 3:20PM - 3:30PM
by Alexis Knaub, Kathleen Quardokus Fisher, Charles Henderson
- Type: Contributed
- Social network analysis (SNA) provides a means of studying connections among entities. The information found through SNA has many uses, including identifying key leaders, demonstrating the current state of a system, or documenting change through collecting data at different time intervals. As part of a larger evaluation project related to institutional change, we have collected SNA department-level data related to teaching networks (teaching discussion and advice) in several departments at one institution. These data have been collected every two years for the past six years. This talk will discuss whether and how these networks have changed, striking trends, and ways these data have been used.
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PER: Evaluating Instructional Strategies - A
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An Activity-based Model for Training Physics Teaching and Learning Assistants
- FC01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Monica Cook, Joshua Von Korff
- Type: Contributed
- Preparing graduate teaching assistants (TAs) and undergraduate learning assistants (LAs) in Introductory Physics to facilitate discovery learning in labs and tutorials is a topic of intense interest in Physics Education Research. Our model for training TAs and LAs includes an overview of pedagogical theory, roleplays targeted at specific issues in active learning, and direct feedback from multiple teaching observations throughout the semester. The content of the roleplays and other activities emphasizes the importance of discourse, questioning, and eliciting student ideas by requiring the TAs and LAs to model those practices. We examine survey data from TAs and LAs and their students, and video data and field notes from training activities and teaching observations to consider the viability of our model as a method for preparing TAs and LAs to teach physics effectively. We also reflect on our training model for its potential to train future physics faculty members in student-centered learning.
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National Assessment of the Impact of Learning Assistants on Physics Students’ Learning
- FC02
- Wed 07/20, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
- by Ben Van Dusen
- Type: Contributed
- This study investigates the effects of various uses of Learning Assistants(LAs) on student outcomes across over 20 LA Alliance member institutions. Over 5000 physics students and 29 instructors participated in the study using the LA Supported Student Outcomes (LASSO) online student evaluation system. The Force and Motion Concept Evaluation (FMCE), Force Concept Inventory (FCI), Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA), and Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) were used by over 40 different classes across the U.S. Our analysis links course-level information (e.g. how LAs are utilized) and average LA-student interaction time to course learning gains. We will report results from various institutional settings and discuss contextual effects on student outcomes.
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Physics Teachers’ Questioning Patterns and the Reasoning Behind Them
- FC03
- Wed 07/20, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by Brianna Santangelo, AJ Richards
- Type: Contributed
- One of teachers’ greatest tools in the classroom is questioning. It has long been theorized that higher level questioning leads to students developing a better understanding of the material but no one has examined the types of questions asked in physics classrooms in great detail. We used Bloom’s revised taxonomy to classify the questions asked by high school physics instructors and surveyed them on what they believe their questioning patterns to be. By analyzing the distribution of question types and the teachers’ self-perceived questioning patterns we take a first step to better understanding the use of questioning in physics classrooms.
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Principles for Research-based Physics Activities
- FC04
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Joshua Von Korff, Amin Bayat Barooni
- Type: Contributed
- Physics instructors obtain their educational activities from a variety of sources. They may invent the activities themselves, use activities that have been designed for them by other faculty in their department, or use published materials that can be purchased or downloaded. Over the last few decades, many published materials have been tested and shown to benefit students' conceptual understanding. We have analyzed some of these published physics activities and interviewed their designers in order to better understand the principles behind them. These principles are valuable for understanding the impact that physics activities have on students and for understanding non-published activities developed by individual instructors.
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Comparing Factor Analysis and Network Methods to Cluster Test Questions
- FC05
- Wed 07/20, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
- by Mark Eichenlaub*
- Type: Contributed
- When creating concept inventories, we usually write questions in clusters,each cluster corresponding to a particular concept. Do these clusters appear in the data generated when students take the concept inventories, and what does this tell us about student thinking? The physics education research community has often tackled this problem using factor analysis. Other recent work has modeled test result data as a bipartite network and applied community detection algorithms to identify clusters of questions. To better understand the differences between these methods, we hypothesize a model of how students answer questions inspired by the resource framework, use the model to simulate test results with known cluster structure, and compare the two methods' ability to recover the known cluster structure. Finally, we discuss implications of these results on how we should understand the way that students generate answers to test questions.
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Large-scale Assessment Yields Evidence of Minimal Use of Reasoning Skills
- FC06
- Wed 07/20, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
- by Beth Thacker
- Type: Contributed
- Large-scale assessment data from Texas Tech University yielded evidence that most students taught traditionally in large lecture classes with online homework and predominantly multiple choice question exams, when asked to answer free-response questions, did not support their answers with logical arguments grounded in physics concepts. Their answers indicated not only their lack of conceptual understanding, but their inability to apply even lower order thinking skills to solve a problem. While correct answers indicated evidence of lower level thinking skills, when coded by a rubric based on Bloom’s taxonomy, incorrect and partially correct answers indicated little or no evidence of the use of thinking skills at all. The free-response format, unlike other assessment formats, allowed assessment of both their conceptual understanding and their application of thinking skills, clearly pointing out weaknesses not revealed by other assessment instruments.
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Social Network Analysis of Support Groups in Introductory Physics
- FC07
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
- by Christopher Oakley
- Type: Contributed
- Research suggests that students benefit from peer interaction and active engagement. The quality and nature of these interactions is currently being explored. Students have been surveyed at regular intervals during the second semester of trigonometry-based introductory physics to determine the frequency and self-reported quality of interactions. These interactions can be with current or past students, tutors, and instructors. Our current research focuses on the metrics of Social Network Research in an effort to refine deeper research questions regarding success in the introductory sequence and the support system that student create during the two-semester physics sequence. These metrics include centrality of students as well as segmentation of groups.
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Examining the Necessity of Problem Diagrams Using MOOC AB Experiments
- FC08
- Wed 07/20, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by Zhongzhou Chen, Neset Demirci, Youn-jeng Choi, David Pritchard
- Type: Contributed
- Creating high-quality problem diagrams consumes significant resources fromboth instructor and publisher, yet the benefit of problem diagrams has not been confirmed by research. Using the AB experiment functionality of the edX MOOC platform, we selected 12 problems where the diagram adds no critical information for problem solving, and studied the impact of adding/removing a diagram on both student’ correctness and problem solving behavior. We found that providing a diagram improved 1st attempt correct rate by merely 3% overall, but reduced the fraction of students drawing their own diagram by ~10% on half of the problems. On the other half, providing a diagram have no detectable impact on either correctness or behavior. Further analysis confirmed that except for the most spatially challenging problems, MOOC students are able to compensate for the loss of a diagram by drawing their own.
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Inquiry vs. Traditional: Student Perceptions and Learning Gains
- FC09
- Wed 07/20, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
by Adam Francis, Nicholas Hooker
- Type: Contributed
- This PER study investigates the order in which conceptual topics and laboratory exercises are presented in a high school physics classroom. By varying the order of presentation of conceptual material and labs, the researchers aimed to identify if student scores and growth on conceptual measures differed in the two contexts. We hypothesized that students learning with the guided inquiry model, in which laboratory exercises preceded conceptual lessons, would demonstrate higher scores and greater growth on objective measures of learning. We further hypothesized that these students would indicate a preference for learning via the guided inquiry model. We will discuss significant differences in group means in the two learning contexts. Results of student preference surveys will also be reported in order to evaluate student perceptions of the two instructional paradigms.
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PER: Examining Content Understanding and Reasoning - A
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Classical Physics Learning from Analysis of Modern Physics Data II
- FB01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Kenneth Cecire, Deborah Roudebush
- Type: Contributed
- Whether students are studying classical physics or cutting edge physics, many of the same principles apply. For example, the conservation of momentum is a time-honored classical topic that is absolutely necessary to understand the products of particle collisions in the Large Hadron Collider. The authors have created a pre- and post-study instrument to try to determine if students are more motivated to learn about classical principles from activities which employ authentic data from current, cutting-edge experiments and if such activities might enhance learning of such classical topics.
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Concept Inventories and the Next Generation of Assessment
- FB02
- Wed 07/20, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by James Laverty, Marcos Caballero
- Type: Contributed
- In 2012, the National Research Council released A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. This report synthesized the literature on how students learn science into three dimensions that should be blended together in instruction, curriculum, and assessment. This "three-dimensional learning" is the basis for the Next Generation Science Standards and researchers have recently made calls to bring it to higher education as well. We have developed the Three-Dimensional Learning Assessment Protocol (3D-LAP), which can characterize assessments in introductory science courses as aligning (or not) with scientific practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. In this talk, I apply the 3D-LAP to some commonly used concept inventories in physics to characterize their alignment with the three dimensions from the Framework. I will explore the potential utility of these concept inventories in the era of the Next Generation Science Standards.
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Investigating Student Ability to Reason in Different Directions*
- FB03
- Wed 07/20, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by MacKenzie Stetzer, J. Caleb Speirs, William Ferm Jr.
- Type: Contributed
- As part of a larger, multi-institutional effort to investigate and assess the development of student reasoning skills in the context of scaffolded physics instruction, we have designed and administered new tasks in order to examine student ability to reason in different directions in introductory calculus-based physics courses. In these reasoning reversal tasks, two different versions of a physics problem are randomly administered to students in the course. In one version, students are asked to predict how a modification to an experimental setup will change the outcome of the experiment; in the other version, students are asked to infer the modification to the experimental setup that led to a specified change in the outcome of the experiment. In this talk, we will present preliminary results from these reasoning reversal tasks.
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Investigating Student Understanding of Radioactivity With the Radiation Conceptual Evaluation*
- FB04
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Brant Hinrichs, Andy Johnson, Christos Deligkaris
- Type: Contributed
- As part of developing a comprehensive package of classroom materials for radiation literacy, the Inquiry into Radioactivity (IiR) project has drafted a Radiation Conceptual Evaluation (Rad CE). This instrument detects major problematic categories of student thinking such as the "substance-like view" of radiation, and ionizing radiation as waves. Students with the substance-like view think of radiation as "bad stuff" that is emitted from radioactive objects and contaminates other objects when it gets on them, making them radioactive in turn. Students with this view typically do not distinguish radiation from the condition of being radioactive. Pre and post-testing using the Rad CE at two different universities indicate that nearly all nonscience majors begin the IiR course with the substance-like view, but gradually transition to a "particles-in-motion" view over time. We compare data from both universities and draw implications for teaching radioactivity.
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Overview of 50+ Research-based Assessments in Physics and Beyond
- FB05
- Wed 07/20, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by Adrian Madsen, Sarah McKagan, Jaime Richards, John Thompson, Eleanor Sayre
- Type: Contributed
- The PER community has produced 50+ research-based assessments (RBAs) whichevaluate the effectiveness of different teaching methods, covering diverse physics topics (both introductory and upper-level) as well as beliefs about the nature of physics, problem solving, lab skills etc. Results on these tests show that PER-based teaching methods lead to dramatic improvements in students learning, so assessment can act as a gateway drug to better teaching. However, physics faculty often struggle with knowing which assessments are available and which to use in their course. We have written a resource letter in which we discuss the details of each research-based assessment, including the course-level, content, purpose, level of research validation and implementation details. We also compare relevant assessments and give recommendations on when to use each assessment. In our talk, we will give an overview of the categories of assessments, paying particular attention to those that are less well known.
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Targeted Student Feedback Using Transition Matrices
- FB06
- Wed 07/20, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by Paul Walter, Gary Morris, Spencer Skees, Samantha Swartz
- Type: Contributed
- We introduce a new tool for adoption by high school and college-level physics teachers who use a common assessment such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). The tool uses a spreadsheet application to create a simple matrix that identifies the percentage of students that who select each possible pre-/post-test answer combination on each question of the diagnostic exam. From this, it determines changes in students’ understanding of concepts and common misconceptions. For those students who selected the wrong answer to a question on both of the pre-/post-tests, we also determine whether they are moving toward a “better” wrong answer. Feedback from the tool allows instructors to close the loop on assessment and tailor instruction in an informed way.
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Novice Index Representation of Conceptual Transformation During Physics Instruction
- FB07
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
- by Michi Ishimoto
- Type: Contributed
- The Newtonian score representation of students’ understanding of force andmotion concepts has been a standard index in quantitative studies on conceptual transformation. Whereas students’ proficiency before physics instruction is associated with learning gain, the robustness of novice views is attributed to learning inefficiency among low proficiency students. This study attempts to relate the inefficiency and the robustness of the primary commonsense conceptions by devising a noviceness index using a large number of students’ pre-test and post-test results on the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation. The results show that the proportion of change from novice responses to correct responses increased with an exponential regression curve, with R2 close to 1. The exponential rate of the transformation of a novice view could bring forth empirical data on other aspects of this transformation, such as what is involved in the rewiring of a neural network to build a new network.
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Investigating Student Understanding of Vector Calculus in E&M
- FB08
- Wed 07/20, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by Ryan Hazelton, Bert Xue, Peter Shaffer
- Type: Contributed
- Over the past several years the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington has been working to probe the difficulties students encounter in junior-level electrodynamics courses. A large proportion of these difficulties involve interpreting mathematical statements about physical systems. A major subset of these difficulties involve student understanding of the divergence and curl operators. This talk will discuss several examples of these difficulties in the context of Maxwell’s equations.
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Improving Student Understanding of Vector Fields in E&M
- FB09
- Wed 07/20, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
by Bert Xue, Ryan Hazelton, Peter Shaffer
- Type: Contributed
- The Physics Education Group at the University of Washington has been developing tutorials for the junior-level electrodynamics courses. We have observed that most students enter these courses with a working knowledge of static electric and magnetic fields in simple systems. However, these students have significant difficulties in transferring this knowledge to other vector fields or to more complex systems. This talk will present results from our attempts at improving student understanding of vector fields and the physical interpretation of vector derivatives.
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Improving Student Understanding of Degenerate Perturbation Theory in Quantum Mechanics
- FB10
- Wed 07/20, 10:00AM - 10:10AM
by Christof Keebaugh, Emily Marshman, Chandralekha Singh
- Type: Contributed
- We investigate student difficulties with degenerate perturbation theory inquantum mechanics by administering free-response and multiple-choice questions and conducting individual interviews with advanced students. We find that students display many common difficulties related to this topic. To improve student understanding, we use these difficulties as resources and develop a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) along with a pre-test and a post-test using an iterative approach. We will discuss the development and evaluation of the QuILT. We thank the National Science Foundation for support.
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Exploring Student Sensemaking through Layers of Epistemic Games
- FB11
- Wed 07/20, 10:10AM - 10:20AM
by Michael Vignal, Elizabeth Gire
- Type: Contributed
- Several studies have demonstrated the utility of epistemic games in understanding problem-solving behavior in physics. Many researchers acknowledge the issue of grain-size as a challenge when identifying epistemic games in data, but few papers discuss games with various grain sizes. In analyzing a problem-solving episode with upper-division physics undergraduate students, we explore grain-size in an effort to understand student sensemaking. We identify distinct layers of epistemic games in the episode and look for relations between these layers.
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PER: Examining Content Understanding and Reasoning - B
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Comparing Two Activities’ Effectiveness Improving Reasoning with Multiple-Variable Graphed Information
- AE01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Rebecca Rosenblatt, James Peronne
- Type: Contributed
- Past findings show large differences in student ability to use, and reasonwith, certain graphed data. Namely, many students incorrectly assume there must be dependence between the axes of any graph whether or not the data suggests a relation and whether or not a controlled experiment was done. In addition, students have similar difficulties reasoning with multivariable data displayed on a graph in multiple trend-lines. A majority of the errors made are consistent with a failure to properly control variables and/or reasoning illogically about the data. We developed and pilot tested two different one-hour group work activities to improve student understanding. One activity was laboratory based and focused on control of variables and experimentation. The other was recitation based and focused on logical reasoning and data manipulation. Results show the relative effectiveness of the activities and suggest interesting facts about the importance of logical reasoning vs. control of variables when working with graphed data.
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Construction and Interpretation of Linear Best-fit Graphs in Introductory Labs
- AE02
- Mon 07/18, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Craig Wiegert, Ryan Nixon, T.J. Godfrey, Nicholas Mayhew
- Type: Contributed
- Instructional labs are an important element of undergraduate introductory physics. Many lab activities require students to construct graphs of their data and interpret their results, connecting their lab experience to underlying physics concepts. We investigated students' construction and interpretation of linear best-fit graphs in the context of two lab activities. Students' graphs were evaluated for overall quality as well as for the quality of the best-fit line. We then interviewed students to determine the strategies used in graph construction and fitting, and to assess student understanding of the meaning of the graph. Our results indicate that undergraduate introductory physics students can successfully construct best-fit linear graphs while struggling to interpret graphs according to the physical concept under investigation. Furthermore we found, perhaps surprisingly, that the most challenging aspect of graph construction for students was establishing a correct and useful scale.
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Developing Metacognitive Knowledge About Productive Reflection on Salient Distracting Features*
- AE03
- Mon 07/18, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by Thanh Le, Jonathan Shemwell, MacKenzie Stetzer
- Type: Contributed
- When students work on physics problems, certain problem features may cue specific lines of reasoning. In particular, salient distracting features (SDFs) are surface, situational, or contextual features of a problem that frequently cue incorrect lines of reasoning and inhibit the exploration of more productive reasoning approaches. A potential approach for addressing SDF-related reasoning difficulties is to target and enhance student metacognition. In the second semester of the calculus-based introductory physics sequence at the University of Maine, we developed and administered a flexible, web-based instructional intervention designed to help students construct metacognitive knowledge about productive reflection on the role of SDFs in influencing reasoning. In the intervention, students are asked to synthesize contrasting cases in which hypothetical students reflect upon physics problems containing SDFs. Preliminary data and emerging findings will be presented. *This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DUE-1245313 and DUE-0962805.
