Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS April Meeting 2013
Volume 58, Number 4
Saturday–Tuesday, April 13–16, 2013; Denver, Colorado
Session H15: Teaching and Learning for Physics Majors |
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Sponsoring Units: FEd Chair: Heather Lewandowski, University of Colorado Room: Plaza Court 4 |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 10:45AM - 10:57AM |
H15.00001: Informal science participation positively affects the communication and pedagogical skills of university physics students Kathleen Hinko, Noah Finkelstein Many undergraduate and graduate physics students choose to participate in an informal science program at the University of Colorado Boulder (Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community (PISEC)). They coach elementary and middle school students in inquiry-based physics activities during weekly, afterschool sessions. Observations from the afterschool sessions, field notes from the students, and pre/post surveys are collected. University students are also pre/post- videotaped explaining a textbook passage on a physics concept to an imagined audience for the Communications in Everyday Language assessment (CELA). We present findings from these data that indicate informal experiences improve the communication and pedagogical skills of the university student as well as positively influence their self-efficacy as scientific communicators and teachers. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 10:57AM - 11:09AM |
H15.00002: Teaching Quantum Mechanics through Project-based Learning Gintaras Duda Project/Problem-based learning (PBL) is an active area of research within the physics education research (PER) community, however, work done to date has focused on introductory courses. This talk will explore research on upper division quantum mechanics, a junior/senior level course at Creighton, which was taught using PBL pedagogy with no in-class lectures. The talk will explore: 1. student learning in light of the new pedagogy and embedded meta-cognitive self-monitoring and reflective exercises and 2. the effect of the PBL curriculum on student attitudes students' epistemologies. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 11:09AM - 11:21AM |
H15.00003: A Fluctuating Torque Nelson Zamorano, Alfredo G\'omez The existence of a fluctuating torque generates a wide variety of possible orbits. This situation contrasts with those examples where the torque vanishes and the angular momentum remains constant. Here we study a two dimensional example with a logarithmic effective potential $ V(x,y)= \frac{1}{2}\,m\,V^2_o\,\ln[ x^2 + (y/b)^2]$, with a small deviation from the axis symmetry given by the constant b with $b < 1$. Briefly, the effective potential models the gravitational force exerted by the {\bf N} point particles on a test object. This potential is used to learn about the dynamics of galaxies and among other features, generates a fluctuating torque which is our main interest here. There is not an analytical solution for these two equations of motion. A simple numerical approach (provided) is required. Also, a change on the initial conditions may generate a different shape for the orbit. This apparently simple potential, represents a challenge for the students. We propose it as a good pedagogical tool for reviewing the main concepts of newtonian dynamics. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 11:21AM - 11:33AM |
H15.00004: Materials for Active Engagement in Nuclear and Particle Physics Courses Jeff Loats, Cindy Schwarz, Ken Krane Physics education researchers have developed a rich variety of research-based instructional strategies that now permeate many introductory courses. Carrying these active-engagement techniques to upper-division courses requires effort and is bolstered by experience. Instructors interested in these methods thus face a large investment of time to start from scratch. This NSF-TUES grant, aims to develop, test and disseminate active-engagement materials for nuclear and particle physics topics. We will present examples of these materials, including: a) Conceptual discussion questions for use with Peer Instruction; b) warm-up questions for use with Just in Time Teaching, c) ``Back of the Envelope'' estimation questions and small-group case studies that will incorporate use of nuclear and particle databases, as well as d) conceptual exam questions. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 11:33AM - 11:45AM |
H15.00005: Using Laboratory Homework to Facilitate Skill Integration and Assess Understanding in Intermediate Physics Courses Marty Johnston, Jeffrey Jalkio By the time students have reached the intermediate level physics courses they have been exposed to a broad set of analytical, experimental, and computational skills. However, their ability to independently integrate these skills into the study of a physical system is often weak. To address this weakness and assess their understanding of the underlying physical concepts we have introduced laboratory homework into lecture based, junior level theoretical mechanics and electromagnetics courses. A laboratory homework set replaces a traditional one and emphasizes the analysis of a single system. In an exercise, students use analytical and computational tools to predict the behavior of a system and design a simple measurement to test their model. The laboratory portion of the exercises is straight forward and the emphasis is on concept integration and application. The short student reports we collect have revealed misconceptions that were not apparent in reviewing the traditional homework and test problems. Work continues on refining the current problems and expanding the problem sets. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 11:45AM - 11:57AM |
H15.00006: A student-driven approach to learning about the interplay of model and measurement Dimitri Dounas-Frazer, Punit Gandhi, Jesse Livezey, Geoffrey Iwata What does it mean for an effect to be negligible? This question forms the overarching theme for a course on measurement that was designed and taught by the Compass Project at UC Berkeley. To answer it, students must develop a sophisticated understanding of two important, interrelated physics concepts: measurement uncertainty and models. We use a thermal expansion experiment as a tool for facilitating this understanding. The phenomena relevant to the experiment are familiar to students with only an introductory physics background. Thus this simple, low-cost experiment provides an accessible context for beginning students to tackle an abstract and sophisticated question about physics, i.e., what it means for an effect to be negligible. [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 11:57AM - 12:09PM |
H15.00007: Student Collaborative Networks and Academic Performance David Schmidt, Ariel Bridgeman, Patrick Kohl Undergraduate physics students commonly collaborate with one another on homework assignments, especially in more challenging courses. However, there currently exists a dearth of empirical research directly comparing the structure of students' collaborative networks to their academic performances in lower and upper division physics courses. We investigate such networks and associated performances through a mandated collaboration reporting system in two sophomore level and three junior level physics courses during the Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 semesters. We employ social network analysis to quantify the structure and time evolution of networks involving approximately 140 students. Analysis includes analytical and numerical assignments in addition to homework and exam scores. Preliminary results are discussed. \newline [Preview Abstract] |
Sunday, April 14, 2013 12:09PM - 12:21PM |
H15.00008: Teaching climate change in undergraduate courses Michael Sadler Although anthropogenic climate change is generally accepted in the scientific community, there is considerable skepticism among the general population and, therefore, in undergraduate students of all majors. Students are often asked by their peers, family members, and others, whether they ``believe'' climate change is occurring and what should be done about it (if anything). I will present my experiences and recommendations for teaching the physics of climate change to both physics and non-science majors. For non-science majors, the basic approach is to try to develop an appreciation for the scientific method (particularly peer-reviewed research) in a course on energy and the environment. For physics majors, the pertinent material is normally covered in their undergraduate courses in modern physics and thermodynamics. Nevertheless, it helps to review the basics, e.g. introductory quantum mechanics (discrete energy levels of atomic systems), molecular spectroscopy, and blackbody radiation. I have done this in a separate elective topics course, titled ``Physics of Climate Change,'' to help the students see how their knowledge gives them insight into a topic that is very volatile (socially and politically). [Preview Abstract] |
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