112
Portland
Wednesday morning
PST2F04: 9:15-10 a.m. Relativistic Rotation of Simple Objects
Poster – Kenneth M. Purcell, University of Southern Indiana, 86000 Univer-
sity Blvd., Evansville, IN 47712;
A typical modern physics course begins with a discussion of special
relativity focusing on 1 and 2 dimensional rectilinear motion. Missing
from the discussion is the effect of special relativity on an object rotating
at high angular speeds. Here I will present a means to introduce the effects
of relativistic rotation on real objects at a level that is approachable to un-
dergraduate students that are in a sophomore-level modern physics course
and allows for this section of the course to truly serve as a bridge between
the introductory and upper-level mechanics courses.
PST2F05: 8:30-9:15 a.m. Energizing Physics: Results from a
Two-year Pilot Project
Poster – Stephen Scannell, Gresham High School/Portland State University,
967 SE 9th St., Gresham, OR 97080;
Energizing Physics is an introductory physics course for the high school
level designed to incorporate several approaches shown to improve student
understanding of physics. These include a modeling approach to develop
conceptual and quantitative understanding, a focus on depth vs. breadth,
the use of learning targets and formative assessment strategies, and project-
based learning, including hands-on projects that utilize the engineering
design process, and smaller research projects that develop students’ under-
standing of today’s energy issues. Preliminary results and thoughts from a
two-year pilot project (concluding in August 2013) will be shared.
PST2F06: 9:15-10 a.m. Simulated Sinusitis, Phantoms and Near
Infrared Radiation (NIR) Transillumination Imaging
Poster – Kevin C. Yang, Mission Viejo High School, 25025 Chrisanta Dr, Mis-
sion Viejo, CA 92691;
Sinusitis affects 31 million people nationwide annually. A potential imag-
ing tool for the diagnosis of maxillary sinusitis is NIR transillumination
through the hard palate of the mouth. To study optimal techniques for
detecting maxillary sinusitis with NIR, phantoms simulating the sinuses
and hard palate of a human skull were constructed and tested with NIR
systems. MatLab analysis of NIR images of the phantom indicated that
the light intensity emitted from completely fluid-filled cavities was up to
50% less than that emitted from healthy, air-filled cavities. NIR transil-
lumination was also able to detect partially fluid-filled cavities that mimic
the disease condition of a large number of patients. NIR light intensity
demonstrated a significant (p<0.05) negative correlation with volume of
fluid inside the cavities. Hence, NIR transillumination can distinguish be-
tween aerated (healthy) and fluid-filled (diseased) cavities in this phantom,
indicating that the phantoms provide a static model that closely mimics
maxillary sinusitis.
PST2F07: 8:30-9:15 a.m. Incorporating the MITx into an Upper-
Division Lab Course
Poster – Charles I. Bosse, MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA
02139-4307;
Christopher J. Sarabalis, Gunther M. Roland, MIT
MIT has recently pioneered the MOOC platform MITx. While the applica-
tion for distributing education outside of the university is obvious, part of
the goal of this platform was to provide addition options for students at
MIT. Our 8.13 staff and instructors embarked on an effort to use the MITx
platform to provide better content delivery, further “flip” classroom time
currently used for lecture/tutorials, and to provide students more prompt
and relevant feedback on questions asked to ensure conceptual prepared-
ness for lab time.
PST2F08: 9:15-10 a.m. Refine Elements and Emphasize the
Process to Improve Efficiency
Poster – Yanlan He, National University of Defense Technology, Number 137
Yanwachi St., Changsha, Hunan 410073 China;
Linmei Liang, Xiaoyan Yu, Xucan Chen, Gang Peng, National University of
Defense Technology
A physics experiment course in China independent of theory class with
about 60 hours is a compulsory course for engineering college students. A
wide range of college students benefit from the course. Each of the physi-
cal experimental projects contains elements of physical thinking, specific
experimental methods, and experimental technology. A physics experi-
ment course often consists of dozens, or even hundreds, of projects. All the
assembled elements of the experiments will be overlapped, if not refined
scientifically and concisely. In order to make these refined elements easy
to be understand and realized by students, both the training methods and
process must be redesigned to improve the experiment course efficiency.
PST2F09: 8:30-9:15 a.m. The Impact of College Faculty
Involvement in AP Physics
Poster – Peggy A. Bertrand, University of Tennessee, 821 Volunteer Blvd.,
Greve Hall, Room 103, Knoxville, TN 37991;
Although Advanced Placement physics courses are taught to secondary
students by high school teachers, college physics faculty are instrumental
to the success and integrity of the AP Program. College and university
professors who fill various roles in the program are engaged in essential
outreach and support of the high school physics teacher community. This
poster presents an overview of the ways college professors participate in
the Advanced Placement program, in course and assessment design, exam
scoring and analysis, and through delivery of high-quality professional
development for high school faculty.
PST2F10: 9:15-10 a.m. An Investigation of Force Concept and
Science Perception by Freshmen Who Participated in
an Intensive Class to Teach Mechanics
Poster – Nayoung Lee, Kunsan National University, Department of Phys-
ics, 102-102 Sejong Grancia Apt., Yeongdeo-dong, Giheung-gu Yongin-si,
Gyeonggi-do 446-788;
This study will execute an intensive class to teach mechanics for freshmen
at university during vacation time and analyze the understanding about
the force concept and a change in the science perception. For this, a force
concept evaluation sheet and survey on physics expectations created by the
physics education group of the University of Maryland were used to con-
duct examination before/after the class participation. As a research result,
after an intensive class during the given period, the overall understand-
ing of the students about the force concept was improved and there was a
positive change in the perception for expectations such as attitude or faith
towards physics. The results of this study may suggest similar development
programs for freshmen to learn physics and improvement of basic learning
abilities expected to aid the learning of related major courses during the
semesters following class participation.
PST2F11: 8:30-9:15 a.m. Interactive Engagement in Thermody-
namics Lectures: Successes and Failures
Poster – Helen Georgiou, The University of Sydney, School of Physics,
Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia;
Manjula D. Sharma, The University of Sydney
Research in physics education endorses the use of interactive Engage-
ment (IE) techniques for improving student attitudes towards physics and
achieving superior learning outcomes. This poster presents findings from
an Australia university that was successful in achieving both of these out-
comes by using one form of IE, the Interactive Lecture Demonstration in
first-year thermodynamics. The study further examined issues surrounding
the fidelity of implementation of IE through the use of the Lecture Activity
and Student Engagement (LASE) tool. Results from LASE show that differ-
ent lecturers interpret IE techniques differently, students are not necessarily
engaged simply by virtue of “Interacting” with the lecturer and peers, and
lecturers are most comfortable in conventional lecture dynamics (lecturing
with the aid of PowerPoint). Such findings may help in illuminating the
reasons why some IE might not work and signal issues around sustainable
and successful IE implementation in first-year physics environments.