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Sense-making with Inscriptions in Quantum Mechanics*
- AE04
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Erin Ronayne Sohr, Benjamin Dreyfus, Ayush Gupta, Adrew Elby
- Type: Contributed
- In this presentation, we focus on students’ sense-making with a graphical representation commonly used in quantum mechanics textbooks; that of overlaid potential energy and wavefunction plots in the context of quantum well(s) and barriers. Previous research has pointed to a conflation of the energy and wavefunction axes as leading to common student difficulties in understanding phenomena such as tunneling. The existence of this difficulty has influenced QMCS survey items and design choices in several PhET simulations. We add to this research by investigating how students use and interact with this graphical representation while sense-making. Through fine-timescale analysis of video data from clinical interviews with engineering majors in a modern physics course, we document that the inscription can play both communicative and generative roles in the student's reasoning. We report the different ways in which the inscription gets embedded in students’ reasoning and potential instructional implications.
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Words vs. Graphs: Tracking Shifts in Students’ Understanding of Forces
- AE05
- Mon 07/18, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by Trevor Smith, Ian Griffin, Nicholas Wright
- Type: Contributed
- Many studies have shown that students often struggle to interpret and generate graphs of various physical quantities. This can be seen in students’ responses to the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation. When analysing consistency on questions asking students to select graphs of force vs. time to accompany a described motion compared to questions asking them to choose verbal descriptions of forces, we have previously used consistency plots to show that students are more likely to improve on the graph questions than the natural language questions. This suggests that students may have developed a formal understanding of the relationship between force and motion but do not apply it when reasoning about situations related to their daily lives. We expand on these results by incorporating data from multiple colleges and universities and show how these results relate to other analyses of the data.
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Teacher Knowledge of Student Difficulties: "Collectively, We're a Genius!"*
- AE06
- Mon 07/18, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by Michael Wittmann, Carolina Alvarado, Laura Millay
- Type: Contributed
- In a teacher professional development meeting of the MainePSP, teachers were asked a question about potential energy and then to discuss why students might give a particular response to it. Collectively, they came up with a rich, nuanced description of student reasoning, touching on multiple ways of thinking about energy, and how these might affect student responses. Where PD organizers (...the talk authors) had predicted three or four, teachers came up with six explanations of a particular answer. These included ideas in the literature (related to time, effort, and work, for example) and ideas not in the literature (a wonderfully compelling reverse deficit model of energy). We find that bringing teachers together and sharing student data within a facilitated community lets teachers arrive at surprising insights about how their students think about energy.
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Investigating the Impact of Different Prompts on Student Reasoning *
- AE07
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Cody Gette, Mila Kryjevskaia, MacKenzie Stetzer, Andrew Boudreaux
- Type: Contributed
- Prior research suggests that students who demonstrate conceptual knowledgeon one task often fail to apply consistent thinking on closely related tasks. This is consistent with the dual-process theory of reasoning that suggests that some students tend to focus on surface features that often elicit intuitive ideas. As such, these students tend to provide answers based on their first reactions or gut feelings. We applied a paired-question methodology, in which screening and target questions required the application of the same concepts and skills. Three versions of screening-target sequences were designed in the context of friction. The sequences only differed in the level of abstractness that describe setups presented in the screening questions. The impact of these differences on student performance on the target question was examined. Results from introductory algebra-based physics class will be presented and discussed.
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How Students Combine Knowledge Elements While Learning
- AE08
- Mon 07/18, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by Alan Richards, Darrick Jones, Eugenia Etkina
- Type: Contributed
- We recorded pre-service physics teachers learning about the physics of solar cells. Using a knowledge-in-pieces theoretical framework, we analyze their interactions in order to make inferences about the elements of prior knowledge they call upon as they build understanding of how these devices function. Of special interest are the instances when a student makes a significant conceptual breakthrough. We find that students who combine different aspects of their prior knowledge in specific ways may be more likely to make breakthroughs. We will discuss what instructors can do to prime learners to combine knowledge in productive ways so they are better able to achieve these breakthroughs.
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Improving Understanding of Gauss's Law by Replacing Examples with Reasoning
- AE09
- Mon 07/18, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
by Marshall Styczinski, Peter Shaffer, Paula Heron, Aziz Khan, Ryan Hazelton
- Type: Contributed
- Gauss’s law is a fixture in introductory physics classes in part because the reasoning skills and fundamental physics knowledge required for its application represent important course goals. We have found that students struggle to apply Gauss’s law to conceptual questions as well as typical end-of-chapter problems, even after coverage in lecture and the relevant sections of Tutorials in Introductory Physics(1). To address persistent difficulties we are modifying tutorial curriculum to reduce the number of examples and emphasize the development of a conceptual framework around flux and Gauss’s law. The goal is to improve student performance on both conceptual questions and typical calculation questions. A summary of the student difficulties uncovered, details of modifications to the established curriculum, and preliminary results will be presented.
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PER: Exploring Problem Solving Approaches and Skills - A
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Eye Gaze Patterns While Viewing Visual Cues and Video Solutions*
- FA01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Tianlong Zu, Elise Agra, John Hutson, Lester Loschky, Nobel Rebello
- Type: Contributed
- Transfer of learning is a valued educational goal, but it is usually hard to achieve. Visual cues and video solutions have been shown to facilitate this process. Students from an algebra-based physics class participated in our study. Each participant solved two different sets of tasks. In each set students solved one initial task, completed an intervention depending upon condition, and then solved a near transfer and far transfer task. Students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. The visual cue condition completed four isomorphic training tasks with visual cues. The video solution condition was shown multimedia solutions of two isomorphic tasks. The third condition completed two isomorphic training tasks with visual cues and were shown one multimedia video solution. We compared the eye movements on the initial, near transfer and far transfer tasks in the three conditions.
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How Do Multimodal Hints Affect Conceptual Physics Task Solving?*
- FA02
- Wed 07/20, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Xian Wu, John Huston, Lester Loschky, N. Sanjay Rebello, Brett DePaola
- Type: Contributed
- Students’ visual attention on conceptual physics tasks with diagrams can provide us insight into how multimodality hints affect students’ task performance on conceptual physics tasks. We conducted a 2 (visual hint or not) × 2 (text hint or not) × 2 (audio hint or not) full factorial experiment design. One hundred sixty-two subjects from a conceptual physics class were recruited to participate in individual clinical interviews with randomly assigned multimodal hints according to the condition. All of the interviews were video and audio recorded. An eye tracker was used to record the subjects’ eye movements. The data were analyzed to compare how the experimental conditions affected performance on conceptual physics tasks and their visual attention in relevant areas on the task diagram.
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Using the C3PO Interface to Develop and Modify Computing Coaches
- FA04
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
- by Susan Kasahara
- Type: Contributed
- Improving students’ problem-solving skills is a basic goal of many college-level introductory physics courses. At the University of Minnesota, investigators have developed computer programs designed to provide students with coaching to help them become better at solving problems in an introductory college physics course. As a physics instructor at Normandale Community College, I am participating in a study to test the feasibility of using this computer coach interface to modify existing coaches and create new coaches suitable for students enrolled in the introductory physics classes at Normandale and to assess their usability and educational impact with Normandale students. In this talk I will report on my initial experience with using C3PO: Customizable Computer Coaches for Physics Online to create and modify physics computing coaches.
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Probing Students' Mathematical Difficulties in Introductory Physics*
- FA05
- Wed 07/20, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by David Meltzer, Matthew Jones
- Type: Contributed
- Instructors often report apparent difficulties among introductory university physics students with mathematical skills and concepts normally taught in high school or earlier. As part of a systematic effort to identify and address such difficulties, we have begun to investigate skill levels with trigonometry, basic algebra, symbolic manipulation, and vector concepts, among students in algebra- and calculus-based introductory physics. We will present a summary of our initial results, and outline a strategy for addressing these difficulties within the context of physics classes themselves.
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Reading Between the Lines: Lab Reports Help Develop Scientific Abilities
- FA06
- Wed 07/20, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
by Danielle Bugge, Eugenia Etkina
- Type: Contributed
- Science practices are an integral part of learning science. Over the course of the 2015-2016 school year, high school physics students, initially unfamiliar with an inquiry-based environment, engaged in ISLE labs that focus on the development of student scientific abilities. Based on the last year’s investigations, we know that factors such as time, ability type, student grouping, and instructor influence student development of scientific abilities. This year, we are continuing to examine student lab reports in order to better understand the process students go through when they write these reports. The revision history feature of the Google Documents provides insight into development of discourse as well as collaboration amongst students. We also continue to investigate differences in individual and group reports and students’ self-assessments and reflections of their progress in development of these different abilities.
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Elective Recitation Sections in Freshman E&M Courses
- FA07
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Steve McCauley, Nina Abramzon, Alex Rudolph, Homeyra Sadaghiani, Alex Small
- Type: Contributed
- Students from 23 departments on the Cal Poly Pomona campus are required totake freshman physics service courses. Many of them struggle to succeed. Introductory physics courses at Cal Poly Pomona do not normally include any recitation sections focused on concepts and problem solving skills. We present data that we used to assess the effectiveness of elective recitation sections designed to accompany our freshman E&M course.
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Investigating Students’ Understanding of ac Biasing Networks*
- FA08
- Wed 07/20, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by Kevin Van De Bogart, MacKenzie Stetzer
- Type: Contributed
- As part of an ongoing effort to investigate the learning and teaching of bipolar junction transistor circuits (e.g., the common-emitter amplifier) in physics and engineering courses, we have begun to examine student understanding of ac biasing networks. These biasing networks are critical for signal processing via transistor circuits, yet the coverage of such networks in both courses and texts is typically sparse and frequently secondary to coverage of the amplifier circuits themselves. In this cross-disciplinary project, we have been examining the extent to which students are able to correctly predict the behavior of the biasing network under both dc and ac conditions. In this presentation, we will use specific examples to highlight the most prevalent conceptual and reasoning difficulties identified. Implications for instruction emerging from this investigation will also be discussed.
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Thinking Quantum Mechanically: Introducing Students to Reasoning in Modern Physics*
- FA09
- Wed 07/20, 9:50AM - 10:00AM
by Jessica Hoy, Noah Finkelstein
- Type: Contributed
- Learning quantum mechanics requires students to develop new conceptual understanding and mathematical skills, and to reason differently about the nature of systems (i.e. an electron is no longer a point-like particle). We present a broad view of our research in a Modern Physics course at CU Boulder where second-year physics and engineering students learn the foundations of quantum mechanics. In this work, we focus on classically unfamiliar or unusual cases, such as tunneling and delayed choice experiments, and look at the nature of student reasoning in these situations. We present both qualitative (recorded focus group discussions) and quantitative (conceptual and epistemological survey) data and demonstrate that students are capable of engaging in sophisticated reasoning about quantum phenomena. By explicitly attending to applications and interpretation within instruction, we foster an environment in which students negotiate and grapple with quantum concepts.
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PERC Bridging Session
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Appropriate Use of Assessments Through Applications of Validity Theoretical Framework
- PER01
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Kerrie Douglas
- Type: Invited
- When developers of assessment instruments, such as concept inventories or attitudinal surveys, share an instrument for others to use, they routinely provide some type of evidence of validity when they publish. In turn, the publication provides instructors, researchers, and evaluators with more tools to use for assessment and evaluation. However, there is no single methodology that can be used to generate a perfectly valid assessment instrument. In the end, all assessment instruments have strengths and limitations. The highest quality assessment instruments have been developed and studied for very specific purposes. Yet, others may want to use the instrument for different purposes. Therefore, there is a need to discuss what evidence is needed before using a published instrument. The purpose of this presentation will be to discuss in practical terms how to determine whether an assessment instrument is appropriate for a given use.
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Network Analysis as a Research Methodology in PER
- PER02
- Wed 07/20, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Jesper Bruun
- Type: Invited
- In recent years a number of researchers within our PER community have started using Network Analysis as a new methodology to extend our understanding of teaching and learning physics by viewing these as complex systems. I will discuss how the work of our research group has identified relevant networks analyzing these networks. In so doing I will show how a network can be methodologically described as a set of relations between a set of entities, and how a network can be characterized and analyzed as a mathematical object. Then, as an illustrative example, I will discuss our current work that is using networks to create insightful maps of learning discussions. To conclude, I will show how the adoption of a complex system methodology can lead to rich interplays between qualitative and quantitative analysis to generate a powerful "mixed methods” methodological framing.
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Particle Physics Investigations by Students
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Using Cosmic Rays to Introduce Special Relativity in a College Physics Course
- GB01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:30PM
- by Martin Shaffer
- Type: Invited
- This talk will discuss the use of a QuarkNet cosmic ray detector in a college physics course at Cowley College in Arkansas City, KS, to measure the speed of cosmic ray muons. Results from student work with real data will be used to examine what happens to particles moving close to the speed of light. This leads to the introduction of Einstein’s theory of special relativity to explain the relative abundance of cosmic ray muons on the surface of the Earth.
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High School Students Investigating the World of Particle Physics*
- GB02
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Shane Wood
- Type: Invited
- Physics research today involves many exciting recent discoveries (detection of gravitational waves, discovery of Higgs boson, etc.) and many profound mysteries (search for dark matter, quantum gravity, etc.). Learn how you and your students can tap into this excitement by investigating the world of particle physics. By using e-Labs or participating in a particle physics Masterclass, students can access real particle physics data in order to better understand the world of quarks and leptons, while meeting many standards, including Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
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Energetic Students – Developing Interest and Skill in Experimentation
- GB03
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
- by Anthony Valsamis
- Type: Contributed
- More than 25 students at Glenbrook North High School meet once a week to discuss their high energy physics research. Using QuarkNet detectors, these students work in either small groups or individually to develop experiments using collected cosmic ray data. The use of this data ranges from studying natural phenomena, to learning about how the detectors work. One of the many current projects is focusing on the effect of barometric pressure on measured events of particle detection. Students look at weather patterns and altitude differences in various locations around the world. The goal of this group is to both give students hands-on time with real large-scale collaborative experiments as well as help build experimentation skills and analytical abilities.
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The Particle Physics Playground: Tutorials and Activities Using Experimental Data*
- GB04
- Wed 07/20, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
by Matthew Bellis, Amanda Depoian
- Type: Contributed
- Data from the Large Hadron Collider experiments are available to anyone with the time and inclination to learn the analysis procedures. The CMS experiment, in particular, has made a significant amount of data available in basically the same format the collaboration itself uses, along with software tools and a virtual environment in which to run those tools. These data have been mined for very packaged educational exercises that range from simple to quite advanced. This talk presents an alternative: the Particle Physics Playground website, a project that uses data from CMS and other experiments in tutorials and exercises aimed at the high school and undergraduate student level. The data are stored as text files and users are provided with starter Python/Jupyter-notebook programs and accessor functions which can be modified to perform fairly high-level analyses. The status of the project, success stories, and future plans for the website will be presented.
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A HS Science Teacher Workshop Constructing Turnkey Cloud Chambers
- GB05
- Wed 07/20, 2:20PM - 3:00PM
by Jamie Bedard, Alyx Gleason, Matthew Bellis
- Type: Contributed
- In the summer of 2015, we hosted 10 high school teachers for a three-day “Physics at the Frontier” Workshop. Mornings were spent learning about general nuclear and particle physics concepts and the science of the Large Hadron Collider. Afternoons were spent building turnkey cloud chambers for use in classrooms. The basic design uses Peltier thermoelectric coolers, rather than dry ice. We started with instructions found online but developed our own build that made it easier to use in the classroom and maintain. We also focused on keeping the cost below $200/chamber and created a website with instructions for those who are interested in building their own. This workshop was funded in part by a minigrant for Outreach and Education from the USCMS collaboration. Our experience with the workshop and the lessons learned from the cloud chamber design will be discussed.
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PhysTEC Teacher Preparation in California
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PhysTEC Teacher Preparation in California
- FH
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 10:30AM
- by Renee Michelle Goertzen
- Type: Panel
- This session will explore several successful models for increasing the number of qualified physics teachers. It will have 3 invited speakers, followed by a discussant and time for questions. The length of the session is 1 hour and 40 minutes.
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Cal Poly Pomona PhysTEC Program
- FH01
- Wed 07/20, 8:30AM - 8:50AM
by Homeyra Sadaghiani, Steve McCauley
- Type: Invited
- The Cal Poly Pomona PhysTEC program utilizes the Learning Assistant (LA) program as a mechanism to recruit and prepare physics majors for careers in teaching. Learning Assistant program provides potential future teachers with low-stress early teaching experiences that can encourage them to pursue teaching certification. However, the particular features of each institution present distinct challenges in establishing and maintaining the program. We will report on our challenges and achievements as well as strategies to sustain various elements of the program.
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Building a Pathway for Physics Majors to Teachers
- FH02
- Wed 07/20, 8:50AM - 9:10AM
by Chuhee Kwon, Galen Pickett, Laura Henriques
- Type: Invited
- The Department of Physics and Astronomy at California State University, Long Beach actively contributes to the physics teacher preparation through building a robust number of majors, exposing and supporting students to a teaching career, and maintaining outreach programs to local teachers. Physics majors are encouraged to consider teaching as a career early on (PHYS 390). In addition, students can get involved in various teaching opportunities such as providing academic support to peers (the Learning Assistant Program), interacting with pre- and in-service physics teachers (the PhysTEC events), and doing research with the Science Education Department faculty. In AY 2014/15, the department awarded 34 bachelors and nine masters degrees (15 URMs) in physics. In recent years, more CSULB physics majors are entering and receiving a teaching credential. We will discuss how the PhysTEC grant became the catalyst to transform the department.
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PhysTEC at Cal Poly: Ten-Years Later -- What Worked?
- FH03
- Wed 07/20, 9:10AM - 9:30AM
- by Chance Hoellwarth
- Type: Invited
- Cal Poly was a comprehensive PhysTEC site from 2003-2006 and the changes instituted during this time impacted the number of students earning a physics credential. Prior to 2003, Cal Poly awarded an average of one physics credential every two years. After our PhysTEC participation, our numbers increased to an average of two credentials per year in 2008 and have since increased to four to in 2015. Many of the changes implemented from 2003 to 2006 are still in place: teacher-in-residence program, reformed classes, recruitment efforts, and working closely with the School of Education. In addition, we have also added the Summer Teacher and Researcher Program and a Noyce scholarship program. We attribute our success to all of these changes. This talk will highlight our most effective changes, discuss the impact of PhysTEC, and address how some of the changes have been sustained.
