Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2017
Volume 62, Number 4
Monday–Friday, March 13–17, 2017; New Orleans, Louisiana
Session K12: Topics in Physics EducationUndergraduate
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Sponsoring Units: FED Chair: John Stewart, West Virginia University Room: 271 |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:00AM - 8:12AM |
K12.00001: California State University Long Beach: Model for a Terminal Master's Program as a Bridge to PhD Andreas Bill, Patrick Kenealy, Chuhee Kwon, Zoltan Papp, Galen T. Pickett The department of Physics \& Astronomy at California State University Long Beach has redesigned its Master's program in 2008 with the goal to provide a true graduate experience in Physics. The hallmarks of the program are five core graduate courses and a research-based MS thesis. During the last five years, 42\% of MS recipients (24 students) were accepted to PhD programs, 41\% started private-sector STEM careers, and 17\% decided on teaching and other paths. The program doubled in size during that period. In 2013 we also became one of six Bridge Sites and only non-PhD granting institution of the American Physical Society (APS). We will describe the structure of the MS program, its goals and its place in the University degree plan landscape. We will also discuss how the APS Bridge Program has been implemented in our institution and has influenced our MS program. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:12AM - 8:24AM |
K12.00002: Physics \& Preservice Teachers Partnership Project (P$^4$): An interdisciplinary peer learning tool Paul J. Simmonds, Julianne A. Wenner Physics graduate students (PGs) and teacher candidates (TCs) often graduate with specific weaknesses. PGs frequently lack training in teaching and effective communication. TCs are typically underprepared for teaching science, and physics in particular. In response to these challenges, we created P$^4.$ P$^4$ is an innovative model for peer learning, creating interdisciplinary partnerships that help college physics instructors train their students in the ``soft skills'' prized in both academia and industry, while helping teacher educators infuse more content knowledge into science methods courses. In P$^4$, PGs plan a lesson and deliver physics content to TCs. TCs then use this content to design and execute a 15-minute elementary science lesson. Framed by the concept of peer learning, we expected P$^4$ would help PGs develop their teaching and communication skills, and TCs learn more physics. We studied the affordances and constraints of P$^4$ to inform future iterations. Overall, P$^4$ was successful, with both PGs and TCs reporting benefits. Affordances for PGs included the chance to plan and teach a class; TCs benefitted from working with experts to increase content knowledge. We will share the full findings and implications of our study, and outline next steps for P$^4$. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:24AM - 8:36AM |
K12.00003: Examining student performance in an introductory Physics for engineering course: A quantitative case study. Diego Valente, Amit Savkar, Fridah Mokaya, James Wells The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) has been analyzed and studied in various ways with regards to students' understanding of basic physics concepts. We present normalized learning gains and effect size calculations of FCI scores, taken in the context of large-scale classes in a 4-year public university and course instruction that incorporates elements of Just-In-Time teaching and active learning components. In addition, we will present here a novel way of using FCI pre- and post-test as a predictor of students' performance on midterm and final exams. Utilizing a taxonomy table of physics concepts, we will look at student performance broken down by topic, while also examining possible correlations between FCI post-test scores and other course assessments. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:36AM - 8:48AM |
K12.00004: Impact of supplemental instruction leader on the success of supplemental instruction model. Hasitha Mahabaduge, Jeanne Haslam Supplemental instruction utilizes peer-assisted study sessions to provide review sessions on course material and an opportunity to discuss and work out problems. The impact of supplemental instruction on student performance is well researched and used in a large number of universities around the world due to its proven success. However, the impact of the student leader who plays a significant role in this model is rarely discussed in the literature. We present a case study on the impact of student leader on the success of supplemental instruction model. This case study was done for an Introductory Physics course correlating student performance and the supplemental instruction sessions they attended. Further analysis revealed that the academic performance and work ethics of the student leader has a significant impact on the success of the supplemental instruction model. Important factors to consider when selecting a student leader, the challenges and possible remedies will also be discussed. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 8:48AM - 9:00AM |
K12.00005: Analysis of the Impact of Introductory Physics on Engineering Students at Texas A{\&}M University Jonathan Perry, William Bassichis Introductory physics forms a major part of the foundational knowledge of engineering majors, independent of discipline and institution. While the content of introductory physics courses is consistent from institution to institution, the manner in which it is taught can vary greatly due to professor, textbook, instructional method, and overall course design. This work attempts to examine variations in student success, as measured by overall academic performance in an engineering major, and matriculation rates, based on the type of introductory physics a student took while enrolled in an engineering degree at Texas A{\&}M University. Specific options for introductory physics at Texas A{\&}M University include two calculus based physics courses, one traditional (UP), and one more mathematically rigorous (DP), transfer credit, and high school (AP or dual) credit. In order to examine the impact of introductory physics on a student's degree progression, data mining analyses are performed on a data set of relatively comprehensive academic records for all students enrolled as an engineering major for a minimum of one academic term. Student data has been collected for years of entering freshman beginning in 1990 and ending in 2010. Correlations will be examined between freshman level courses, including introductory physics, and follow on engineering courses, matriculation rates, and time to graduation. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 9:00AM - 9:12AM |
