Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2009 APS April Meeting
Volume 54, Number 4
Saturday–Tuesday, May 2–5, 2009; Denver, Colorado
Session B13: Physics Education |
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Sponsoring Units: FEd Chair: Gay Stewart, University of Arkansas Room: Plaza Court 3 |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 10:45AM - 10:57AM |
B13.00001: Using Computer Simulations to Foster Concept Generalization Noah Podolefsky, Wendy Adams, Kathy Perkins We present findings from interviews in which students used a computer simulation to learn about wave winterference. This simulation, part of the PhET project [1], uses water, sound, and light waves as coupled analogical domains based the generic idea of wave interference. The simulation design draws on a research-based model of analogy use, Analogical Scaffolding [2]. Students were asked to use the simulation in order to explain light wave interference. Students received little guidance in using the simulation, and these students were nonetheless able to use the simulation to productively reason about light wave interference. Analogical connections to more concrete water and sound waves were essential to helping these students make sense of light waves. After comparison of these three wave phenomena within the simulation (water, sound, and light) students articulated a generalized notion of waves and wave interference. Students noticed abstract structural similarities in common between phenomena (such as ``cancelling'') as distinct from concrete surface features of each phenomenon (such as water moving up and down). 1. http://phet.colorado.edu 2. N.S. Podolefsky, N.D. Finkelstein Phys. Rev. ST - Phys. Educ. Res. 3, 020104 (2007) [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 10:57AM - 11:09AM |
B13.00002: Girls' Science Investigations (GSI) New Haven Curriculum and Educational Method Sheena Hilton, Bonnie Fleming Girls' Science Investigations (GSI) New Haven is a program which aims at encouraging middle school girls to pursue careers in science. To accomplish this goal, each day at GSI features a different area of science; ``the material world,'' ``the chemical world,'' and ``the electromagnetic world'' are examples of the sessions held during the past two years. Every session features a short explanation of the science topic given by a volunteer and a variety of hands-on activities, which allow the girls to experiment with and absorb the concepts presented in the short presentations. Activities are selected based on their ability to visualize the concepts under study. The education philosophy of GSI is that if the students have the opportunity to perform science experiments themselves, rather than just watching others do it, and enjoy performing these experiments, then the students will be more confident in their ability to succeed in a scientific field. Thus, in addition to encouraging girls to learn as much science as they can, the volunteers work to ensure that the girls enjoy the program as well. By giving the girls the opportunity to explore science in a fun and exciting way, the girls begin to see themselves as capable of becoming scientists and are more inclined to pursue science in the future. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 11:09AM - 11:21AM |
B13.00003: Unraveling Gender Bias from Student Evaluations of their High School Physics Teachers Zahra Hazari, Geoff Potvin, Robert Tai, Philip Sadler In this talk, the evaluation of high school physics, chemistry, and biology teachers by their students is examined according to the gender of the student and the gender of the teacher. Female teachers are rated significantly lower than male teachers by male students in all three disciplines, while female students under-rate female teachers only in physics. Interestingly, physics is also the field that suffers the greatest lack of females and has been criticized most for its androcentric culture. The gender bias in teacher ratings persists even after accounting for academic performance, classroom experiences, and family support. Further, male and female teachers in each discipline appear equally effective at preparing their students for future science study in college, suggesting that students have a discipline-specific gender bias. Such a bias may negatively impact female students and contribute to the loss of females in STEM fields. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 11:21AM - 11:33AM |
B13.00004: Transversality of Electromagnetic Waves in the Calculus--Based Introductory Physics Course Lior M. Burko Introductory calculus--based physics textbooks state that electromagnetic waves are transverse and list many of their properties, but most such textbooks do not bring forth arguments why this is so. Both physical and theoretical arguments are at a level appropriate for students of courses based on such books, and could be readily used by instructors of such courses. Here, we discuss two physical arguments (based on polarization experiments and on lack of monopole electromagnetic radiation), and the full argument for the transversality of (plane) electromagnetic waves based on the integral Maxwell equations. We also show, at a level appropriate for the introductory course, why the electric and magnetic fields in a wave are in phase and the relation of their magnitudes. We have successfully integrated this approach in the calculus--based introductory physics course at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 11:33AM - 11:45AM |