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PhysTEC Teacher Preparation in California: Themes, Challenges, and Opportunities
- FH04
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 9:50AM
- by Stamatis Vokos
- Type: Invited
- As the discussant in this session, I will draw out some general themes that emerge from the previous talks. I will pay special attention to identifying opportunities for future closer collaboration among PER faculty at current or legacy PhysTEC sites.
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Physicists with Disabilities
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I Am a Disabled Physicist! But You Don’t Look Handicapped!
- BJ01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
- by Rebecca Lindell
- Type: Contributed
- I am one of many disabled physicists who does not look handicapped. Many of us remain hidden and do not share our disability with others for fear of being judged incapable of being a physicist. In this talk, I will introduce this special session on being disabled in physics, as well as hopefully raise the awareness of what it means to be a disabled physicist.
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My Joyous Struggle: Defying the Odds...and Still Climbing
- BJ02
- Mon 07/18, 1:40PM - 2:10PM
- by Angela Moore
- Type: Invited
- The focus of this talk is to detail my personal struggles with multiple chronic health conditions, while trying to obtain degrees in Engineering, Physics, and a certification in Secondary Education. I will cover how disability has affected my ability to pursue my original career, and caused me to search for a second. This has been a struggle that has lasted for more than two decades. The struggle has been intensified by caring for a disabled parent, and a special needs child, but is far from over. I will share my insights on how my path could have been a little easier. I hope to inspire and empower other women in physics to keep climbing and to defy the odds. Disability, gender, and race, will not limit me.
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You're Smart But . . . . Experiences as a Disabled Graduate Student
- BJ03
- Mon 07/18, 2:10PM - 2:40PM
- by Cristina Moody
- Type: Invited
- I will present my perspective on being a woman with unseen disabilities, how this impacted the interactions, attitudes, and policies of my professors and department, and how this shaped my decisions to pursue and, ultimately, leave my PhD in physics.
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“But You Don't Look Sick..." Tenure Track with a Disability
- BJ04
- Mon 07/18, 2:40PM - 3:10PM
- by Wendi Wampler
- Type: Invited
- In this talk, I will discuss my experiences dealing with my physical disability in graduate school, as an adjunct professor, and now as a tenure-track professor. My focus will be on the difficulties I faced finishing graduate school, my continuing difficulties achieving a work-health balance, as well as long-term wellness plans being considered by my institution.
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Physicists with Disabilities - A
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Demonstration with One Leg to Stand on: Anecdotes on Different
- DI01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
- by David Sturm
- Type: Contributed
- We often prefer "differently-abled" to disabled for good reason. Many withdisabilities have to think differently, to prepare and handle situations not experienced by the majority. What to do if a few minutes before your lecture, your condition befalls you? Does one call off class, or find a way to do things differently? In the middle of a demonstration you can't stand. What now? Certainly different. You're walking down a corridor and in the blink of an eye, you fall. Or, you find that a building has no elevator and only stairs and you're expected on the fourth floor in five minutes. You come out and find your car, legally parked in a handicapped space -- blocked by unconcerned facilities workers. Ah, the joys of non-"normal" experiences! A sharing of anecdotes; but also antidotes.
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Suddenly Handicapped, How my Life Changed After a Serious Accident
- DI02
- Tue 07/19, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
- by Erin Sutherland
- Type: Contributed
- On August 2, 2013, I finished my classes for the day and got in my car todrive from Atlanta to Huntsville, Alabama, to meet some friends for dinner and a weekend of tennis. About halfway there, at the top of Lookout Mountain, I began to feel drowsy. I woke up a week later at Huntsville Hospital and my life has not been the same since. I spent another week in Huntsville Hospital, two weeks in a rehab hospital in Marietta, and three months bedridden at home and unable to bear weight on my shattered hip. It has been three years since the accident and I am still recovering and learning what it is like to have a disability that is not always obvious to others.
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Surviving the Physics Classroom with ADHD
- DI03
- Tue 07/19, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
- by Jordan Steckloff
- Type: Contributed
- ADHD does not negatively affect my ability to understand physics. However,as a student with ADHD, I faced a series of systemic challenges that seem to discourage me from continuing my studies in this field. In high school and undergrad, I was told repeatedly by classmates and instructors that ADHD doesn't exist, or is at best overdiagnosed (implying that I don't actually have it). Starting at the 300 level, courses started meeting twice a week for 80 minutes, rather than three times a week for 50 minutes, creating a struggle to focus for an additional half hour and engage with lecture content. Additionally, timed testing largely eliminated my ability to approach problems from time-consuming first principles (the way I had come to understand physics). I discuss the challenges I faced during my physics education, and how they are largely artificial, as they do not affect my ability to conduct research.
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Am I Wanted: Disabled Undergraduate Student Experiences in Physics
- DI04
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
- by Rosemary Carroll
- Type: Contributed
- I will present my experiences as a female student with unseen disabilities, how this affected my interactions with my professors and department, how this shaped my doubts and decisions to pursue graduate school, and my perspective on accommodations in physics education.
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Exploring Best Practices in Accessible Design of Interactive Science Simulations
- DI05
- Tue 07/19, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by Elise Morgan, Emily Moore
- Type: Contributed
- The PhET project has begun an initiative to increase the accessibility of its suite of science and mathematics simulations. In this work, we focus on the development of accessibility features that support students with visual impairments: keyboard navigation and auditory descriptions. Through an iterative process, we designed and implemented navigation and auditory descriptions for two physics PhET simulations. This process involved the use of interviews with college students and recent graduates with visual impairments. Here, we share results from these interviews focusing on best practices regarding keyboard navigation and auditory descriptions, shown by patterns in user interaction that have emerged. For example, our findings indicate that the inclusion of an easily navigable scene description upon the simulation first opening is crucial to users knowing what interactive elements are available. This research contributes to understanding how to develop physics education resources capable of supporting diverse students, including students with disabilities.
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Physics Teaching for Social Justice
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What Could It Look Like?: A Case Study of Physics Teaching for Social Justice
- EF01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Moses Rifkin
- Type: Invited
- Only 4% of professional physicists identify as black or African American, a number far smaller than the 12% of the Americans that do, and this underrepresentation is more dramatic in physics than it is in most scientific disciplines. I have developed a curriculum that uses these and other statistics as a jumping-off point for my high school students to explore issues of race, access, and culture in physics. I will share my experiences from a decade of using the curriculum, including how my students respond, how I address the challenges that have arisen, and how this curriculum has evolved. In doing so, I hope both to model the integration of physics teaching and social justice and to motivate attendees to take steps in their own classes.
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Responsive Teaching and Power: Toward Practice of Anti-Oppressive Science Pedagogy
- EF02
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
by Daniel Levin, Anita Sanyal Tudela, Matty Lau
- Type: Invited
- In this paper, we strive to bring together emerging research on responsivescience teaching and a conceptual framework of power and anti-oppressive pedagogy in education. We present an argument that responsive teaching may support progress towards anti-oppressive pedagogy, which attends to and interrupts traditional power relationships in teaching. We analyze discourse in a high school physics class around problems of free-falling bodies through lenses of responsive teaching and power. We demonstrate how foundational practices of responsive teaching are consistent with a vision for anti-oppressive pedagogy and useful for understanding how anti-oppressive pedagogy might develop in the science classroom and impact classroom culture.
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Epistemic Messaging and Epistemic Injustice in Science Classrooms
- EF03
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Rosemary Russ
- Type: Invited
- For decades, one of the central goals of science education has been to help students develop sophisticated understandings of the ways that scientific knowledge is constructed. In this talk, I discuss how the ways teachers attend and respond student thinking can send tacit, in-the-moment messages about the types of knowledge and knowledge construction that are valued in the science classroom. I argue that although these meta-messages are subtle, they can nonetheless have dramatic short- and long-term effects on students' epistemologies and engagement in science learning. As such, these messages may be a powerful lever for (in)equity and (in)justice in science classrooms. I explore the implications of such inequity for both individuals and for the classroom epistemic community. I present data from two research projects to demonstrate the intuitive plausibility of these claims and to illustrate the potential productivity of highlighting the messages for elementary pre-service teachers.
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Physics and the Maker Movement
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Makerspaces and Beyond: Creating Unique Extensions through Physics
- CC01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
- by Randall Tagg
- Type: Invited
- The rapid growth in popularity of Maker Spaces as community centers for design and innovation is a key opportunity to capture interest in physics as a subject of broad utility. An expanded version of a Maker Space called the “Innovation Hyperlab” shows how a wide range of topics in applied physics can be made accessible and useful to a larger community. This includes more advanced topics, such as photonics, electromagnetism, and microtechnology. Physics students serve important roles as participants, guides, and innovators in this highly creative environment. Students gain as much as they give by working with artists, engineers, small businesses, community members, teachers, youth, retirees, and many others. A space well equipped with physics instrumentation and methods becomes a powerful resource for innovation.
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Physics Innovation and Entrepreneurship at a Liberal Arts University*
- CC02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
- by Wouter Deconinck
- Type: Invited
- The Small Hall Makerspace in the Physics Department at the College of William & Mary, Virginia, provides students with access to equipment that is usually only found in research labs and machine shops, off-limits to all but a few. By encouraging an ecosystem of student clubs and the integration of makerspace activities in courses, the makerspace has expanded to provide students of both arts and sciences with a space where they can learn and innovate in interdisciplinary groups without the time pressures and rigid expectations of traditional teaching labs. In collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Center of the Business School, we are developing an entrepreneurship physics track that combines makerspace projects with development of funding proposals, business plans and management plans. At our relatively small institution without an engineering school we are using the makerspace to create experiences in innovation and entrepreneurship for our students.
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Case Study: A Small Town Makerspace
- CC03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
- by Jack Perrin
- Type: Invited
- The makerspace movement is a growing phenomenon that has the potential to engage diverse populations across the country in STEM subjects. The makerspace concept is simple: provide tools, expertise and a space to people and let them solve a design challenge in their own creative way. The manifestations of the movement are as varied as the populations they serve; there are makerspaces in libraries, schools, private tech firms, scouts and youth clubs, even refugee camps. Gorge MakerSpace serves kids with nowhere to go after school, families who want to learn together, homeschoolers, middle and high schoolers, summer campers and more. This presentation will highlight the format and content that has worked well at Gorge MakerSpace, including exciting new learning technologies like sewable electronics and open source platforms (e.g. Ardunio).
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Art, Physics, Imagination
- CC04
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 6:00PM
by Paul DeMarinis, Franco DeMarinis
- Type: Invited
- Artists have drawn on both the concepts and the lore of physics for inspiration and critical examination. Works by several contemporary artists who employ specific principles of physics such as fluid dynamics and will be presented and discussed along with ideas of how artists elaborate the treatment of these principles into artworks that engage the mind and the senses. An additional presentation will cover how artworks using physical principles can be employed in the classroom to demonstrate a variety of phenomena and serve as the basis for study of fundamental topics.
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Post-deadline Papers I
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Exploring Problem-based Cooperative Learning (PBCL) in Undergraduate Physics Labs
- HA01
- Wed 07/20, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
- by Shane Bergin
- Type: Contributed
- This study addresses the potential of problem-based cooperative learning (PBCL) as a teaching approach in expanding students’ understanding of the scientific process and perceptions of their own learning, and in engaging students in higher order, problem-solving skills. Contrasting a traditional, manual-based approach to labs with a PBCL approach, this study provides further insight into issues surrounding lack of student engagement in their undergraduate learning. Participant-led methodology was utilized in constructing the research instrument and this analytic focus on engaging small groups of students as co-researchers enables another contribution of this research. Findings suggest that students in the PBCL group engaged in more higher-order, problem-solving skills and had a deeper understanding of the scientific process as a result of this approach to learning. Furthermore, students in the PBCL group were more positively engaged with their learning than their counterparts in the traditional, manual-based group.
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Quantum Levitation for Teaching Modern and Classical Physics in Classroom
- HA02
- Wed 07/20, 3:10PM - 3:20PM
by Boaz Almog, Itai Ben-Mordechai
- Type: Contributed
- Quantum Levitation is one of the only quantum effects that are easily demonstrated in the classroom. By allowing students to engage in Quantum Levitation, construct their own levitation experiments, and explore different aspects of Quantum Locking (flux pinning) we learn about new and exciting physics while teaching students tools of data analysis and analytic conduct. We present specific Quantum Levitation experiments that my be used in two levels - as tools to explore classical physics (energy & momentum conservation, harmonic oscillator, etc.) and experiments in modern physics. We will show and review actual research work done by high-school students. The Quantum Levitation/Locking kits are developed by Quantum Experience ltd., a startup that came out of the High-Temperature Superconductivity research lab in Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
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Practical Physics Illustrated by Steam Locomotives
- HA03
- Wed 07/20, 3:20PM - 3:30PM
- by Lewis Epstein
- Type: Contributed
- Here is Sacramento is a temple to the most wonderful machine, at once beautiful and useful , the Steam Railroad Engine and to its entourage of rolling stock, civil structures, and tools. The California State Railroad Museum draws more visitors than any other state museum or park because the art it exhibits, even in its silent stationary state, grips the attention of the eyes and the emotions of almost all who come into its presence. And behold, this sleeping steel thin is pure physics, inside and out. Not physics buried within some deep cryogenic magnetic confinement or supposedly coded into long lines of algebraic gibberish barbed with mysterious symbols and decorated by super and sub scripts unresolvable to 55-year old eyes. This thing was a free public circus of acts in mechanics, heat, optics…even economics. This is a gold mine of take home and remember stories about practical physics. Let me show you some…..
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How to Make a Stone Skip More
- HA04
- Wed 07/20, 3:30PM - 3:40PM
by Xing Guo, Zhiang Li, Zhihao Niu
- Type: Contributed
- It is generally known that the stone with a correct incidence angle and anaccurate velocity could bounce many times on water. Previous works mainly focus on how to make a flat stone skip more times on water. In this paper, we investigate a new type of stone with a curved bottom that can bounce more times and can be more robust during its collision. Analytical model for the motion of the stone is presented. Experiments are conducted at the same time by using an effective stone skipping facility. The minimum skipping velocity indicating the efficiency of a stone is measured by this experiment setup. With the help of this experiment setup, the best stone for skipping on water can be found.
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Pre-class Interactive Videos Using Powerpoint Mix
- HA05
- Wed 07/20, 3:40PM - 3:50PM
by Shiladitya Chaudhury, Ameya Kolarkar, Stuart Loch
- Type: Contributed
- In an attempt to engage students with learning materials prior to their attendance in class, the investigators have been utilizing various methodologies for preparing pre-class interactive videos. Initial efforts included narrated, annotated videos that were accessible to students via YouTube. Data analytics provided insight into a rapid drop off in student viewing. In addition, fine grained viewing data was not readily available. We report here on our use of Microsoft Powerpoint Mix, a plugin available for the Office suite and readily utilized through use of the Microsoft Surface tablet. Mix allows embedding of interactive elements (such as quizzes and simulations) into the pre-class videos and provides detailed analytics on students' use of individual slides in the presentation. Preliminary results from student performance in calculus-based introductory physics courses at our institution will be presented.
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Mechanical Response of Figure-Eight Knots as Physical Parameters Changes
- HA06
- Wed 07/20, 3:50PM - 4:00PM
by Shazhiyuan Li, Junhong Chen, Qi Gu
- Type: Contributed
- Previous works indicate that the equilibrium shape of the knot is governedby interaction of topology, friction and bending. We propose a new experiment to study the mechanics of figure-eight knots. Our experiments discover the regularity of the pulling force in response to the increase of crossing numbers and our results do not coincide with former theory of crossing numbers. Our results show universality of many kinds of materials. Different from overhand knots, the figure-eight knots have a new type of mechanical response as the physical and topological parameters changes.
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A New Approach in Calculating Occupation Numbers in Microcanonical Ensemble
- HA07
- Wed 07/20, 4:00PM - 4:10PM
by Jixuan Hou, Cuiying SHEN
- Type: Contributed
- Thermodynamic quantities, occupation numbers and the fluctuations of a one-dimensional bose gas confined by a harmonic potential are studied using different ensemble approaches. Combining number theory methods, a new approach is presented to calculate the occupation numbers of different energy levels in microcanonical ensemble. The visible difference of the ground state occupation number in the ground canonical ensemble and microcanonical ensemble is found to decrease by power law as the number of particles increases.
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Analysis of Students’ Understanding About Vectors and Forces
- HA08
- Wed 07/20, 4:10PM - 4:20PM
by Judyanto Sirait, Hamdani -, Erwina Oktavianty
- Type: Contributed
- The aim of this study is to analyze the ability of students to understand vectors as well as force concept. We involved 212 physics education students of Tanjungpura University who have taken a basic physics course. Students were asked to solve test of vector and test of force adapted from physics education research group. Test of vector (TUV) consists of 13 items and covers addition, subtraction, and component. Moreover, test of force (TOF) that has nine items covers three different contexts -- horizontal surface, inclined plane, and pulling the rope. Before the tests were used, both tests have been validated by experts. We will report (i) students' performance in solving both tests; (ii) students' difficulties while solving the test, and (iii) the correlation between students’ ability of vector and students’ ability of force.
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Comparing Multiple Standardized Assessment Tools in Large-Lecture Introductory Physics
- HA09
- Wed 07/20, 4:20PM - 4:30PM
by Tor Odden, Peter Timbie
- Type: Contributed
- The University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Physics is in the process of revising several of its introductory physics courses to incorporate reform-based teaching methods. In order to evaluate the effects of these changes, the department has been trying out and comparing multiple standardized assessment tools, both conceptual and problem-solving based, to see which is the best fit for the program. These assessments include the Force Concept Inventory, the Mechanics Baseline Test, the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism, and the physics Survey Instrument. This presentation will report on the results of these comparisons, including correlations between assessments and course grades, correlations between different assessments, and the reliability of the assessments.
