July 13–17, 2013
35
W38: LEAP: Learner-Centered Environment for Algebra-
based Physics*
Sponsor: Committee on Research in Physics Education
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: SRTC 149
Paula Engelhardt, Tennessee Technological University, Department of Phys-
ics, 110 University Drive, Cookeville, TN 38505;
Steve Robinson
The Learner-centered Environment for Algebra-based Physics (LEAP) is a
newly developed, two-semester physics curriculum for algebra-based phys-
ics appropriate for both university and high school settings. The course
pedagogy and activity sequence is guided by research on student learning
of physics and builds on the work of the NSF-supported project, Physics
for Everyday Thinking (PET). Students work in groups to develop their
understanding of various physics phenomena including forces, energy,
electricity and magnetism, light, and optics. Students utilize hands-on
experiments and computer simulations to provide evidence to support
their conceptual understanding. Traditional problem solving is scaffolded
by using the S.E.N.S.E. problem solving strategy. During this workshop,
participants will be introduced to the LEAP curriculum and S.E.N.S.E.
problem solving strategy, will examine and work through a sample of
the types of activities students do, and view video from the college LEAP
classroom.
*Supported in part by NSF CCLI grant #DUE-0737324.
W40: New RTP and ILD Tools and Curricula: Video Analysis,
Clickers, and E&M Labs
Sponsor: Committee on Research in Physics Education
Co-sponsor: Committee on Educational Technologies
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $75
Non-Member Price: $100
Location: Vernier Software & Technology
David Sokoloff, University of Oregon, Department of Physics, Eugene, OR
97403-1274;
Priscilla Laws, Dickinson College
Ronald Thornton, Tufts University
RealTime Physics (RTP) and Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs)
have been available for over 15 years — so what’s new? The just released
Third Edition of RTP includes five new labs on basic electricity and
magnetism in Module 3 as well as a new approach to projectile motion in
Module 1. Some of these new labs make use of video analysis. Also new
are clicker-based ILDs. This hands-on workshop is designed for those who
want to make effective use of active learning with computer-based tools in
their introductory courses. These active learning approaches for lectures,
labs, and recitations (tutorials) are based on physics education research
(PER). Participants will work with new activities as well as original ones.
The following will be distributed: Modules from the Third Edition of RTP,
the ILD book, the
Physics with Video Analysis
book and CD, and
Teaching
Physics with the Physics Suite
by E.F. Redish. Partially supported by the
National Science Foundation.
W41: Interactive Engagement in the Upper Division:
Methods and Materials from CU-Boulder
Sponsor: Committee on Educational Technologies
Co-sponsor: Committee on Research in Physics Education
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $70
Non-Member Price: $95
Location: SB1 304
Steven Pollock, University of Colorado, Department of Physics, 390 UCB,
Boulder, CO 80309;
Charles Baily, Marcos (Danny) Caballero, Bethany Wilcox
The physics department at the University of Colorado Boulder has been
developing active-learning materials and research-based assessments for
courses beyond the introductory level: Modern Physics, Math Methods/
Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Electrostatics & Electrodynam-
ics. We have shown that improved student learning can be achieved in
advanced courses by adopting and adapting student-centered pedagogies
and instructional techniques proven effective in introductory courses. This
workshop will provide participants with an overview of the research base
and course transformation process, along with a guided exploration of our
online resources. Discussions of how learning goals for advanced courses
differ from those for introductory courses will help you to adapt these
resources to your classroom. We will provide practical demonstrations of
how clicker questions and activities can be incorporated into advanced
courses. Please bring a laptop. (You will also receive a flash drive contain-
ing a complete collection of our latest materials and assessments. See
)
W42: Skepticism in the Classroom
Sponsor: Committee on Physics in High Schools
Co-sponsor: Committee on Science Education for the Public
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: SRTC 247
Dean Baird, 240 Selby Ranch Road #2, Sacramento, CA 95864; dean@
phyz.org
If our students learn that kinetic energy is one half mass times speed
squared but then proceed to check psychic media to learn what the future
holds, have we done our job as science teachers? I will present a variety of
lessons, appropriate for the physics classroom, that focus on the skeptical
and critical thinking nature of science. Some lessons involve obvious phys-
ics content; some bring in examples from the real world. Participants will
leave with ready-to-use lessons and resources designed to bring healthy,
scientific skepticism to their classrooms — lessons that slip into content-
based instruction without disruption. Topics include fire walking, ghosts
and angels, balance bracelets, pareidolia, back masking, media credulity,
and more. This is an interactive workshop: participants are encouraged to
share their experiences and lesson ideas.
W43: Physics TIPERs and Ranking Tasks
Sponsor: Committee on Physics in Two-Year Colleges
Co-sponsor: Committee on International Physics Education
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $70
Non-Member Price: $95
Location: SRTC 155
Curt Hieggelke, Joliet Jr. College, Department of Natural Sciences, 1215
Houbolt Ave., Joliet, IL 60431;
David Maloney, Steve Kanim
This workshop will deal with alternative task formats such as Ranking
Tasks, Bar Chart Tasks, Changing Representations Tasks, Comparison
Tasks, Student Contentions Tasks, Troubleshooting Tasks, Working Back-
wards Tasks, Linked Multiple Choice Tasks, Qualitative Reasoning Tasks
and What, if anything, is Wrong Tasks that are useful in improving student
learning and understanding of physics. The exercises that have been
developed are based, in part, on efforts in Physics Education Research and
thus are called TIPERs (Tasks Inspired by Physics Education Research).
These tasks support active learning approaches and can be easily incor-
porated into instruction. TIPERs focus on making connections between
the concepts and helping students to make sense of them. This workshop
will feature new TIPERs that have been developed for high school physics
and conceptual physics as well as issues in using and grading these tasks.
Participants will receive copies of published TIPERs and Ranking Tasks.
W44: Modeling Applied to Problem Solving with Associated
Free Online Course
Sponsor: Committee on Physics in Undergraduate Education
Co-sponsor: Committee on Educational Technologies
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: SRTC 104
