Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2009 Spring Meeting of the Texas Sections of the APS, AAPT, and SPS
Volume 54, Number 2
Thursday–Saturday, April 2–4, 2009; Stephenville, Texas
Session L1: Plenary Session 2: Undergraduate Physics Education |
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Chair: Daniel Marble, Tarleton State University Room: Science Building 102 |
Saturday, April 4, 2009 8:15AM - 8:55AM |
L1.00001: Because physics majors have conceptual difficulties too: Development of a tutorial approach to teaching intermediate mechanics Invited Speaker: Ongoing research in physics education has demonstrated that physics majors often do not develop a working knowledge of basic concepts in mechanics, even after standard instruction in upper-level mechanics courses.1 A central goal of this work has been to explore the ways in which students make--- or do not make---appropriate connections between physics concepts and the more sophisticated mathematics (e.g., differential equations, vector calculus) that they are expected to use. Analysis of results from pretests (ungraded quizzes), written exams, and informal classroom observations will be presented to illustrate examples of specific conceptual and reasoning difficulties that students typically encounter. This work has motivated the need for alternative approaches to instruction in intermediate mechanics, and evidence of the effectiveness of a tutorial approach (using Intermediate Mechanics Tutorials2) will be presented. (These tutorial materials will also serve as the focus of a workshop to be offered later in the day.) 1. B.S. Ambrose, ``Investigating student understanding in intermediate mechanics: Identifying the need for a tutorial approach to instruction,'' Am. J. Phys. 72, 453- 459 (2004). 2. Supported by NSF grants DUE-0441426 and DUE-0442388. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 4, 2009 8:55AM - 9:35AM |
L1.00002: Advanced lab initiatives: building on a rich diversity of programs and experiments Invited Speaker: The intermediate and advanced lab experience plays a critical role in preparing physics undergraduates for a diversity of careers and graduate school options. During the last few years AAPT, APS, and ALPhA (Advanced Laboratory Physics Association - http://www.advlab.org/) have been working together to invigorate these programs and to help network their instructors -- including a 2009 2.5-day advanced lab topical conference at the University of Michigan 7/23-7/25 (\underline {http://advlabs.aapt.org/}). Project oriented labs incorporating applications in engineering, acoustics, fluids, optical metrology and diagnostics, non-linear dynamics, biophysics, and nanoscience can play a broadly motivating role for students planning on REU or graduate work in applied physics areas. Experimental examples highlighted here include studies of mechanical resonance and shock wave phenomena utilizing holographic, Schlieren, and interferometric diagnostics -- often in conjunction with MATLAB and COMSOL computational work. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 4, 2009 9:35AM - 9:59AM |
L1.00003: The Advanced Undergraduate Nuclear and Atomic Laboratory at the University of North Texas Invited Speaker: The UNT Department of Physics periodically offers an upper level elective undergraduate laboratory course covering a variety of topics related to nuclear and atomic physics. Topics range from gamma, x-ray, and alpha-particle spectroscopy to Rutherford scattering and nuclear reactions. A lecture component complements the laboratory exercises by addressing pertinent theoretical material. For the laboratory exercises, students utilize facilities in the Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory, including a 2.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator, and an array of detectors and radioactive sources. A separate program offers groups of undergraduate students from other institutions the opportunity to conduct some of these same exercises during two-day visits to campus. [Preview Abstract] |
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