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Post-deadline Papers II
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Simeon Pease Meads: Science Educator and Unsuccessful Politician
- HB01
- Wed 07/20, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
- by William Palmer
- Type: Contributed
- A number of scientists have attempted to become politicians, though they have not always been successful. Simeon Pease Meads was born on 11th January, 1849 in South Limington, Maine. He taught at Oakland High School and became vice-Ppincipal in 1891. He invented and patented an electric alarm clock for ringing bells simultaneously throughout the school. In 1884 Meads wrote, Chemical Primer: An Elementary Work for use in High Schools, Academies, and Medical Colleges In 1894, he wrote an elementary physics text entitled Elements of physics for use in secondary schools. He later republished his Chemical Primer as Elements of Chemistry in 1891. Eventually he became Principal of Cole Grammar School in West Oakland from 1908–1916. Meads firmly believed in temperance, and was the Prohibition Party nominee for California Vice-Governor in 1902 and for Governor in 1910, though he was unsuccessful in both attempts.
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Mechanical Analysis of the Falling Chimney
- HB02
- Wed 07/20, 3:10PM - 3:20PM
by Zhiang Li, Xing Guo, Zhihao Niu
- Type: Contributed
- It is generally known that chimneys might break at a certain place before they hit the ground during a demolition blasting. However, previous models have assumed that the mass distribution of the chimney is uniform. The chimney model analyzed in this paper is a more realistic one with non-uniform mass distribution. Furthermore, clay miniatures are used to reproduce the falling process of a chimney. The experiment result is in good agreement with our outlined theory.
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Fulbright Scholar Program: Teaching Experiences in Italy and Brazil
- HB03
- Wed 07/20, 3:20PM - 3:30PM
- by Stephen McNeil
- Type: Contributed
- The Fulbright Scholar Program is an excellent way to share PER experienceswith our international colleagues. This presentation will focus on two types of Fulbright Grants (Specialist and Core), what it takes to get them, and some of my experiences in Italy and Brazil.
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In-Lab Conceptual Effectiveness Through Validity and Reliability of Testing Tools
- HB04
- Wed 07/20, 3:30PM - 3:40PM
by Jesus Valdez, Sergio Flores, Karla Carmona, Roy Montalvo, Maria Gonzalez
- Type: Contributed
- Science labs aim to have students understand basic concepts through experimentation. A test is a useful tool to determine whether the lab exercises are effectively teaching the basic concepts to students. To give an accurate assessment, the testing tool must be both valid and reliable. Physics students at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are first introduced to Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) in the lab weeks before the topic is covered in lecture and are tested on the concept of the following lab session. As a result, the student's knowledge of SHM comes solely from lab work. This study focuses on establishing the reliability of the testing tool for SHM utilized in the Physics labs at UTEP from the fall of 2014 to the spring of 2016 through the use of statistical methods. The study will also provide further direction based on the data obtained. If the test is deemed reliable, the reliability of each individual question relative to the rest will be used to find where improvements can be made. If the test is deemed nonreliable, the reliability of each question will be used to ascertain whether the test should be discarded or modified.
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Teaching Physics Through Experience, Observation, and Analysis
- HB05
- Wed 07/20, 3:40PM - 3:50PM
by Evan Pruitt, Marcus Milling
- Type: Contributed
- In both current and past physics education, there has been a desire and motivation to move from a didactic/rote mathematical approach to a more conceptual and inductive/inquiry-based approach. In this paper, we look to overcome the difficulties of creating a more student-centered approach that still allows for the rigor and organized concept building found in a didactic approach. This paper is specifically targeted for physics classrooms consisting of novice to intermediate learners. The proposed method for overcoming these difficulties is to ground the concepts in experiences gained in laboratory settings that accurately reflect how science is actually performed.
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Students' Conceptual Understanding with Vector Operations
- HB06
- Wed 07/20, 3:50PM - 4:00PM
by Carlos Cuellar, Sergio Flores, Maria Gonzalez, Roy Montalvo, Karla Carmona
- Type: Contributed
- A functional understanding of this concept requires that students be able to reason about vectors in different contexts. We present data collected from more than 160 students and related to traditional instruction at The University of Texas at El Paso. This data describes students’ conceptual difficulties with vector addition/subtraction. These students were organized in small groups led by student Teaching Assistants (TAs). TAs help students understand vector operations during a hands-on 50 minute session. Analysis of the data suggests that, after traditional instruction, some students were unable to reason qualitatively about the vector operations. We describe some specific procedural and reasoning difficulties we have observed (e.g. 1. Closing the loop, 2. Tip-to-tip, 3. Use of Pythagorean Theorem, 4. Adding as scalars, and 5. Reflection). We also describe initial measures of the effectiveness of the modified instruction approach.
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Using Theories of Embodied Cognition to Investigate Center of Gravity*
- HB07
- Wed 07/20, 4:00PM - 4:10PM
by Elise Agra, Jason Sattizahn, Megan Mikota, Susan Fischer, Sian Beilock
- Type: Contributed
- Research on the topic of embodied cognition suggests that when sensorimotor brain areas are involved in thinking and reasoning, our conceptual understanding of action-related tasks can improve. In this study, we applied learning methods that involve the sensorimotor system to the concept of center of gravity. To create a sensorimotor (or embodied) experience, we developed a set of balancing activities using a meter stick and a set of disks. Participants in the embodied group balanced different systems of objects directly on their hands. Participants in the hands-on group used a fulcrum to balance the systems of objects but did not directly experience the feeling of balancing a system of objects. We will discuss the effect of training on post-test accuracy.
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Using the Mouse Trap Car Project to Reinforce Concepts Learned in AP Physics 1 Course
- HB08
- Wed 07/20, 4:10PM - 4:20PM
- by Ravi Lall
- Type: Contributed
- Using the mousetrap car project as the end of the year project to reinforce the concepts learned in the AP Physics 1 course. The students are assigned a task to design a mousetrap car with compact disks and commonly available materials. The fun part of this project is that it involves variety of concepts like Kinematics, Dynamics, work energy, momentum and also rotation. The students take measurements of speed, velocity, and acceleration using motion sensors and analyze the graphs produced. They also are given the task to find the force constant of the spring used in this mousetrap. To make things more complex I involve the rotary motion aspect also. They could even analyze the moment of inertia of the carts plus the wheels and relate this to the motion which they observe. In the end they write a report with all their investigations with graphs, pictures and video analysis of the motion.
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Focusing on Concepts by Covering Them Simultaneously?
- HB09
- Wed 07/20, 4:20PM - 4:30PM
- by Peter Schwartz*
- Type: Contributed
- I made these changes after 15 years of lecturing introductory mechanics inconventional style: (1) flip the classroom, providing ~ 100 online videos; (2) use a free online text; (3) use “parallel pedagogy” where I introduce momentum, energy, dynamics, and kinematics on the first day of class and build in complexity throughout the quarter; and (4) transparently and collaboratively open our learning model to the students. Class time is dedicated to working problems in groups and building a supportive social network. Student acceptance, performance, and evaluations improves as I market our learning model with physics education literature and consult the students in curriculum development. Consistent with this learning model, before my presentation please (but come anyway if you don’t): 1) See the video of our model for learning physics: www.playposit.com/public/32670/93718/different-mechanics-class 2) Look over the class: http://sharedcurriculum.wikispaces.com/Introductory+Mechanics+Spring+2016
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Post-deadline Papers IV
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Are End-Of-Chapter Problems Really “Localized”?
- HD01
- Wed 07/20, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
by Bin Xiao, Robert Beichner
- Type: Contributed
- End-Of-Chapter problems in physics textbooks are normally considered to be“localized” when they only practice the concepts within the chapter. We used an introductory-level physics textbook and analyzed the equations needed to solve each of the problems in the Electricity and Magnetism chapters to show how focused those problems are and how they related to other chapters. We also compared the current edition of the textbook to its first edition written 30 years ago. We noted an improvement on the connections between chapters.
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Experiment-based Resources for Teaching Modern Physics
- HD02
- Wed 07/20, 3:10PM - 3:20PM
- by Gabriel Spalding
- Type: Contributed
- Might you be interested in a very brief prequel to teaching Special Relativity, which illustrates -- without the need for introducing any postulates -- how time reversals can arise in very simple kinds of measurements? We're excited about our manuscript on "Observation of image pair creation and annihilation from superluminal scattering sources,” published in Science Advances (2016). Using the same technologies, we have produced videos intended for classroom discussions regarding the basics of quantum mechanics, as described in our manuscript, "Video recording true single-photon double-slit interference," accepted for publication in American Journal of Physics (2016). Related materials are online at: http://sun.iwu.edu/~gspaldin/SinglePhotonVideos.html
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Phield Based Physics
- HD03
- Wed 07/20, 3:20PM - 3:30PM
- by Michelle Arnold
- Type: Contributed
- The Weber State Physics Department has developed several new introductory physics labs as part of a “Phield Based Physics” program. These labs are designed for students to see physics concepts in our everyday world, as well as to encourage them to be an active participant in the experimental process by making decisions about the details of the experiment they are doing. Some of these labs use IPads and various apps to directly measure everyday phenomena, such as videoing a falling object to determine the acceleration due to gravity. All of the labs encourage students to think about the experiment; for example the simple pendulum lab asks the students to consider what variables they could change to change the period of their pendulum and then they test whether these variables actually effect the pendulum’s period or not. In addition, all the labs have been developed using everyday materials such as paper and pennies, which allow students to see that physics does not require specialized lab equipment but is in our everyday lives. In addition this allows for the option of labs to be conducted outside of the lab room if needed. These labs have been developed around the idea that students can directly experience and understand the physics in their world, and for them to feel a part of the experimental process when conducting their labs rather than just following recipe type directions. Some of the labs developed and feedback from students will be presented.
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Reworking an Introductory Physics Lab Course for the Life Science Majors.
- HD04
- Wed 07/20, 3:30PM - 3:40PM
- by Clark Snelgrove
- Type: Contributed
- The curricula for the two-semester laboratory course for life science majors at BYU had not had a major revision in over 20 years. The lab equipment that was used was worn out and unreliable. Some lab activities didn't really "work" and the student culture had simply learned how to fake some activities to get a score. A major effort has been undertaken to redevelop the two course using information obtained from education research on learning. Also an effort has been made to make the activities more "authentic" to the life science students that take the course. I will report on the research that went into preparing write the curricula, the actual writing of the first of the two course, and the implementation of the curricula for the first of the two course during the last two semesters.
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Design and Implementation of a Electromagneticc Concept Inventory
- HD05
- Wed 07/20, 3:40PM - 3:50PM
by Francisco Ayala, Sergio Flores, Roy Montalvo, Karla Carmona, Maria Gonzalez
- Type: Contributed
- For the past three decades the force concept inventory (FCI) has been a reliable tool to measure the student “gain” from instruction in Newton's laws and kinematics. There is no such standard tool for introductory topics in electromagnetism. The physics education group at The University of Texas at El Paso is currently in the process of developing and validating a concept inventory to assess the effectiveness of instruction in introductory electromagnetism courses. Our goal is to create a tool that effectively assesses a wide range of understanding of these topics. Here we present our first set of data from the application of the concept inventory to over 300 students in electromagnetic courses, ranging from physics majors to engineers and live science majors.
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Extending the Flipped Physics Classroom to Recitation
- HD06
- Wed 07/20, 3:50PM - 4:00PM
by Erica Snipes*, Ameya Kolarkar
- Type: Contributed
- Recitation (or discussion) sessions in physics have been largely untouchedby active-learning other than student group-work in the presence of helpers – typically a Graduate Teaching Assistant and possibly a Learning Assistant. We present a model of a “flipped recitation” wherein students are aware of the problems to be solved ahead of time and use the recitation time to create new problems and solve them in small groups at the board. Active and team based learning techniques are used to encourage students to discuss amongst themselves, with the helpers providing occasional guidance to individual groups, rather than to the class as a whole.
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Student Sourced Creative Exam Problems
- HD07
- Wed 07/20, 4:00PM - 4:10PM
- by Ameya Kolarkar
- Type: Contributed
- Training undergraduate non-major students to create their own problems results in a significant positive impact on their understanding and exam performance. "Creating" students scored, on average, at least 20% higher than those who did not participate in the creating process. We shall present the implementation of the idea, assessment of student understanding and challenges faced in the process.
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Preparing Pre-service Physics Teachers for the Middle School Classroom
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What Can Help Middle School Science Teachers be Successful?
- GA01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:30PM
- by Gordon Aubrecht
- Type: Invited
- A successful program for inservice middle school teachers offers suggestions for features that would better help prepare prospective teachers for the “real thing.” These include, in addition to content support from staff and / or teachers, content support from peers as part of unit creation, experience of alternative methods of teaching rather than telling (such as, but not limited to, Physics by Inquiry), autonomy in choice of standard-supported units, and training in the use of formative assessments.
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Learning through Doing: Educating Pre-Service Elementary and Middle School Teachers
- GA02
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Robert Zisk
- Type: Invited
- Pre-service teachers preparing to enter the middle and elementary school science classroom often face challenges related to content knowledge, confidence and how to adapt more complex science topics for younger learners. The implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards has added to these challenges by emphasizing the development of science practices as a way to learn the science content. In order to overcome these challenges, we have spent the past five years developing a course to increase pre-service teachers’ comfort with science, develop content knowledge and help them develop a philosophy that students’ learn science best through engagement in science practices. In this talk, I will use artifacts from the course to describe how the students in the course learn to teach science to young students through first participation in lessons as they would be taught in an elementary or middle school classroom and then reflecting on then as teachers.
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Preparing and Supporting University Physics Educators (showcasing outcomes of PhysRev focused collection)
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Perceived Affordances and Constraints Regarding Instructors’ Use of Peer Instruction
- CK01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
by Charles Henderson, Melissa Dancy, Chandra Turpen
- Type: Invited
- Physics instructors generally report that they are aware of research-basedinstructional strategies and are interested in using them. However, sustained use is not widespread. Thus, an important unsolved problem is how to effectively spread and sustain the use of research-based instructional strategies. In this study, we conducted interviews with instructors regarding their experiences, knowledge, and use of Peer Instruction (PI). This talk focuses on how instructors come to know about PI, how they implement PI, and the reasons they give for taking up or not taking up aspects of PI. We found that 1) instructors commonly modify PI, 2) most instructors readily acknowledge the shortcomings of lecture, and 3) instructors are concerned that PI use will be taxing on their time, limit their coverage of content, and be a struggle to implement. Understanding these perspectives will help change agents more effectively partner with instructors in working towards effective instructional change.
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Research-based Assessment Affordances and Constraints: Perceptions of Physics Faculty
- CK02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
by Adrian Madsen, Sarah McKagan, Mathew Sandy Martinuk, Alexander Bell, Eleanor Sayre
- Type: Invited
- To help faculty use research-based materials in a more significant way, welearn about their perceived needs and suggest ways for the physics education research community to address them. We used phenomenographic interviews of physics faculty and department chairs to identify four families of issues that faculty have around research-based assessments (RBAs). First, many faculty are interested in using RBAs but need help with the practicalities of administering them. Second, at the same time, many faculty think that RBAs are limited and do not measure many of the things they care about, or are not applicable in their classes. Third, many faculty want to turn to communities of other faculty and experts to help them interpret their assessment results and suggest other ways to do assessment. Fourth, many faculty consider their courses in the broader contexts of accountability and their departments.
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Characterizing Pedagogical Practices of Physics Students in Informal Learning Environments
- CK03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
by Kathleen Hinko, Peter Madigan, Eric Miller, Noah Finkelstein
- Type: Invited
- University educators (UEs) have a long history of teaching physics not only in formal classroom settings but also in informal outreach environments. The pedagogical practices of UEs in informal physics teaching have not been widely studied, and they may provide insight into formal practices and preparation. We investigate the interactions between UEs and children in an after-school physics program facilitated by university physics students from the University of Colorado Boulder. In this program, physics undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers work with K-8 children on hands-on physics activities on a weekly basis over the course of a semester. We use an Activity Theoretic framework as a tool to examine situational aspects of individuals’ behavior in the complex structure of the after-school program. Using this framework, we analyze video of UE-child interactions and identify three main pedagogical modalities that UEs display during activities: Instruction, Consultation, and Participation modes. These modes are characterized by certain language, physical location, and objectives that establish differences in UE-child roles and division of labor. Based on this analysis, we discuss implications for promoting pedagogical strategies through purposeful curriculum development and university educator preparation.
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Becoming Physics People: Developing Physics Identity Through the LA Experience*
- CK04
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 6:00PM
by Eleanor Close, Jessica Conn, Hunter Close
- Type: Invited
- In this study, we analyze the experience of students in the Physics Learning Assistant (LA) program at TXST in terms of the existing theoretical frameworks of community of practice and physics identity, and explore the implications suggested by these theories for LA program adoption and adaptation. The goal of our current project is to understand the details of the impacts of participation in the LA experience on participants’ practice and self-concept, in order to identify critical elements of LA program structure that positively influence physics identity and physics career intentions for students. Our analysis suggests that participation in the LA program impacts LAs in ways that support both stronger “physics student” identity and stronger “physics instructor” identity, and that these identities are reconciled into a coherent integrated physics identity. Increased sense of community with peers, near-peers, and faculty seems to be an important component of this identity development and reconciliation. *This work and the Texas State University Physics LA Program are supported in part by NSF grant DUE-1240036, the Halliburton Foundation, and the College of Science and Engineering at Texas State University.
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Professional Development Opportunities: Participant Perspective on What Works
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Professional Development Opportunities: Participant Perspective on What Works
- CD
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 5:30PM
- by Geraldine Cochran
- Type: Panel
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Professional Development Supporting Women in Physics at All Career Levels
- CD01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
by Beth Cunningham, Anne Cox, Sherry Yennello, Elaine Lalanne
- Type: Panel
- A number of professional development opportunities exist for women in physics to network, mentor early career women, and receive advice from other women who are in similar situations. Some networks are small, such as mentoring groups, and some networks are larger, such as those built around the IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics. We will describe activities that enhance experiences that women have through the U.S. Delegation to the IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics. Specifically, we found that the process of selecting and engaging a group of women to prepare for an international conference focused on the experiences of women in physics across the world provided a unique platform for professional development. Deepened connection with the U.S. delegates provided to be one of the most beneficial outcomes. The networking between U.S. delegates continues long after the conference and has led to new projects supporting women in physics.
