Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2015
Volume 60, Number 1
Monday–Friday, March 2–6, 2015; San Antonio, Texas
Session M20: Invited Session: Reichert Award Session: Re-imagining the Advanced Lab |
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Sponsoring Units: FEd Chair: Randall Knight, California Polytechnic State University Room: Ballroom B |
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 11:15AM - 11:45AM |
M20.00001: Reichert Award Talk: Preparing Physics Students in an Era of Virtual Reality Invited Speaker: Carl Akerlof Like many other institutions with a large and active faculty, the University of Michigan Physics Department has a rich curriculum of undergraduate courses that focus on the use of 19th Century mathematics to understand the behavior of matter and energy. Most people who have pursued a career in this field appreciate that success usually depends on a much wider variety of skills. Addressing those needs has been the major emphasis of our undergraduate advanced lab program. This covers a broad range of topics. First of all, physics will continue to enlarge its encroachment into new areas. Thus, we have added experiments in radio astrophysics and non-linear dynamics. Computational and statistical methods are integrated into the experiments as appropriate and development of effective communication skills is heavily stressed. While there are efforts elsewhere to replace traditional hands- on experimentation with simulations, interactive video-based laboratory modules, and remotely controlled laboratory experiments, we consider these tools to be appropriate only for pre-lab and post-lab activities. None of these tools can provide the long-lasting experimental skills and knowledge-packed memories that a well-designed teaching experiment can. Hence, we choose to focus on providing a comprehensive list of experiments in a safe, well-equipped, teaching environment. The overall guiding principle is to provide a multi-faceted introduction to a rewarding career in science. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 11:45AM - 12:15PM |
M20.00002: A hands-on introduction to quantum mechanics Invited Speaker: David Jackson At Dickinson College, we have implemented a series of experiments that are designed to expose students to the strange and fascinating world of quantum mechanics. These experiments are employed in our sophomore-level course titled \textit{Introduction to Relativistic and Quantum Physics}, our version of the traditional \textit{Modern Physics} course. The experiments make use of a correlated light source produced via the process of Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion (SPDC). Using such a light source, students can experimentally verify that when a single photon is incident on a beam splitter, the photon is either transmitted or reflected---it \textit{never} goes both ways. If instead the photons are directed into a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, students then observe an interference pattern, suggesting that each photon must somehow take \textit{both} paths in the interferometer (in apparent contradiction of the first experiment). Finally, the interference pattern is observed to disappear if the photons are ``tagged'' to distinguish which path they take, only to mysteriously reappear if that path information is ``erased'' after emerging from the interferometer. In this talk, I will provide an overview of these experiments and the accompanying theory that students learn in this course. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 12:15PM - 12:45PM |
M20.00003: Preparing students for experimental research through instructional labs Invited Speaker: Heather Lewandowski Preparing undergraduate physics majors for future careers in experimental science is one of the main goals of our current physics education system. At the University of Colorado, we have been working to transform our upper-division laboratory courses to better prepare students for future undergraduate, industrial, or graduate experimental work. Through this process, we have developed learning goals, curricular materials, and assessments for two upper-division lab courses. The transformation process and measured outcomes will be presented. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 12:45PM - 1:15PM |
M20.00004: Autonomy Invited Speaker: D.A. Van Baak Advanced-laboratory experiences have long been a formative part of the undergraduate curriculum, and this presentation reviews some of the purposes that they serve. One under-acknowledged purpose for these laboratories is the role they serve in cultivating students' capacity for exercising autonomy as scientists. Overt recognition of this implicit purpose of laboratory courses has implications for the organization and execution of such courses. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 1:15PM - 1:45PM |
M20.00005: Investigating student learning in upper-division laboratory courses on analog electronics Invited Speaker: MacKenzie Stetzer There are many important learning goals associated with upper-division laboratory instruction; however, until recently, relatively little work has focused on assessing the impact of these laboratory-based courses on students. As part of an ongoing, in-depth investigation of student learning in upper-division laboratory courses on analog electronics, we have been examining the extent to which students enrolled in these courses develop a robust and functional understanding of both canonical electronics topics (e.g., diode, transistor, and op-amp circuits) and foundational circuits concepts (e.g., Kirchhoff's laws and voltage division). This focus on conceptual understanding is motivated in part by a large body of research revealing significant student difficulties with simple dc circuits at the introductory level and by expectations that students finish electronics courses with a level of understanding suitable for building common, practical circuits in a real-world environment. Recently, we have extended the scope of our investigation to include more laboratory-focused learning goals such as the development of (1) troubleshooting proficiency and (2) circuit chunking and design abilities. In this talk, I will highlight findings from written questions and interview tasks that have been designed to probe student understanding in sufficient depth to identify conceptual and reasoning difficulties. I will also use specific examples to illustrate the ways in which this research may inform instruction in upper-division laboratory courses on analog electronics. [Preview Abstract] |
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