Bulletin of the American Physical Society
78th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of the APS
Volume 56, Number 9
Wednesday–Saturday, October 19–22, 2011; Roanoke, Virginia
Session GB: New Developments in Physics Education |
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Room: Crystal Ballroom B |
Friday, October 21, 2011 8:30AM - 9:00AM |
GB.00001: Learning Physics Through Computational Modeling Invited Speaker: Computational modeling is a central enterprise in both theoretical and experimental physics but it can also be an excellent means for students in the introductory courses to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of fundamental physics principles. Many instructional benefits are associated with computational modeling, including visualizing 3D phenomena, modeling complex, real-world systems, and reasoning algorithmically. In this talk, I will discuss many of these benefits as well as some of the ongoing research on how students build conceptual understanding from computational models. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 21, 2011 9:00AM - 9:30AM |
GB.00002: Transforming the undergraduate physics program at Florida International University Invited Speaker: We describe the ongoing physics transformation underway at Florida International University (FIU), highlighting activities that target institutionalization of innovative physics practices. We report on several coherent efforts to improve the undergraduate physics instruction at FIU. These programs include Modeling Instruction, a studio based, integrated lab-lecture course in which students learn by building, validating, and extending models; the Learning Assistant program, an experiential program that recruits top students into teaching careers and provides a vehicle for classroom reform; and reformed curricula in laboratory sections. These reforms have contributed to a 1500{\%} increase in the number of graduates (comparing current three-year averages to the early 1990's), while FIU's undergraduate enrollment grew 180{\%}. Our results are most compelling, as FIU is a minority-serving urban public research institution in Miami, Florida, serving over 44,000 students, of which 64{\%} are Hispanic, 13{\%} are Black, and 56{\%} are women. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 21, 2011 9:30AM - 10:00AM |
GB.00003: Collaborative Group Learning using the SCALE-UP Pedagogy Invited Speaker: The time-honored conventional lecture (``teaching by telling'') has been shown to be an ineffective mode of instruction for science classes. In these cases, where the enhancement of critical thinking skills and the development of problem-solving abilities are emphasized, collaborative group learning environments have proven to be far more effective. In addition, students naturally improve their teamwork skills through the close interaction they have with their group members. Early work on the Studio Physics model at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the mid-1990's was extended to large classes via the SCALE-UP model pioneered at North Carolina State University a few years later. In SCALE-UP, students sit at large round tables in three groups of three --- in this configuration, they carry out a variety of pencil/paper exercises (ponderables) using small whiteboards and perform hands-on activities like demos and labs (tangibles) throughout the class period. They also work on computer simulations using a shared laptop for each group of three. Formal lecture is reduced to a minimal level and the instructor serves more as a ``coach'' to facilitate the academic ``drills'' that the students are working on. Since its inception in 1997, the SCALE-UP pedagogical approach has been adopted by over 100 institutions across the country and about 20 more around the world. In this talk, I will present an overview of the SCALE-UP concept and I will outline the details of its deployment at George Washington University over the past 4 years. I will also discuss empirical data from assessments given to the SCALE-UP collaborative classes and the regular lecture classes at GWU in order to make a comparative study of the effectiveness of the two methodologies. [Preview Abstract] |
Friday, October 21, 2011 10:00AM - 10:30AM |
GB.00004: Transforming Introductory Physics for Life Scientists: Researching the consequences for students Invited Speaker: In response to policy documents calling for dramatic changes in pre-medical and biology education [1-3], the physics and biology education research groups at the University of Maryland are rethinking how to teach physics to life science majors. As an interdisciplinary team, we are drastically reconsidering the physics topics relevant for these courses. We are designing new in-class tasks to engage students in using physical principles to explain aspects of biological phenomena where the physical principles are of consequence to the biological systems. We will present examples of such tasks as well as preliminary data on how students engage in these tasks. Lastly, we will share some barriers encountered in pursuing meaningful interdisciplinary education.\\[4pt] Co-authors: Edward F. Redish and Julia Svaboda \\[4pt] [1] National Research Council, \textit{Bio2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists }(NAP, 2003).\\[0pt] [2] AAMC-HHMI committee, \textit{Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians} (AAMC, 2009).\\[0pt] [3] American Association for the Advancement of Science, \textit{Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action }(AAAS, 2009). [Preview Abstract] |
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