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Mutual Mentoring and eAlliances*
- CD02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
by Cindy Blaha, Beth Cunningham, Anne Cox, Idalia Ramos, Barbara Whitten
- Type: Panel
- There are many opportunities for professional development in physics, but you may wonder which will be worth your investment of time and energy. We will discuss the benefits of mutual mentoring for career development. One of us has been a member of a horizontal mentoring alliance of five senior women at liberal arts colleges. What began as part of an NSF-ADVANCE project from 2007-2010, and continues to the present, provides us all with important professional and personal support and fulfills mentoring needs we didn’t even know we had. Horizontal or mentoring is very beneficial for under-represented and/or isolated groups within a profession. AAPT has recently received an NSF-ADVANCE grant designed to broaden these mutual mentoring networks to more women faculty within the physics and astronomy communities. The project will develop ten eAlliances of five participants each among women physics and astronomy faculty who are isolated in various ways. This project will reduce the isolation of participating members and provide support to enhance their career development.
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Beyond the Valley of Stability
- CD03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
- by Sherry Yennello
- Type: Panel
- Often to advance one must move outside of their comfort zone; the place inwhich society has told them they are allowed to exist. In order to be successful in their journey individuals must have specific tools to help them not only to survive, but to thrive. Two such skills are communication and negotiation. Feedback on the professional development workshops provided by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics of the APS has been overwhelmingly positive. Specific aspects of what makes these workshops so successful will be discussed.
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Professional Skills for Graduate Students
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Professional Skills for Graduate Students
- EE
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Claudia Fracchiolla
- Type: Panel
- This interactive panel focuses on developing professional skills for graduate students and other early-stage researchers. This session will address professional concerns brought up by graduate students during the past Crackerbarrels/Topical Group Discussions. Topics covered may include: preparing for careers after graduate school, becoming integrated with the community, developing research skills, and disseminating your work.
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Progress in Pedagogy for Introductory Physics for Life Science
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Impact of Mindset and Awareness on Life Sciences Students
- AA01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Claudia De Grandi, Simon Mochrie, Rona Ramos
- Type: Contributed
- We analyze the impact of different pedagogical interventions in a two-semester sequence of an introductory physics course for the Life Sciences. The course has been taught in two parallel sections: one in a TEAL classroom (a technologically innovative classroom where students sit at round tables of 8-10 people) and one in a traditional lecture hall. Performance and attitude in the two classrooms are compared. Motivation and awareness of personal learning were prompted by reflections on: mindset (fixed versus growth) and consequences of multitasking, by additionally banning the use of laptops and cell phones in class. Students were also offered optional choices such as: sharing weekly anonymous feedback on the class and lectures, and resubmitting revisions of their midterm exams in order to gain partial credits on missed points. We’ll discuss students’ responses to these different class variables and highlight the successes and failures towards increasing engagement and performance.
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The Source of Student Engagement in IPLS
- AA02
- Mon 07/18, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
by Benjamin Geller, Chandra Turpen, Catherine Crouch
- Type: Contributed
- Effectively teaching an Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS) course means engaging life science students in a subject matter for which they may not have considerable preexisting interest. While we have found that the inclusion of topical examples of relevance to life-science students can help to engage students whose initial interest in physics is less developed, we have found that the inclusion of biological content is just one of several dimensions supporting student engagement in IPLS. When describing what is salient to them about their IPLS experiences, students are just as quick to cite particular pedagogical structures and supports as they are to cite issues relating directly to content choices. In this talk we begin to unpack this complex interplay of content and pedagogy in fostering student engagement in the IPLS classroom. We also describe the role that explicit messaging around disciplinary coherence may play in students’ experiences.
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NEXUS/Physics: Open-ended Design and Peer Review in IPLS*
- AA03
- Mon 07/18, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
- by Kimberly Moore
- Type: Contributed
- UMd-PERG’s NEXUS/Physics for Life Sciences laboratory curriculum, piloted in 2012-2013 in small test classes, has been implemented in large-enrollment environments at UMD in 2013-present, and adopted at several institutions beginning in 2014. These labs address physical issues at biological scales using microscopy, image and video analysis, electrophoresis, and spectroscopy in an open, non-protocol-driven environment. In the 2015-16 iteration, we have added peer review elements to the second semester course. We have collected a wealth of data (surveys, video analysis, etc.) that enables us to get a sense of the students’ responses to this curriculum at UMD. In this talk, we will provide a brief overview of what we have learned and a discussion of the challenges in integrating simultaneous interdisciplinary and pedagogical reforms.
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Incorporating Research-based, Biologically Authentic Physics Problems in IPLS
- AA04
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Deborah Hemingway, Wolfgang Losert, Edward Redish
- Type: Contributed
- Prior research has shown that when life-science students perceive physics problems as providing authentic insight into biological phenomena, they achieve more expert-like ways of knowing in physics. This work discusses the incorporation of biologically authentic, research-based physics problems into a reformed introductory physics for the life sciences course (IPLS) that is part of the National Experiment in Undergraduate Education (NEXUS/Physics) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). The problem set combines an ongoing collaborative research project between labs at UMD and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that examines the biophysical properties of collective cell migration with modern biophysical research methods. More specifically, this work focuses on the determination of cellular biomechanical properties during micropipette aspiration and the application of mathematical modeling in the posterior lateral line primordium migration during the embryonic development of danio rerio.
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Incorporating Student Ideas and Interests
- AA05
- Mon 07/18, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
- by Brian Jones
- Type: Contributed
- The General Physics course at Colorado State University is largely populated by students in the life sciences. Most of these students are juniors and seniors with a wealth of background in the fields whose content we seek to integrate. We have started holding regular sessions with students to brainstorm possible topic areas for lecture and lab exercises. This has provided pedagogical benefits that go far beyond the identification and development of topic areas and has provided ideas for new strategies for the course.
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Student Self-Assessment of Learning Outcomes in the IPLS Course
- AA06
- Mon 07/18, 9:20AM - 9:30AM
- by Nancy Beverly
- Type: Contributed
- The students enrolled in the Physics for Life Science course sequence at Mercy College consist primarily of those preparing for futures in medicine or other health fields. Learning outcomes for this course were chosen to align with the physics competencies most supportive of the health professions. To improve student competence in these areas and to reorient their mind-set away from grades and towards learning itself, assignment rubrics aligned to the learning outcomes were used, and the course grade is now largely dependent on achievement of these learning outcomes. This year, to help students focus on these learning skills and monitor their own progress, assignment self-assessment checklists, also aligned with the course learning outcomes, were required with submission of each major assignment. An analysis is ongoing comparing the competencies displayed in the semester-long student projects this year and the previous two years.
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Teach Poiseuille First: Call for a Fluid Dynamics Paradigm Shift
- AA07
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 9:40AM
by Bradley Moser, James Vesenka
- Type: Contributed
- Blood pressure rises in arterial expansions and airplanes lift due to the Bernoulli principle; so states the standard approach to fluid flow in textbooks and lesson plans. These promote Bernoulli first, then Poiseuille’s law second (if at all). Yet it is known that lift is a complex phenomenon, invoking multiple conservation principles. Detailed study of the human circulatory system shows that blood pressure steadily drops as blood flows through the system. Regretfully, the two approaches to fluid dynamics are kept entirely separate: either Bernoulli applies (often misapplied) OR Poiseuille. In this talk, the presenter will review the growing evidence against pure Bernoulli descriptions and discuss contradictory results from a circulatory system model we developed [1], which support a Poiseuille first approach to teaching fluid dynamics. The growing emphasis on life science applications heightens the need to shift focus toward more realistic viscous and turbulent fluid properties.
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A New IPLS Course: From Design to Dissemination*
- AA08
- Mon 07/18, 9:40AM - 9:50AM
by Alice Churukian, Duane Deardorff, David Smith, Colin Wallace, Laurie McNeil
- Type: Contributed
- At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, we have finished the complete transformation of our large-enrollment two-course sequence of introductory physics for life science majors. Both courses are now taught in the integrated lecture/studio format and use biological phenomena to motivate the physics. Across both courses, we have created a suite of 54 active-engagement modules, each consisting of studio activities, an interactive lecture, and assessment questions, all of which have been developed using the findings and best practices from PER. This suite includes materials for many topics that are important for life science majors, but are not part of the traditional introductory physics curriculum, including stress and strain, diffusion, chemical energy, and life at low Reynolds numbers. In this talk, we will provide an overview of what these two courses now look like, how we implement our curricula, the challenges we overcame during the development process, and our plans for dissemination. *This work is partially funded by NSF DUE-1323008 and AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative
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Robert Noyce Scholars in Physics Teacher Preparation
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Robert Noyce Scholars in Physics Teacher Preparation
- AF
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 10:00AM
- by David Rosengrant
- Type: Panel
- This session will focus on the role that the Robert Noyce Scholarship program can play in physics teacher preparation. We will highlight the work of various universities that successfully implemented this grant into their physics teacher preparation programs.
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Robert Noyce Scholarship Programs at Kennesaw State University
- AF01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
by David Rosengrant, Samuel Polizzi, Greg Rushton, Michelle Head
- Type: Panel
- Kennesaw State University has had a very successful history with Robert Noyce Scholarship Programs. Thus far we have had five total programs for the university, three of which deal specifically with chemistry and physics teachers. The first helped us create our Masters of Arts and Teaching Program. Our second deals with the recruitment and retention of chemistry and physics teachers. This program recruited career changers into the profession while at the same time we are working with area master teachers. These teachers have mastered their practice in the classroom and now we are working with them to become leaders in the profession. The third chemistry and physics specific program involves recruiting undergraduates into chemistry and physics teacher preparation. Furthermore, we specifically target our recruitment efforts towards women and minorities. This part of the talk will highlight our successes and challenges.
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Noyce Scholarship: Expanding Horizons
- AF02
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Debbie Andres
- Type: Panel
- The Robert Noyce Scholarship opened a door for me that I did not think waspossible as an engineering major. The Rutgers Physics Teacher Preparation program is unique in its early clinical experiences by giving its students creative liberty as TAs in an undergraduate physics course. Our methods courses allowed me to learn physics in a classroom that accepted ‘crazy ideas’. My education was enriched by the experiences of my instructors, cohort members, and graduates of the program. As a Noyce Scholar, my learning was expanded through teaching opportunities including high school outreach and summer bridge programs for incoming engineering students from low-income backgrounds. The opportunity to attend National AAPT meetings diversified our community, as my cohort was able to attend, join committees, and be the voices for high school teachers. Being a Noyce Scholar enabled me to be in this program, but it did so much more than that.
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Noyce Scholar and MTF Experiences in Teacher Research Teams
- AF03
- Mon 07/18, 9:30AM - 10:00AM
by Michelle Belleau, Emily Quinty
- Type: Panel
- At the University of Colorado Boulder, the Robert Noyce scholarship program involves pre-service (Noyce Fellows) and in-service teachers (including NSF Noyce Master Teaching Fellows) collaborating in Teacher Research Teams (TRTs). TRTs engage in professional development by inducing principles about effective teaching practice from their discipline-based education research. The Physics TRTs are implementing the Physics and Everyday Thinking High School (PET-HS) curriculum and studying student learning and behaviors in the PET-HS courses. In this session we will discuss pre- and in-service teacher growth as evidenced by survey data, self-reflections, and trends in research topics throughout their participation in the program. Additionally, we will discuss both high school student and and teacher pre and post results on the PET conceptual assessment and the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS).
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Roundtable on Teaching Physics in High School
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Roundtable on Teaching Physics in High School
- TOP05
- Mon 07/18, 6:00PM - 7:30PM
- by Charlene Rydgren
- Type: Topical
- A focused discussion on implications of Educational Reforms such as NGSS, Race for the Top, APPR, VAM etc. on teaching High School Physics. Where are we now? Where do we want to be? How do we get there?
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Saturday Registration
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Saturday Registration
- REG02
- Sat 07/16, 7:00AM - 4:00PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Registration
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Searching for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
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Beyond the Singularity: The Search for Extraterrestrial Technologies and the Breakthrough Listen Initiative
- CI01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
- by Andrew Siemion*
- Type: Invited
- Astronomers have recently determined that the key environmental factors that are believed to have given rise to life on Earth are present in abundance throughout the Milky Way galaxy. Armed with the certainty that life could have developed elsewhere, scientists everywhere are racing to determine if indeed it did, and if so, whether some of that life went on to develop a technological capability similar to our own. In July 2015, Yuri Milner and Stephen Hawking announced Breakthrough Listen -- a 10-year 100-million-dollar search for extraterrestrial intelligence. This program will be the most sensitive, intensive and comprehensive search for intelligent life beyond the Earth in the history of humanity. I will discuss the scientific rationale behind the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and provide a review of the Breakthrough Listen project, including current observational status, early results and plans for the future.
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Radio SETI Observations at the SETI Institute*
- CI02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
- by Gerald Harp
- Type: Invited
- For about eight years, the SETI Institute (SI) has been searching for extraterrestrial intelligence using our own interferometer telescope, the Allen Telescope Array (ATA). Technically, the approach taken by SI is different from other large radio SETI projects in a couple of ways: 1.The use of an array telescope allows us to look in more than one direction at a time. 2. We perform near-real-time follow-up of interesting candidate signals, and continue to follow them until they disappear or are proven to be human-generated. In this presentation, we will discuss some of these differences in approach, their advantages and disadvantages. Then we will review results from our SETI searches over decades of observing, and what conclusions we can draw from our search so far.
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Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence: An Alternative Paradigmfor Making First Contact
- CI03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
- by Douglas Vakoch*
- Type: Invited
- Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) complements passive SETI observations by transmitting powerful, intentional signals to nearby stars, hoping to elicit a response. METI investigates the possibility that other civilizations may currently be listening and not transmitting, but they may be willing to reply if humankind takes the initiative to transmit. The nonprofit research and educational organization METI International encourages a long-term perspective by initiating ongoing transmission projects and developing novel approaches to sustaining passive SETI projects across generations (http://meti.org). For example, modest-sized optical SETI observatories can be operated by colleges and universities as educational and scientific facilities providing opportunities for students of astronomy, physics, engineering, and computer science. Faculty interested in collaborating as part of a nascent global optical SETI network should contact the speaker at (dvakoch@meti.org). Opportunities are also available for summer student internships at the Optical SETI Observatory at Boquete, Panama, in cooperation with METI International (http://optical-seti.org/).
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Solo PER
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Solo PER
- TOP06
- Mon 07/18, 6:00PM - 7:30PM
- by Steven Maier
- Type: Topical
- Are you the only professional active in PER within your department? Are there only one or two colleagues in close proximity you can talk “PER shop” with? The membership of Solo PER is larger than you may think, and more diverse than most suspect. Join us for this Topical Discussion to connect with other Solo PER professionals and learn what is being done to help our/your endeavors. As in the past, bring questions, ideas and professional concerns to share.
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Sunday Evening Registration
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Sunday Evening Registration
- REG03B
- Sun 07/17, 5:30PM - 9:00PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Registration
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Sunday Registration
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Sunday Registration
- REG03
- Sun 07/17, 7:00AM - 4:00PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Registration
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Supporting Hispanic Women Students in Physics
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Examining the Identity Development of Female Physics Majors
- FI02
- Wed 07/20, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
by Sissi Li, Michael Loverude
- Type: Invited
- The challenges of becoming an expert in and a member of a field are both content-based and sociocultural. In pursuing a degree in physics, social interactions with faculty and peers can help shape students’ understanding of what it means to be a physicist. Cultural expectations are learned through social interactions and show how student identities fit into the community. Because physics is perceived as one of the most difficult in STEM, and it is one of the least diverse fields [81% of US physics BS recipients are white, and 79% male (AIP, 2010)], women and other underrepresented groups must overcome cultural differences and barriers while learning physics content. We will present the experiences of women who have successfully achieved a bachelor’s degree in physics. Through interviews with these women, we will shed light on prominent features of their experience that helped shape their identity as physicists in their undergraduate endeavors.
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Using Social Psychology to Support Underrepresented Students in Physics
- FI03
- Wed 07/20, 9:30AM - 10:00AM
by Gregg Muragishi*, Lauren Aguilar, Gregory Walton
- Type: Invited
- Two important tasks for teachers are to decide what material to cover and how to present it. Recent research in social psychology, however, shows that fostering student learning requires more than just presenting the material in an engaging manner – it also requires teachers to understand how students experience the classroom environment. Students from groups that are negatively stereotyped or underrepresented in physics are more likely to question whether they belong in school and look for evidence to confirm or allay these doubts. From this perspective, behaviors that seem positive to a teacher, like offering extra help, can make a student wonder if the teacher doubts their ability. How, then, can physics teachers create positive classroom environments for all students? This talk will review organizational mindsets, feedback, and affirmation strategies and describe how teachers can harness the power of social psychological research to help support the needs of all students.
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Supporting Women in Physics: How Everyone Can Play a Role
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Supporting Women in Physics: How Everyone Can Play a Role
- EK
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Geraldine Cochran
- Type: Panel
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Learning About Cross-Cultural Mentoring From My Students at Chicago State University
- EK01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Mel Sabella
- Type: Panel
- In 2001 I started my position at Chicago State University (CSU). CSU is roughly 70% female and 80% African American, with the majority of our students coming from the southside of Chicago and being the first in their families to attend college. The first group of students that I got to know well graduated in the 2003-2004 academic year. These four students were all African American and three of the four were female. The culture and population in my physics community at CSU is quite different than the culture and population of where I grew up in Queens-NY and the physics communities I experienced at my undergraduate and graduate institutions. I will share my experiences supporting and collaborating with female students of color and describe how my teaching and mentorship has evolved as a result of what I have learned from my students through these partnerships.
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A Model of Allyship: My Current Best Understanding
- EK02
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Dimitri Dounas-Frazer
- Type: Panel
- Sexism, racism, and other forms of oppression have emotional and physical costs for women, female-presenting people, people of color, people experiencing other forms of marginalization, and people whose identities span multiple marginalized groups. As a white queer man, my understanding of what it means to be an ally is in continual evolution as I try to understand my own multifaceted role in oppression. I mean “multifaceted” in the sense that I benefit from, contribute to, and organize against sexism and racism—as do other aspiring allies. I will discuss a model of allyship that centers working to end *isms, requires ongoing self-education, and makes room for imperfection (with LARGE caveats). I will share examples of how I organize against *isms. I will also share anecdotes about those times when I was “imperfect” in my allyship. How did I impact others, what did I learn, and what was the cost?