K12.00006: Teaching Sustainability in Introductory Physics David Coffey Guiding students to a better understanding of sustainability is a key part of a modern undergraduate education. Since 2014, Warren Wilson College has incorporated a sustainability component into our introductory physics courses. Students perform energy audits and abatement plans for a business or building. In the process, students strengthen their competency with basic physics concepts including energy, power, units, and conservation of energy but also gain an appreciation of the complexity of sustainability as well as the need for quantitative understanding. These courses are taught to mostly undergraduate science majors. The challenges and opportunities of incorporating such a broad and personalized educational component will be discussed. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 9:12AM - 9:24AM |
K12.00007: A Taxonomy of Introductory Physics Concepts. Fridah Mokaya, Amit Savkar, Diego Valente We have designed and implemented a hierarchical taxonomic classification of physics concepts for our introductory physics for engineers course sequence taught at the University of Connecticut. This classification can be used to provide a mechanism to measure student progress in learning at the level of individual concepts or clusters of concepts, and also as part of a tool to measure effectiveness of teaching pedagogy. We examine our pre- and post-test FCI results broken down by topics using Hestenes et al.'s taxonomy classification for the FCI, and compare these results with those found using our own taxonomy classification. In addition, we expand this taxonomic classification to measure performance in our other course exams, investigating possible correlations in results achieved across different assessments at the individual topic level. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 9:24AM - 9:36AM |
K12.00008: Theory, Relationship, and Experiment (TReE): A methodology to enhance knowledge connection in the Introductory Physics Lab. Yuri Piedrahita, Raul Portuondo One concept that has been poorly explored in the context of the laboratory is the enhancement of the students' ability to connect information from different areas. The lack of ability to link these information matches into what is referred as ``dead knowledge'' i.e. information that is received but never utilized, challenged or further combined. In this work the methodology: Theory, Relationship and Experiment (TReE), is proposed and evaluated for teaching a Physics lab for non-physicists. Its objective is to support the students' development of relationships between concepts of mathematics, physics, and physics lab experiments. TReE was tested through a quasi-experiment with undergrad students of engineering and pre-med majors in one semester in a US University. The gains were evaluated through a microanalysis of tests to extract conceptual understanding. The performance of the treatment group was significantly higher that of the control group independently of the major. Also, the performance was not statistically different within the whole treatment group, showing the potential use of TReE to support the uniformity of training across all non-physics majors. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 9:36AM - 9:48AM |
K12.00009: Integration of Instructional Strategies in High School Physics: An Exploration on Perspectives of Students and Teachers from India and USA Mini Narayanan, Kunnathodi Abdul Gafoor An attempt is made to establish a theory on integrating instructional strategies and developing a positive attitude toward Physics among high school students. A structured interview was conducted in the form of questionnaire among the students and teachers of Physics among 89 randomly selected high schools in India and USA to verify the proposed theory. Perception, preference, and pros and cons with traditional as well as research-based instructional strategies have been analyzed. Statistical analyses reveal that there is a significant difference on preferred instructional strategies between students and teachers regardless of the nationality or exposed strategies. Students prefer student-centered instructional strategies integrated with strong teacher participation whereas the teachers prefer teacher-centered or student-centered strategies in their purest forms. We make an argument that a properly designed instructional strategy based on students' epistemological beliefs in learning Physics could benefit them in modifying their attitudes toward the subject. In conclusion, the study supports the most significant goals in Physics Education Research: Achievement, Conceptual Understanding and Positive Attitude toward learning Physics. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 9:48AM - 10:00AM |
K12.00010: A Parametric Oscillator Experiment for Undergraduates Alison Huff, Johnathon Thompson, Jacob Pate, Hannah Kim, Raymond Chiao, Jay Sharping We describe an upper-division undergraduate-level analytic mechanics experiment or classroom demonstration of a weakly-damped pendulum driven into parametric resonance. Students can derive the equations of motion from first principles and extract key oscillator features, such as quality factor and parametric gain, from experimental data. The apparatus is compact, portable and easily constructed from inexpensive components. Motion control and data acquisition are accomplished using an Arduino micro-controller incorporating a servo motor, laser sensor, and data logger. We record the passage time of the pendulum through its equilibrium position and obtain the maximum speed per oscillation as a function of time. As examples of the interesting physics which the experiment reveals, we present contour plots depicting the energy of the system as functions of driven frequency and modulation depth. We observe the transition to steady state oscillation and compare the experimental oscillation threshold with theoretical expectations. A thorough understanding of this hands-on laboratory exercise provides a foundation for current research in quantum information and opto-mechanics, where damped harmonic motion, quality factor, and parametric amplification are central. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 10:00AM - 10:12AM |
K12.00011: On the the optical path length in various media Javier Hasbun As light travels through a substance, the path it follows is a stationary path known as the optical path length (OPL) and Fermat's principle leads to Snell's law as well as the law of reflection. It is possible to apply the variational principle [1] to obtain an Euler equation for the OPL. For a two layer media an analytic expression can be obtained that agrees with Snell's law. The concept is applied to more general media by solving the resulting Euler differential equation numerically. A Monte Carlo simulation method [2] modified for the present systems is applied for comparison with the numerical results obtained by solving the OPL Euler equation. The approaches presented here are beneficial to enhance the understanding of light behavior in an undergraduate optics physics course. [1] "Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences," 2nd. Ed., M L. Boas (J. Wiley, NY, 1983). [2] "An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods" 2nd. Ed, H. Gould and J. Tobochnik (Addison Wesley, Reading MA, 1996) [Preview Abstract] |
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