B13.00005: Orbits in a two Dimensional Non-axis-symmetric Galactic Potential Nelson Zamorano, Alfredo G\'omez, Andres Meza The dynamics of stellar objects, considered as point test particles in a non-axis-symetric logarithmic galactic potential $U(x,y)\,\propto\,\ln[Rc^2+x^2+(y/b)^2]$ are studied, using a Leapfrog Integrator. This potential has been used in astrophysics for its versatility to mimic the main features of the galactic dynamics. This model, with $b\,=\,1$, reproduces the constant orbital velocity observed at the outskirts of spiral galaxies. In this example, the logarithmic potential appears to include the gravitational effects of both the visible and the dark matter lying in the galaxy. The ellipticity parameter $0<\,b\,<\,1$ generates a fluctuating torque that operates on the moving test particles of the galaxy and triggers the emergence of a non conventional set of families of orbits. It marks the difference between the usual inverse power law potentials considered in the textbooks and the logarithmic potential. We study these orbits, provide a physical analysis of their main properties and provide a simple numerical approach that reproduces most of the orbits associated with this potential, contains a study of the different families of orbits that belong to this potential and gives detailed study about the behavior of the torque and angular momentum as a functions of time and the angle associated. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 11:45AM - 11:57AM |
B13.00006: Principles and Dynamics of Quantum Mechanics Spyros Efthimiades Quantum mechanics can be founded on three principles: particle waves, concurrent states and averaged energy relations. The Schrodinger, time-evolution and Dirac equations are derived to be the conditions the wavefunction must satisfy in order to fulfill the corresponding averaged energy relations. Adopting a particle and wave balanced approach we attain a clear, consistent and justified quantum theory. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 11:57AM - 12:09PM |
B13.00007: Slow and steady doesn't win the race: How time-to-doctoral-degree impacts the career of physical scientists Geoff Potvin, Robert Tai We report on survey data of 3220 PhD-holding physicists and chemists. Using regression analysis, we find that individuals' time-to-doctoral-degree is strongly correlated with their current salary: the model predicts that each year in graduate school corresponds to a significantly lower salary (by more than {\$}3000 per year). This is true even after controlling for job-related factors (field of research, type of position/rank, type of institution, and seniority), demographic factors (age and gender), and measures of scientific merit (grant funding and publication rates). Separately, we also find that time-to-degree is mainly predicted by programmatic factors (such as field of research, amount of required coursework and graduate teaching load) rather than factors associated to students' academic performance, research experiences or research proficiency. These results imply that although time-to-degree is commonly used as a proxy for scientific merit, it is to a great extent out of the control of students. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, May 2, 2009 12:09PM - 12:21PM |
B13.00008: Girls' Science Investigations (GSI) New Haven: Evaluating the Impact Claire Knodell, Bonnie Fleming Girls' Science Investigations (GSI) New Haven seeks to empower the girls of today to shape the science of tomorrow. Funded by the NSF and Yale University and held at Yale, this program was designed to motivate, empower, and interest middle school girls in developing the skills required to pursue a career in science during a day-long investigation of the session's featured topic in science. Yale students and female professors act as mentors and guide younger girls through an environment for understanding and exploring various disciplines of science through hands-on activities in a laboratory setting. GSI strives to close the gap between males and females one action-packed Saturday at a time. This paper evaluates the success of the program. Student participant evaluations over the past 2 years coupled with student testimony and GSI coordinator, instructors', and volunteers' interviews allowed for an analysis of GSI's ability to inspire girls to pursue careers in science. The data indicates that a majority of girls who attended the program were more inclined to continue their study of science. The positive results are detailed in the following paper which points to the hands-on activities and enthusiasm of instructors as integral to the program's success. [Preview Abstract] |
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