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My Role in RIT's Women in Science Group: Privilege and Pitfalls
- EK03
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
- by Scott Franklin
- Type: Panel
- "Authentic help means that all involved help each other mutually...Only when those who help and those being helped help each other simultaneously is the act of helping free from the distortion of helper dominating the helped." This quote by Paulo Freire captures both the opportunities and pitfalls of being a male ally. As the lone man on Executive Board of RIT's Women in Science (WISe), I bring with me privileges and opportunities unfairly denied to other members. This has allowed me to advocate for the group and individuals in important ways. But, it has also resulted in numerous inadvertent offenses, as culturally developed behaviors come into conflict with creating a supportive community. Recognizing the latter, and the opportunities for my personal growth, has brought about the mutually supportive community envisioned by Freire. I will present examples of my privileges and pitfalls, and describe the activities and processes by which WISe developed.
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Teacher Training/Enhancement
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Framework for Evaluating Teacher Discourse During Professional Development
- GC01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:10PM
by Alice Flarend, Scott McDonald, Tanya Furman
- Type: Contributed
- High quality professional development activities tend to involve teachers actively engaged in small group discussions. A question remains about what professional development providers (and classroom teachers) should look for as their “students” work in these groups in order to assess the success of these discussions. Discourse analysis is a promising methodology for gathering evidence of productive conversations. This presentation will provide a framework for classifying the discourse of small group talk into increasing levels of learning potential. Findings about the structure of professional development activities that lead to productive discourse will also be discussed.
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A New Online Master’s Program in Physics for High School Teachers
- GC02
- Wed 07/20, 1:10PM - 1:20PM
by William Newton, Robynne Lock
- Type: Contributed
- In spring 2014 we began to develop a new Master's in Physics with TeachingEmphasis aimed at in-service high school teachers. We have developed six brand new Master's level courses in physics aimed specifically at teachers, and are in the process of transferring them online. The aim is to support physics teachers for whom physics was not their major subject by reinforcing their content knowledge, giving them access to physics education research, teaching them the background necessary to discuss with their students the current hot physics topics that make the popular media, and providing a forum for teachers to share teaching strategies and material. In this talk we discuss the strategies employed in the classes so far, their content, and early outcomes.
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Discovering and Eliminating Flaws in Physics Test Questions
- GC03
- Wed 07/20, 1:20PM - 1:30PM
- by Jesse Miner
- Type: Contributed
- A physics test should measure a student’s content knowledge and problem solving skills. However, a student’s performance on a poorly constructed test may actually measure, e.g., reading comprehension, socioeconomic status, or equation matching. In large-scale assessment, standard practice for test development includes several levels of independent reviews that look beyond test content to find possible distractions within test questions that could skew results. I will present sample test questions that, while appearing to be reasonably well-written, have subtle flaws that could potentially disadvantage some students, and describe strategies for eliminating such flaws. I will also discuss basic methods for interpreting statistical performance of test questions, specifically addressing correlation between performance on a specific question to overall test performance to flag potentially flawed questions. This glimpse into the test development process will help teachers create robust tests that accurately measure student understanding.
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The OK PhysTEC Collaborative*
- GC04
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
- by Steven Maier
- Type: Contributed
- The OK PhysTEC Collaborative consists of the four PhysTEC member institutions of Oklahoma. The goal of the project is to increase the number of physics education candidates statewide over a three-year span. To do this, high school and undergraduate students are being recruited into physics and science education programs. In addition, support for travel to physics education conferences is offered to high school teachers, undergraduate physics students, and in-service physics teachers. Participating institutions include Northwestern Oklahoma State University (lead institution), East Central University, Oklahoma State University, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Recruitment efforts to date will be reported, along with summaries of enrollments, program changes motivated by the project, and challenges that remain.
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Design and Evaluation of Campus-wide Professional Development Program in STEM
- GC05
- Wed 07/20, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
by Alistair McInerny, Jared Ladbury, Mila Kryjevskaia, Paul Kelter
- Type: Contributed
- A North Dakota State University team of faculty is designing, implementing, and evaluating a sustainable campus-wide professional development program to help faculty maximize instructional effectiveness by building expertise in student-centered practices. As part of the program, we are developing a sequence of workshops that is helping create faculty learning communities and provide support for ongoing collaborations. A variety of instruments are being used to assess the effectiveness of our efforts. Pre-post-retrospective surveys are being used to probe how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived self-efficacy predict faculty intentions to implement active learning pedagogy. Four repeated-measures ANOVAs are determining differences between each construct across the three time points. In addition, linear regression is being used to determine the ability of attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy to predict intentions. Preliminary results will be presented and implications for the design, implementation, and evaluation of professional development programs will be discussed.
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Hands-on Physics Demos -- A New Approach
- GC06
- Wed 07/20, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
- by James Lincoln
- Type: Contributed
- Physics Demos must now be in the hands of students. Current Physics Education Research Demands Interactive Learning! But, how can we change our old demonstrations to make this possible? In this talk, I outline how to do this effectively, and how to get the most out of Physics Demos, which help blur the line between laboratory and activity, making the classic demos more engaging and active in order to reach more students, while at the same time highlighting new demos that you probably don't know about.
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Integrating a Learning Community of Learning Assistants and Teaching Assistants
- GC07
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
by Manher Jariwala, Kathryn Spilios, Bennett Goldberg
- Type: Contributed
- At Boston University, the physics department supports both a robust undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) program as well as the formal professional and pedagogical development of graduate students through participation in the CIRTL (Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning) Network. We describe our recent efforts to integrate the pedagogical training of undergraduate LA’s and graduate student TA’s and to promote partnership in teaching between LA’s and TA’s, leveraging best practices from both the LA and CIRTL programs. We also provide examples of individual change agents that have emerged from each group and discuss the common elements and shared values between undergraduate and graduate students efforts.
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Teacher in Residence (TIR) Role in Mentoring
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Expert Teacher Advice and What “We” Expect from Student Teachers
- BF01
- Mon 07/18, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Frank Lock
- Type: Invited
- One assignment the Teaching Candidates (student teachers) at Georgia Statewere required to complete was an interview with an expert teacher. Responses to such an interview will be presented and discussed, as well as the expectations of the pre-service teachers who are preparing for a career teaching high school physics.
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Defining the Role of the TIR
- BF02
- Mon 07/18, 2:00PM - 2:10PM
- by Cherie Bornhorst
- Type: Contributed
- One of the newest PhysTEC sites is operating on the School of Mines campus, a highly selective pubic applied sciences and engineering research university, but is a partnership with one of the state's premier teacher preparation institutions, the University of Northern Colorado. In efforts to clearly define the Teacher in Residence role within the Mines/UNC STEM Teacher Preparation Program we (the three first-year TIR’s) formed a Teacher Advisory Group (TAG). We have met regularly with the teachers, administrators, state officials, and policymakers who make up our TAG, and gained information from them about what makes for strong university-school partnerships. We’ve also learned that mentoring needs extend beyond the teacher candidates to also include host teachers, administrators, and faculty in the schools and districts where our students are being placed.
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Rowan University: New PhysTEC Teacher in Residence Perspectives
- BF03
- Mon 07/18, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
- by Patrick Chestnut
- Type: Contributed
- Rowan University was recently awarded a Comprehensive Site grant by the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC). The goal of Rowan’s PhysTEC project is to increase the number of highly qualified physics teachers entering the workforce by creating a teacher-rich environment within the Department of Physics & Astronomy where teaching high school physics is a relevant and admirable career path for physics majors. The purpose of this discussion is to provide insight related to opportunities and challenges encountered in the creation of new physics teachers at Rowan University. We will present topics from the perspective of a new TIR including site-specific considerations in hiring, training, and placing learning assistants in physics classrooms, the impact of students working as learning assistants on teaching dispositions, the formation of regional professional learning communities, potential solutions to overcoming challenges in navigating teacher certification pathways, and lastly, long-term sustainability of PhysTEC programs.
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Shared Responsibility: Multiple Teachers in Residence
- BF04
- Mon 07/18, 2:20PM - 2:30PM
- by Pamela Word*
- Type: Contributed
- Texas State University is a first year PhysTEC site that chose to bring onthree current classroom teachers to fulfill the responsibilities of the Teacher in Residence (TIR) role. This model of TIR implementation benefits both the site and the teachers. The teachers are from three different school districts, and provide unique perspectives, opportunities, and resources for mentoring current and prospective students. In addition to the diversity afforded to the program, the sharing of TIR responsibilities among the three teachers allows for a better balance between their classroom teaching and university mentoring. This presentation will elaborate on these benefits as well as address possible challenges that may be encountered when implementing this model.
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An Informal Mentoring Program Using Outreach and Volunteering
- BF05
- Mon 07/18, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
- by Jeffrey Rodriguez
- Type: Contributed
- Informal mentoring and contact with physics majors can be accomplished through outreach and volunteering opportunities. A discussion of the type of activities developed in order to get physics majors a feeling for what its like to be a physics teacher. Participation in several Saturday physics programs for high school students, judging local science fairs, assisting with science Olympiad, and giving demonstrations through a traveling science show will be addressed.
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Creating a New PhysTEC Program at WVU
- BF06
- Mon 07/18, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
- by Michael Tilley
- Type: Contributed
- Even with accommodating faculty and staff, starting a PhysTEC program in anew location has its challenges; these challenges mount when the program leads are also new to the university. Being a Teacher in Residence (TIR) through such a change has been exciting. A well-designed, cooperative support structure and professors with PhysTEC experience ensured that this new program started successfully. I will discuss my role as TIR in recruiting new future teachers to the also recently launched WVUteach, a UTeach replication site. I will discuss strategies for providing accessible information about teaching for introductory students and helping more advanced students through a complicated licensure environment. I will also discuss the TIR’s role in developing a culture of respect for the art of teaching and knowledge of active learning strategies in a traditional teaching assistant population.
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Transience with Continuity: the TIR Paradox
- BF07
- Mon 07/18, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
- by Adam LaMee
- Type: Contributed
- In mentoring future physics teachers, a Teacher-in-Residence often draws upon what has worked in the past, networks with the existing K-20 Physics education community, and connects with undergraduates more personally than a series of mass emails would allow. And the TIR position can also rotate in as little as one year. So how can a TIR build continuity knowing much of what they accomplish will have to be done by a stranger next August? Time is well-spent enhancing the university culture of valuing the teaching profession. Being a catalyst for local teachers to come together, either socially or for professional development, fosters a community of educators who anticipate being contacted each year to host students for field experience. As TIRs come and go, culture and community persist. And cloud storage. Meticulously organized cloud storage.
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Power of the Emotional Component in Teaching and Learning
- BF08
- Mon 07/18, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
- by Michael Ponnambalam
- Type: Contributed
- The author is a Master Teacher, and Mentor for New Physics Staff, University of the West Indies, Jamaican Campus from 2006 to retirement at 2013. This paper presents details on the enormous power of the teachers' infectious enthusiasm and caring attitude in teaching and learning.
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Teaching Physics in High Needs High Schools
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Twenty Plus Years of Physics Teacher Professional Development in Rural Kansas
- GJ01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:30PM
by Paul Adams, Earl Legleiter
- Type: Invited
- Fort Hays State University (FHSU) has focused on providing professional development for teachers of physics in high need schools – primarily rural schools in Kansas -- for over 20 years. Through numerous grants and formation of partnerships with other universities and service centers, FHSU has provided not only professional development for cross-over, novice, and expert physics teachers utilizing the Modeling Method of physics instruction, but also thousands of dollars of teaching apparatus from sensors to robots, and a support system for physics teachers in high need areas. While our efforts have been successful, it required meeting the challenge of place and time bound teachers, under-funded school districts, shortage of STEM teachers, and leveraging resources of time, talent and treasure. The experiences – both success and failures – at FHSU provide insight for other institutions looking for ideas to provide sustained ongoing professional development to assure high-quality physics teaching for all students.
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Sometimes the Science Comes Second: Modeling in High Needs Schools
- GJ02
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Steve Nixon
- Type: Invited
- One of the major challenges faced in a high needs school is the students’ social emotional health. Instructional curricula such as Modeling can be an effective technique to boost the social emotional health of students while also increasing academic achievement in physics classes at multiple levels. Specifically, in my experience, Modeling techniques, such as goalless problems and whiteboarding, along with other instructional strategies like Project Based Learning, increase scientific reasoning skills, student confidence, and student engagement. I will present Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning results and in-class evidence and anecdotes of student gains that span multiple schools.
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Reflections on Modeling Instruction in Urban Schools
- GJ03
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
by Bradley Gearhart, Dan MacIsaac, Kathleen Falconer
- Type: Invited
- Over the past decade, I have employed Modeling Instruction as the main mechanism by which physics content is delivered in my classroom. During that time, my classroom setting has varied greatly as I transitioned from a private catholic school, to a high-achieving suburban school, and finally to an under-performing urban school district. Despite the diverse demographic and socio-economic shifts that came with each transition, my use of Modeling Instruction and reflection have been important to me as I have seen the benefits in each of these educational environments. During this talk, I will use student work and RTOP to define the quality of instruction, describe how extending Modeling Instruction within the Buffalo Public School District and mentoring my colleagues through the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership (ISEP) informs and develops my physics teaching practices.
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Motivating Students with Limited Skills to Learn Physics Concepts Through Challenges
- GJ04
- Wed 07/20, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
- by Cliff Gerstman
- Type: Contributed
- Having taught physics for 10 years in the inner city of South Central Los Angeles, I needed to develop ways to motivate students with low interest and limited math skills to really grab physics concepts. What I came up with was a series of one or two class competitions that made students want to succeed. Each challenge competition would come with a goal, and analysis questions to be answered individually by the students. In this round about method, students answered questions and internalized concepts without ever realizing they were doing so.
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Crossing Cultural Borders
- GJ05
- Wed 07/20, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
- by Danny Doucette
- Type: Contributed
- Many of the challenges we face as teachers stem from the tremendous cultural divide between students' experiences outside of the classroom and the unique physics culture they find within. The concept of cultural border crossing is a useful way to understand students' experiences and needs. By approaching language learning, gender/racial gaps, and student disengagement as aspects of cultural border crossing, we can engage with the root causes of students' cultural challenges and change our teaching practice appropriately.
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Technologies
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Arduino in Electronics Course Leads to Arduino and FPGA Student Research Projects
- GF01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:10PM
- by Michele McColgan
- Type: Contributed
- Students are introduced to programming the Arduino with Matlab, Simulink, and the Arduino IDE in a sophomore-level electronics course. Students continue with independent studies and summer research projects using the Arduino and the Xilinx Zedboard FPGA. Examples of student projects will be presented.
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Wave Shaping by Guitar Amplifier Tubes
- GF02
- Wed 07/20, 1:10PM - 1:20PM
by David Keeports, Alex Riaboff
- Type: Contributed
- It is commonly claimed that overdriven tube guitar amplifiers produce sound superior to transistor amplifiers because tube amplifiers produce prominent second harmonics while transistor amplifiers produce prominent third harmonics. In my previous talk, I provided evidence for the validity of this claim by inputting sine waves and examining overdriven tube and transistor output in the frequency domain. In this talk, I will consider tube output in the time domain. Surprisingly, output wave shapes at speakers for tubes are often considerably more complex than wave shapes predicted from tube function. Output from a very simple tube preamp built by one of my students provides a convincing explanation of this difference.
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Ron Edge: String and Sticky Tape
- GF03
- Wed 07/20, 1:20PM - 1:40PM
- by Donald Franklin
- Type: Contributed
- Ron Edge has contributed many articles for the Economic Way to Teach Physics. String and Sticky Tape allows for any teacher anywhere to show their students how physics is part of their life.
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Periodic Roads and Quantized Wheels
- GF04
- Wed 07/20, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
- by Eduardo De Campos Valadares
- Type: Contributed
- A simple approach to determine all possible wheels that can roll smoothly without slipping on a periodic roadbed while keeping their center of mass at a constant level is proposed. The inverse problem of obtaining all quantized wheels by determining the roadbed profile compatible with a specific wheel is also addressed(1-5). It is highlighted the role of symmetry, which might preclude the center of mass to be at a constant level. Illustrative examples highlight counter-intuitive aspects of the world of non-conventional wheels and potential applications.
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Electronic Lab Notebooks Using Blackboard, Microsoft Word, and Livescribe Pens
- GF05
- Wed 07/20, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
- by Adam Lark
- Type: Contributed
- In this new digital age, students are far more accustomed to typing documents than writing documents by hand. Despite this, laboratories have typically had difficulty moving to electronic documents. Equations and diagrams are simultaneously an essential part of a lab notebook and difficult to generate digitally. I propose a way of using Blackboard, Microsoft Word, and Livescribe pens to implement electronic lab notebooks in a lab setting. Blackboard is used to administer the electronic documents, Microsoft Word to compose the document, and Livescribe pens to easily digitize equations and diagrams. With this system, the introductory physics laboratories at Hamilton College have accomplished electronic lab notebooks successfully through the past year.
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The Great American Eclipse of 21 August 2017: Preparing for Maximum Impact
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Preparing Teachers and Students for the Eclipse
- GI01
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 1:30PM
- by Andrew Fraknoi
- Type: Invited
- I will discuss how this "All-American" eclipse (with enormous media and public interest anticipated) presents an opportunity to teach students about eclipses specifically, and about solar science in general. (And to share activities, information sheets, and resources with K-12 teachers, staff in museums and nature centers, and librarians, to help them convey the relevant science with their students and audiences.) Astronomy Educator Dennis Schatz and I have written a book that includes 45 standards-aligned learning experiences (and lots of background information) about the Sun, the Moon, the sky, the calendar, and eclipses. Entitled "Solar Science," it is published by the National Science Teachers' Association. You can find a free booklet all about the eclipse and many other online resources from it by going to: www.nsta.org/solarscience. I'll present specific learning activities and discuss how viewing the eclipse safely is a local and national challenge worthy of our best efforts.
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Solar Eclipses: From Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets
- GI02
- Wed 07/20, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Tyler Nordgren
- Type: Invited
- Solar Eclipses are one of the few phenomena that have made the transition from omens of doom to utterly harmless tourist attraction. Along the way they became the single most useful scientific tool for understanding our universe. Solar (and lunar) eclipses demonstrated a periodic cosmos that was therefore knowable while revealing the size and shape of the heavenly spheres. With the advent of modern astronomy, including advances in our understanding of physics (from atoms, to optics, and gravity) solar eclipses were the celebrated laboratory requiring globe-spanning expeditions that drew international attention. These culminated in the most famous eclipse expedition of all: the 1919 total solar eclipse that verified General Relativity and catapulted Einstein into the public imagination. Today there exists a huge range of simple physical phenomena and experiments accessible by the general public that can all be connected back to that most spectacular, yet rare, celestial phenomenon.
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The Citizen CATE Experiment for the Great American Eclipse
- GI03
- Wed 07/20, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
by Matt Penn, Richard Gelderman, Don Walter, Mike Pierce, Robert Baer
- Type: Invited
- The total solar eclipse of 21 August 2017 will be viewed by 10 million Americans, and will be seen on broadcasts by hundreds of millions. The Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse (CATE) Experiment is a partnership of five universities, three corporations, three national research labs, and 100 citizen volunteers from middle school to retirement age. CATE uses 60 identical telescopes from Oregon to South Carolina to record the solar corona, revealing 90 minutes of plasma dynamics never before seen. After the eclipse, the project will reinvigorate citizen science by transferring the experiment equipment to the volunteers and providing more citizen science projects. The goals for CATE range from providing an authentic STEM research experience for students and lifelong learners, to making state-of-the-art solar coronal observations of the plasma dynamics of coronal polar plumes, to increasing the U.S. scientific literacy.
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The Transient Response of Temperature Sensors to Step Temperature Changes
- GI04
- Wed 07/20, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
by Kaye Smith, Brittany Craig, Erick Agrimson, James Flaten
- Type: Contributed
- Accurate measurements of air temperature from high-altitude weather balloon payloads are complicated by extreme low temperature and low-pressure measurement conditions, sensor-reading transients, and multiple potential heat transfer mechanisms. In this talk, we present results of work measuring the transient response of different temperature sensors to step changes in temperature; an important consideration when designing an air temperature measuring system for use in weather-balloon-lofted missions to the stratosphere. Heat transfer models are used to compare the dynamic response of temperature sensors under different heat exchange mechanisms. The motivation for this work is the need to accurately measure temperature, and temperature changes, during high- altitude ballooning research activities, including experiments we plan to fly during the total solar eclipse that will cross the continental United States on August 21, 2017.
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Stratospheric Balloon Studies of the August 21, 2017, Solar Eclipse
- GI05
- Wed 07/20, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
by Erick Agrimson, Gordon McIntosh, James Flaten, Kaye Smith, Angela Des Jardins
- Type: Contributed
- Groups that use weather balloons to lift science experiments into the stratosphere are awaiting the total solar eclipse of August 2017 with a wide variety of experiments planned. In particular, colleges and universities involved in the Stratospheric Ballooning Association (SBA) and those in NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (Space Grant) have been collaborating to develop and disseminate flight hardware and to train additional faculty and students in this engaging STEM activity. This presentation will describe a variety of stratospheric ballooning experiments discussed in a recent SBA ballooning workshop and conference, with emphasis being given to two experiments our Minnesota team is preparing for flight. These experiments are (a) monitoring changes in the Pfotzer maximum for cosmic radiation during a solar eclipse, led by U of MN, Morris, and (b) studying variation in the thermal wake below ascending balloons during a solar eclipse, led by St. Catherine University.
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The History of Accelerator Physics
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Homegrown Particle Accelerators
- EA01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 2:00PM
- by Gabriela Quiros
- Type: Invited
- Physicists on the University of California, Berkeley, campus in the 1930s and at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, in Menlo Park, in the 1970s, created precursors to the Large Hadron Collider that led to key discoveries about the tiny constituents of the atom – from the nucleus all the way down to quarks.
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Synchrotron Light Sources; Then and Now
- EA02
- Tue 07/19, 2:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Herman Winick*
- Type: Invited
- The more than 50 light sources now in operation around the world include facilities in Brazil, Korea, and Taiwan which started their programs in the 1980s when they were developing countries. They came on line in the 1990s and have since trained hundreds of graduate students locally, without sending them abroad and losing many of them. Regions of the world which now have no light sources are building them (e.g. SESAME in the Middle East which will start operation late in 2016) or planning them (e.g. Africa, Mexico). This talk will review the status of these and other facilities around the world. The value of a light source in a developing region was the topic of the SESAME session at the recent AAAS Annual Conference in Washington DC. See: http://www.aaas.org/news/quest-scientific-source-light-middle-east-nears-completion. Links to other light sources around the world are at: www.lightsources.org
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Focus on Invention: Accelerator Developments in Lawrence’s Laboratory*
- EA03
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 3:00PM
- by William Barletta
- Type: Invited
- Beginning with Lawrence’s transformation of Wideroe’s linac into the cyclotron at the Radiation Laboratory originally on Berkeley’s campus, Berkeley has been the home of remarkable advances in accelerator science. Lawrence’s classical design soon gave way to the synchrocyclotron to reach higher energies. As the cyclotron’s magnetic yoke became gargantuan, McMillan’s discovery of phase stability enabled Berkeley to transform the synchrotron of Oliphant into America’s largest weak focusing machine, the Bevatron. As its days for high-energy physics waned, the Bevatron was injected by Alvarez’s heavy ion linac to form the Bevalac for nuclear physics. Berkeley did not neglect electrons; the induction linac technology of ERA was applied to heavy ions for inertial fusion. Berkeley proposed and built the first third generation light source using the permanent magnet undulators technology introduced by Halbach. The most recent inventions have accelerated accelerated to multi-GeV energies by wakefields induced in plasmas by powerful lasers.
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A Bridge Too Far? The Demise of the SSC
- EA04
- Tue 07/19, 3:00PM - 3:30PM
- by Michael Riordan
- Type: Invited
- In October 1993 the U.S. Congress terminated the Superconducting Super Collider; it was a disastrous loss for the nation’s once dominant high-energy physics community. With the 2012 discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, Europe has assumed world leadership in this field. A combination of fiscal austerity, continuing SSC cost overruns, intense Congressional scrutiny, lack of major foreign contributions, waning presidential support, and the widespread public perception of mismanagement led to the project’s demise. Other major factors were changing U.S. scientific needs after the Cold War ended and the SSC’s fiscal impact upon other worthy scientific research. As underscored by the Higgs boson discovery at a mass of 125 GeV, the SSC did not need to collide protons at 40 TeV to attain its premier physics goal. There were alternative projects the U.S. high-energy physics community could have pursued that did not involve building a gargantuan, multibillion-dollar collider at a green-field site in Texas.
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The Physics of the NSF IUSE Program
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Workshops and Learning Communities for Physics and Astronomy Faculty*
- CH01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
- by Robert Hilborn
- Type: Invited
- Since 1996, AAPT, AAS, and APS have been offering workshops for physics and astronomy new faculty members. These workshops introduce faculty to interactive engagement teaching methods and the evidence for their effectiveness, embedded in a framework of general professional development. Evidence indicates that the workshops are extremely successful in making the participants aware of interactive engagement methods and motivating them to implement these methods in their classes. However, studies of the participants indicate that about 1/3 of them stop using interactive engagement methods within a year or two. To address this issue, we have implemented faculty online learning communities (FOLCs). The FOLCs provide peer support and advice through webinars and coaching from more experienced faculty members. Evidence from the first FOLC cohort indicates that the FOLC does seem to provide the support needed to encourage faculty to continue implementation of interactive engagement teaching methods.
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Assessing the Effect of Lab Courses on Students’ Beliefs about Experimental Physics
- CH02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
- by Heather Lewandowski
- Type: Invited
- There is a growing interest in improving student learning in undergraduatelab courses. A key component in the process of improving any educational experience is being able to measure to what extent students are meeting the learning objectives of the course. To support lab course transformation efforts across the U.S., our group developed, and now supports the administration of, the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). This assessment tool probes students’ epistemologies about experimental physics, which is a learning goal included in the recently created AAPT Lab Guidelines document. I will discuss the initial outcomes of this NSF-funded project and my personal perspective about what aspects made the original proposal a strong candidate for funding.
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Developing Scientific Reasoning: Targeted Physics Instruction for STEM Majors
- CH03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
by Kathleen Koenig, Krista Wood, Lei Bao, Carol Fabby, Lindsay Owens
- Type: Invited
- The economy and future workforce call for a shift of education goals from content drilling towards fostering higher end skills including reasoning, creativity, and open problem solving. Unfortunately, the typical introductory science course does not significantly impact students in these areas. Although scientific reasoning (SR) has become a widely targeted domain of high end skills in STEM learning, the knowledge base for the impact of SR-targeted curriculum along with assessment of SR is not widespread in the research community. This NSF-funded project seeks to address the gap in the literature by developing a lab curriculum designed to advance select SR skills, as well as provide evidence for how the course activities impact student development of SR, bringing advancement in this area. This presentation will discuss the portion of the grant work focused on developing and assessing the progression of student abilities in control of variables.
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Multimedia Modules for Physics Instruction in a Flipped Classroom Course for Pre-health and Life Science Majors*
- CH04
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 6:00PM
by Ralf Widenhorn, Elliot Mylott, Justin Dunlap, Charles Thomas, Warren Christensen
- Type: Invited
- We have developed modular multimedia educational material for undergraduate physics geared toward pre-health and life science majors. The flipped classroom course material emphasizes medical equipment and applied biomedical instrumentation utilized both clinically and for research. The multimedia learning modules include videos containing interviews with biomedical experts in conjunction with illustrations, images, and videos of the biomedical devices in clinical use. We are implementing formative and summative assessments to improve the learning material throughout the project. This includes evaluating learning gains for individual modules as well as assessing the impact on student attitudes. Here, we will present results and experiences after reaching the halfway point of the three year collaborative IUSE grant from Portland State University, North Dakota State University, and Oregon Health and Science University.
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The Role of the AAPT in preK-8 Physics Education: What Can We Do to Support and Learn from preK-8 Teachers?
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The Role of the AAPT in preK-8 Physics Education: What Can We Do to Support and Learn from preK-8 Teachers?
- TOP03
- Mon 07/18, 12:00PM - 1:30PM
- by Rebecca Vieyra
- Type: Topical
- Bring your questions and insights about how AAPT and its members can support physics and general science educators at the preK-8 level. All science and physics educators across the preK-higher education spectrum are welcome to attend to engage in dialogue about this important endeavor to support science literacy and interest in the early years through formal and informal means. Participants who have had experience engaging preK-8 children and/or their teachers in physics are encouraged to share their results. The AAPT's new K-12 Program Manager will preside at this discussion to hear the ideas put forth for consideration in AAPT's K-12 Programs.
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Tuesday Afternoon Break in the Exhibit Hall
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Tuesday Afternoon Break in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH10
- Tue 07/19, 3:30PM - 4:00PM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
-
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Tuesday Morning Break in the Exhibit Hall
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Tuesday Morning Break in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH08
- Tue 07/19, 10:00AM - 10:30AM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
-
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Tuesday Morning Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
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Tuesday Morning Raffle in the Exhibit Hall
- EXH09
- Tue 07/19, 10:20AM - 10:25AM
- Robert Finnegan
- Type: Exhibit Hall
-
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Tuesday Registration
-
Tuesday Registration
- REG05
- Tue 07/19, 7:00AM - 4:00PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Registration
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Two Year Colleges
-
Successful STEM Student Pathways: A Two- and Four-year Partnership*
- AD01
- Mon 07/18, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
by Charles DeLeone, Debbie DeRoma, Edward Price, Daniel Sourbeer, Chandra Turpen
- Type: Contributed
- Many geographically related two- and four-year institutions share a large percentage of their students. However, most two- and four- year institutions have weak STEM-specific linkages between the institutions despite the benefits of such linkages to the students. We have been engaged in a multi-year effort to strengthen the partnership between STEM programs at two regional institutions, California State University, San Marcos, and Palomar College, with the goal of creating more coherent STEM pathways for students. This talk will focus on how the partnership has improved outcomes for students, including increases in the number of two-year students prepared in STEM domains, number of transfers, and the success of transfers within CSUSM STEM programs. An associated poster will provide more detail on the processes that brought about this change.
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Assessing a Course Text Book
- AD02
- Mon 07/18, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
- by Heidi Wainscott
- Type: Contributed
- At the university where I teach we reevaluate our course text about every five years to make sure that it is meeting the needs of both the students and instructors. I will walk you through our most recent review of several standard introductory physics texts. The discussion will cover; our review criteria, the scope of the review, how we involved both students and faculty in the review, and our results. If you are considering a new course text, our recent work in this area may be of use to you.
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New York Times Automotive Article Applications that Help Teach Physics
- AD03
- Mon 07/18, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
- by John Cise
- Type: Contributed
- Since 2007 I have been using New York Times articles with physics applications to help teach physics. The New York Times has many sections (Sports, Automotive, Science, Space, Astronomy, etc.) with articles containing physics applications. Articles & related graphics are placed in WORD then edited to fit on one web page. More graphics are added. Also added are: Introduction, questions, hints, and answers. The one page WORD document is saved as a pdf file and uploaded to the authors N Y Times application site. About 800 physics applications can be found at: http://CisePhysics.homestead.com/files/NYTCisePhysics.pdf . The site specific to this paper on "NY Times Automotive Article Applications which Help Teach Physics" is: http://CisePhysics.homestead.com/files/NYTAuto.pdf The author uses the N Y Times Applications for: Introduction to new concepts, quizzes, extra credit, and test questions. Students and author enjoy these current physics news applications.
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Definition of Physics in Introductory Physics Classes
- AD04
- Mon 07/18, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
- by Genrikh Golin
- Type: Contributed
- The following is a summary of the introductory lecture "What Is Physics?" This is how we generally start a physics course. This topic can be used also as the concluding lecture. Indeed, physics is the study of matter moving in space and time. Scientists still hold seven forms of matter movement, and physics as science (and a course) is splitting into seven branches. Physicists today study three worlds: macro-, micro-, and mega- worlds. All three kinds of objects move differently, are defined by different laws and theories, and are discovered at different times. In the presentation we will construct a table including forms of motion and the corresponding branches of physics. Traditionally, the first three branches of physics are called classical physics. Optics belongs both to classical physics and modern physics, the last three branches belong to modern physics.
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An Easy Determination of an Approximate Value for Absolute Zero
- AD05
- Mon 07/18, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
- by A. Mallmann
- Type: Contributed
- A method to determine an approximately accurate value for absolute zero will be described. The needed data can be easily obtained using simple, inexpensive apparatus, and the value for absolute zero can be determined without doing any calculations or using any equations.
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Two Years of New AP Physics 1 and 2
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Two Years of New AP Physics 1 and 2
- GG
- Wed 07/20, 1:00PM - 2:30PM
- by Rebecca Howell
- Type: Panel
- As the second year of the new AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 courses closesmany instructors and administrators are interested in how the changes have affected high school physics students. A presentation of scores, college credit acceptance, and expanded accessibility will be the focus of this session. Members of the AP Test Development Committee will be present to share their opinions and experiences with the newly designed courses. At the conclusion of the presentation, attendees will be given the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists and engage in professional discussion.
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Upper Division Undergraduate
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Educational Trips for Undergraduate Physics Majors
- ED01
- Tue 07/19, 1:30PM - 1:40PM
- by Sathya Guruswamy
- Type: Contributed
- In this talk, we discuss the important role of field trips to research facilities in the education of a physics major. We discuss our experience of field trips within the context of an introduction to research class developed by the author. We discuss the benefits of a well-timed trip which include firsthand experience of textbook physics applied in a cutting-edge lab, finding inspiration for upper-level elective classes in physics or related fields, identification of research interests and not least of all, shared memories.
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Faraday Isolators and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
- ED02
- Tue 07/19, 1:40PM - 1:50PM
- by Carl Mungan
- Type: Contributed
- Consider a Faraday isolator: two optical linear polarizers whose transmission axes are oriented 45 degrees relative to each other, between which is located a magnetic rotator that turns the plane of polarization of a beam of light by 45 degrees in the same direction regardless of the direction of propagation of the light. That constitutes a one-way light valve, used to protect lasers from harmful back-reflections. Now place a sample inside a cavity whose walls are made of this stuff. Light gets out but not back in, right? If so, the sample would radiate away all its energy and cool down to absolute zero! How do we save the second law from this catastrophe?
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Modeling Heat Transfer in Undergraduate Thermal Physics*
- ED03
- Tue 07/19, 1:50PM - 2:00PM
- by Larry Engelhardt
- Type: Contributed
- Students learn early on that Q=mc Delta T; the EFFECT of heat transfer is to change the temperature of an object. It is not unreasonable to also expect students to learn that the conduction of heat is CAUSED by a temperature difference between two objects; Fourier’s law of heat conduction, dQ/dt = k A dT/dx. By combining these two equations, I will describe how students can build and use models of increasing sophistication--starting with paper and pencil and ending with computer simulations--in order to understand the phenomenon of heat transfer.
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Applying Poynting’s Energy Flux to Hydrodynamic Systems
- ED05
- Tue 07/19, 2:10PM - 2:20PM
by Francis Curzon, Albert Curzon
- Type: Contributed
- By applying Poynting’s reasoning to time-independent laminar flows of incompressible viscous fluids we show that the energy flux for such systems can also be described by a Poynting vector. We discuss two examples of the Poynting model of energy flux: the familiar case of a constant electric current flowing through a wire and a new hydrodynamic case of vertical tube which drains a constant depth reservoir which is filled with a viscous fluid. Finally, we present often ignored physical constraints which these systems have to obey and modify Poynting vector so that it can be used, consistently, in order to obtain the actual energy flux for the two systems.
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Classical Dynamics of a Particle in a One-dimensional Exponential Potential
- ED06
- Tue 07/19, 2:20PM - 2:30PM
- by Satinder Sidhu
- Type: Contributed
- Surprises lurk in the seemingly simple situation of a particle moving in one dimension, with potential energy increasing exponentially with distance from the origin. Force on such a particle also depends exponentially on the position coordinate. Since the magnitudes of potential and restoring force increase monotonically with distance from the origin, the time a particle released from rest takes to reach the origin is expected to show a similarly monotonic dependence on initial distance. The problem can be solved analytically, with the closed-form expression for this travel time involving only elementary transcendental functions. Surprise lies in the fact that this time first grows with the initial distance, reaches a maximum, and then declines for release points farther away. Implications of such a point-of-slowest-return for a classical non-linear oscillator consisting of a particle moving in a symmetrical potential well will be described via computational and analytical models.
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Entanglement Isn't Just Spin
- ED07
- Tue 07/19, 2:30PM - 2:40PM
- by Daniel Schroeder
- Type: Contributed
- Schroedinger coined the term "entanglement" in 1935, but it took another 70 years for this vivid and useful word to make its way into most quantum mechanics textbooks. Even today we typically teach entanglement only in the context of spin systems, rarely mentioning the word when we discuss spatial wave functions. Meanwhile, when discussing wave functions of more than one variable, we almost always focus on those that factor into a product of single-variable functions, with no more than a passing mention of the vast variety of nonseparable wave functions. Yet for a two-particle system, these nonseparable wave functions are none other than the entangled states! Therefore, with only a minor modification to our teaching we can accomplish two important goals: avoid the common misconception that all wave functions are separable, and give students a more accessible introduction to entanglement.
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Framing Difficulties in Quantum Mechanics
- ED08
- Tue 07/19, 2:40PM - 2:50PM
by Bahar Modir, John Thompson, Eleanor Sayre
- Type: Contributed
- Researchers in student understanding of quantum mechanics have used the Difficulties framework to assess student reasoning, creating long lists of difficulties that span many topics in quantum mechanics. We seek an underlying structure to these difficulties. Using the lens of epistemological framing, we mapped descriptions of published difficulties into errors in epistemological framing and resource use. We analyzed descriptions of students' problem solving to find their frames, and compared students' framing to framing (and frame shifting) required by problem statements. We found three categories of error: mismatches between students' framing and problem statement framing; inappropriate or absent transitions between frames; and insufficient resource activation within an appropriate frame. Given this framework, we can predict the kinds of difficulties that will emerge for a given problem in quantum mechanics: a possible deeper structure to student difficulties.
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Highlighting Two Prevalent Student Difficulties in Graduate Level Quantum Mechanics
- ED09
- Tue 07/19, 2:50PM - 3:00PM
by Christopher Porter, Abby Bogdan, Andrew Heckler
- Type: Contributed
- In our work with physics graduate students at The Ohio State University, we have examined several prevalent misunderstandings that persist well into graduate-level quantum mechanics. Here we focus on two difficulties: drawing bound states in an asymmetric well, and the confusion between symmetry under particle exchange and reflection symmetry (parity). Difficulties in drawing bound states were noted at the graduate level as early as 2008. But we find the asymmetric well reveals a new class of misunderstandings, including the fundamental misuse of axes and symmetry. We note also that students have difficulty interpreting drawings of bound states. The confusion between exchange symmetry and parity is demonstrated with multiple types of student data including quizzes and conceptual assessments. Our efforts suggest that simple awareness of the issue and precision of language may be sufficient to correct the problem.
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Is There Room for Computation in Undergraduate Physics Courses?
- ED10
- Tue 07/19, 3:00PM - 3:10PM
- by Kelly Roos
- Type: Contributed
- In making the case for the integrated inclusion of computation into virtually every undergraduate physics course (I think it should be done!), I am often confronted with the (very reasonable) protest that there is critically important material that would have to be dropped in order to accommodate computer problem-solving and all the attending programming platform baggage. I believe that there is, in reality, much that can be dropped from the traditional typical undergraduate physics course, especially upper level ones, to make room for the important marketable skill-building benefits of computation, without profoundly betraying the students’ undergraduate physics preparation. Indeed, computation can, in many cases, provide better access to physical principles than a purely analytical approach. I will briefly describe a prototypical example, from the realm of quantum mechanical scattering, of a topic whose traditional mode of instruction should be dropped in favor of a computational treatment.
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Learning About Liouville’s Theorem with ODE Solver Algorithms
- ED11
- Tue 07/19, 3:10PM - 3:20PM
- by Todd Timberlake
- Type: Contributed
- In this talk we will discuss a way to teach students about algorithms for solving systems of ordinary differential equations while also teaching them about Liouville’s Theorem. One way of stating Liouville’s theorem is that in conservative systems the dynamics of the system preserves the area of a region of phase space. Liouville’s theorem can be illustrated by using the Maxima computer algebra system to implement the non-symplectic Euler algorithm and the symplectic Euler-Cromer algorithm for the case of a 1D simple harmonic oscillator. The Euler-Cromer algorithm preserves the phase space area occupied by an ensemble of particles, while the Euler algorithm results in an increasing phase space area. This result is closely connected to the fact that the Euler-Cromer algorithm conserves the average energy over each oscillation while the Euler algorithm results in an increasing average energy. The numerical errors in the Euler algorithm behave like a driving force, effectively adding energy to the system and making the algorithm unstable. These examples help students learn that not all ODE solver algorithms are equally good while also helping students develop a qualitative understanding of Liouville’s theorem.
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The Effectiveness of “Pencasts” in Undergraduate Curriculum
- ED12
- Tue 07/19, 3:20PM - 3:30PM
by Nandana Weliweriya Liyanage, Eleanor Sayre, Dean Zollman
- Type: Contributed
- Pencasts are videos of problem solving with narration. Pedagogically, instructors can use pencasts to model problem solving for their students, uploading the videos for students to watch outside of class. Alternately, students can create pencasts to illustrate their own problem solving to the instructor or to their peers. In this talk, we describe the use of pencasts in an upper-division Electromagnetic Field course usually taken by junior or senior physics majors. For each homework students created and submitted pencasts of ordinary homework problems several days before the problem set was due. We compare students' performance in the class (grades for pencast submission excluded) with the pencast submission rate. Students who submit more pencasts do better in the course. We conclude with some practical suggestions for implementing pencasts in other courses.
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Multiple-Choice Assessment for Upper-Division Electrodynamics
- ED13
- Tue 07/19, 3:30PM - 3:40PM
by Qing Ryan, Cecilia Astolfi, Charles Baily, Steven Pollock
- Type: Contributed
- Multiple-choice assessments are a standard tool for achieving reliable measures of certain aspects of students' conceptual learning in large introductory physics courses. It is harder to develop a multiple-choice assessment for upper-division physics because it involves greater emphasis on assessing students' reasoning in addition to their conceptual knowledge. A coupled-response format employed by the multiple-choice CUE (Colorado Upper-division Electrostatics) diagnostic has achieved great success. We further investigate this new testing format in upper-division electrodynamics content. Our goal is to preserve the insights afforded by the existing open-ended assessment, the CURrENT (Colorado UppeR-division ElectrodyNamics Test), while exploiting the logistical advantages of an objectively gradable instrument. We present the development, scoring, and preliminary analysis of validity and reliability of this multiple-response version of the CURrENT.
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Upper Division/Graduate Courses
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Teaching Research in Traditional Classrooms: Why Make Graduate Students Wait?*
- DB01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 8:40AM
- by Lincoln Carr
- Type: Contributed
- Physics graduate programs tend to divide the degree into (1) theory, taught in classes, almost totally divorced from the lab setting; and (2) research, taught in the research group, through hands-on lab experience and mentorship. In contrast, we begin research instruction in the classroom in the very first semester of graduate school. Students build their knowledge from hands-on projects, get immediate experience in the machine shop and electronics lab, and there are no formal lectures. They develop and present their own problems, teach and challenge each other in the classroom, and give conference-style presentations instead of exams. In contrast to polished lectures, both the instructor and the students together learn from their many public mistakes. As a result, students not only excel in analytical skills, but they also learn to tie theory to measurement, identify statistical and systematic errors, simulate computationally and model theoretically, and design their own experiments.
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Development of a Physics of Sustainability Course for Upper Level Students
- DB02
- Tue 07/19, 8:40AM - 8:50AM
- by D. Baker
- Type: Contributed
- Over the past three years, we have been teaching a required upper-level course entitled Physics of Sustainability to our physics majors. We begin with questions related to sustainability and climate change. We then proceed with topics including electronics, wind and solar energy, nuclear energy, and solid state physics. A portion of the course also involves connecting with a community either in country or internationally to develop a collaborative project. Students participate in these projects and often travel to these locations to implement solutions developed in the course. A complete overview of the course will be presented.
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Developing and Assessing Quantum Tutorials: Time Dependence and Measurements
- DB03
- Tue 07/19, 8:50AM - 9:00AM
by Paul Emigh, Gina Passante, Peter Shaffer
- Type: Contributed
- The Physics Education Group at the University of Washington has developed a comprehensive set of tutorial curriculum for quantum mechanics at the sophomore and junior levels. The tutorials, which serve as a supplement to lecture instruction, are designed to improve student understanding of quantum mechanics by directly addressing common student difficulties identified by prior research. We will discuss the development and evolution of a particular sequence of tutorials focusing on concepts associated with quantum measurements and time dependence. We will also discuss the methods we have used to assess the effectiveness of these tutorials and compare our results over a period of several years.
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Comparing Chinese and American Students' Understanding of Quantum Mechanics
- DB04
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:10AM
by Jue Wang, Guangtian Zhu
- Type: Contributed
- This talk discusses a comparative study on American and Chinese students’conceptual understanding of quantum mechanics. We administered the Quantum Mechanics Survey (QMS) to 200 students in China and the United States. The results show that the students in the top-ranking US universities outweigh their peers in the top-ranking Chinese universities. However, those in medium-ranking universities in both China and the U.S. have similar performance in QMS.
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Application of Statistical Mechanics and Neural Networks for Large Databases*
- DB05
- Tue 07/19, 9:10AM - 9:20AM
by Prabhakar Misra, Daniel Casimir, Raul Garcia-Sanchez
- Type: Contributed
- We have explored the application of statistical mechanical and thermodynamics aspects of neural networks to detect patterns in a large database POICN developed by START, a DHS Center of Excellence at the University of Maryland. The Hopfield Network consists of a fully connected cyclic array of neurons, where the output of each neuron is fed into other neurons. The neurons continuously transmit signals back and forth to one another until a stable equilibrium is reached. We have generated a plot of an activation map of the input data used in the creation of the Hopfield net based on POICN data, which can be displayed in the form of a heat map, where each pairwise unit of data likely to be a type B event (Possession/Use of CBRN) weapon is shaded in one color, and type A events (Attempted Acquisition of CBRN weapon) shaded a different color. *Financial support from the Department of Homeland Security MSI SRT program and the Howard University Graduate School are gratefully acknowledged.
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Using Popular Media to Teach Astronomy
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How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Science in Movies
- CA01
- Mon 07/18, 4:00PM - 4:30PM
- by Jacob Clark Blickenstaff
- Type: Invited
- We should never underestimate the influence high school teachers have on their students. My high school physics teacher, Jerry Fujii, used to post newspaper articles that connected to some aspect of our class. I remember clearly that one had the headline “Superman Fails Physics,” and now I realize that is where my interest in looking for real science in films and TV began. Since 2008 I have contributed a regular column to the National Science Teachers Association newsletter titled “Blick on Flicks.” I will share a bit of the origin story for the column, describe a couple of the fun connections I have made, and attempt to stimulate some further thinking about using creative media in the science classroom.
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Interdisciplinary Teaching: Science Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Music and More
- CA02
- Mon 07/18, 4:30PM - 5:00PM
- by Andrew Fraknoi
- Type: Invited
- For over three decades, I have enhanced my astronomy and "physics for poets" classes by including discussions of science fiction, music, drama, and poetry inspired by science in the course. I can make the properties of black holes come alive through a story where the protagonist swiftly must "dump" part of his spaceship into a black hole, so that his part remaind above the event horizon. Only later does he realize his girlfriend was on the part he dumped! Students enjoy pieces of music that relate to topics we study in astronomy, including some where science-data determine the notes or rhythm. I keep a website of science fiction with good physics and astronomy at: www.astrosociety.org/scifi and a list of astronomically inspired music at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/AER2012043 I'll have a handout on where to find a range of such interdisciplinary resources and fun examples that your students are likely to enjoy.
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Just Real Enough -- The Art of Physics at Pixar
- CA03
- Mon 07/18, 5:00PM - 5:30PM
- by William Wise
- Type: Invited
- At Pixar we use many physics-based tools to achieve the look of our films.From the light transport mechanisms used to model translucency in skin shading, to the bi-directional reflectance functions used in our lighting tools, to the fluid and finite element simulators we use to produce water or flesh and skin simulations -- all use physics-based approaches drawn from many disciplines. But given that our task is to create art (and please directors and production designers) and not scientific visualization, there are a host of ways in which we cheat modify or otherwise bend physics to achieve our esthetic desires. This presentation investigates both the science and art of using physics to create the illusion of reality.
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OK GO! (And Other Popular Culture Contexts to Learn Astronomy!)
- CA04
- Mon 07/18, 5:30PM - 5:40PM
by Richard Hechter, Quinn Morris
- Type: Contributed
- Come join us as we describe our use of popular culture media, including OKGO’s “zero-g” music video for their song “Upside down and inside out”, and other music, film, and television pieces as the contexts to teach and learn astronomical phenomena. This presentation will detail how we merged pragmatic strategies of this pedagogical approach with theoretical underpinnings of teaching and learning physics in our teacher education program, and how we shifted that focus in the secondary school to using the integration of popular culture media to encourage greater student investment in their learning.
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Survivability of Potatoes and Soil Bacteria in a Mars Chamber
- CA05
- Mon 07/18, 5:40PM - 5:50PM
by Jay Nadeau, Manuel Bedrosssian, Chris Lindensmith, Kris Zacny, Kathryn Luczek
- Type: Contributed
- A key plot element of The Martian is death of potato plants grown by a stranded astronaut when the plants are subjected to Mars ambient temperature and pressure for ~1 day. It is a common misconception that water evaporates very rapidly on Mars. However, observations have demonstrated that the evaporation rate of water at low and moderate temperatures is relatively slow, allowing for a water cycle on the surface of the planet. Binding of water to soils also reduces evaporation. Based upon these studies and calculations of maximum evaporation rates, we hypothesized that potato plants and associated soil bacteria would be able to survive 24 h at 6 torr at either ambient temperature (~10 ºC, Martian summer) or -20 ºC. Tests were performed in a Mars chamber using a 2-gallon Russet potato. Results, including estimates of water loss and soil bacteria counts, are shown and discussed in a thermodynamic context.
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"How To Be Invisible?" As an Introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum
- CA06
- Mon 07/18, 5:50PM - 6:00PM
- by Richard Gelderman
- Type: Contributed
- "I need your help. I must find a way to be completely invisible." This request is a perfect way to start any unit on optics and the nature of light, because the responses from the students in your class will invariably hit on every topic you hope to cover. Let then describe what it means to be opaque or transparent. Let them work out what it means to get light to bend from its tendency to travel in straight lines. Let them bring up detection at infrared, or other wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.
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Web Resources for Teaching Astronomy
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Web Resources for Teaching Astronomy
- TOP07
- Wed 07/20, 11:30AM - 1:00PM
- by Kevin Lee
- Type: Topical
- This topical discussion will look at several new astronomy offerings on the internet. Participants (who are encouraged to bring laptops, tablets, and mobile devices) will then brainstorm in groups on how to best make use of these capabilities.
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Wednesday Registration
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Wednesday Registration
- REG06
- Wed 07/20, 8:00AM - 3:00PM
- AAPT AAPT
- Type: Registration
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What Can We Learn From and Do With Science Centers
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#AstroEverywhere – Engaging Audiences Inside and Outside Our Museum Walls
- DG01
- Tue 07/19, 8:30AM - 9:00AM
- by Michelle Larson
- Type: Invited
- The Adler Planetarium celebrates #AstroEverywhere by inviting audiences tojoin us in exploring space both inside and outside our museum walls. We'll discuss some of our recent efforts like planetarium dome lectures simulcast live across the country, ‘Scopes in the City', and a 300-mile Galaxy Ride, that demonstrate how we are leveraging our assets and expertise to meet people where they are, whether under our dome or in their neighborhoods. We will also discuss some key components to the success of these efforts, including partnerships, institutional culture, funding support, social media presence, and our new Space is Freaking Awesome marketing campaign.
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Extracting Science from a Science Museum
- DG02
- Tue 07/19, 9:00AM - 9:30AM
- by Paul Doherty
- Type: Invited
- Frank Oppenheimer created a great physics demonstration resource center, it is called the Exploratorium and people think of it as a science museum. I will share with you some great physics learning opportunities available at the Exploratorium and at similar science museums whether you visit in person, on the web, in virtual reality, or on an app. I will show you my favorite exhibits and tell the stories behind their creation. Knowing that the best exhibits captivate children and physics professors alike I will illustrate the physics that students and professors can take home with them.
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Teachers & Museums: Views From an Ex-Physics Teacher/ Museum Professional
- DG03
- Tue 07/19, 9:30AM - 10:00AM
- by William Katzman**
- Type: Invited
- Early science museums used physics demonstrations that were made into exhibits, yet physics seems to be an under-represented discipline within the museum staff. This suggests that museums would welcome a physics teacher’s help. They will – with Caveats. Science museums have moved beyond the canned physics demonstration towards more open-ended experiences. While teachers often say “we can explain to them,” or “we can tell them” museums say “they can do this” and sometimes “they can tell us.” The modern museum switches from explanation to exploration. Thoughts are still on what visitors gain from the experience, but the activity of the exploration becomes central to the experience, while the explanation is ancillary. Learn from an ex-physics teacher’s & museum professional: What museums might want from you, and what you can learn from them.
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Work-Life Balance
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Work-Life Balance
- TOP08
- Wed 07/20, 11:30AM - 1:00PM
- by Kathleen Falconer
- Type: Topical
- Panel-One significant problem faced by women physicists is balancing work and family obligations. The session will feature a panel of women physicists who have built successful careers in physics while maintaining strong families to provide practical advice.
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