100
Tuesday morning
Session DJ: Reform Dissemination:
Successful Examples
Location: Tate Lab 131
Sponsor: Committee on Research in Physics Education
Date: Tuesday, July 29
Time: 8–9:10 a.m.
Presider: Vince Kuo
DJ01:
8-8:30 a.m. A Widely Disseminated, Discipline Cross-
ing, Radical Reform: The SCALE-UP Story*
Invited – Melissa Dancy, University of Colorado - Boulder, Department of
Physics, Boulder, CO 80309-0001;
Katie Foote, Robert Beichner, NC State University
Charles Henderson, Xaver Neumeyer, Western Michigan University
Scale-Up is a radical reform geared toward high levels of student engage-
ment utilizing integrated lab-lecture in a redesigned room. The first
Scale-Up course was taught in 1997. Since then Scale-Up as spread widely
across many institutions and disciplines. A recent survey identified 314
departments at 189 institutions in 21 countries that report being influenced
by or using some version of SCALE-UP style instruction. Departments
represented many distinct disciplines. We are in the process of studying
the dissemination of SCALE-UP though a social network analysis, surveys,
interviews, and site visits. Research questions include: How has knowledge
about SCALE-UP spread? What leads a department to consider, adopt,
modify or abandon SCALE-UP? How does the method of learning about
SCALE-UP and departmental factors impact how SCALE-UP is imple-
mented? In this talk we report on findings to date from this project.
*Supported by NSF, #1223405, #1223564, and #1223405
DJ02:
8:30-8:40 a.m. “SCALE-UP” at the University of
Michigan-Flint
Contributed – Christopher Pearson, University of Michigan-Flint, 303 E
Kearsley St., Flint, MI 48502;
Inspired in part by the work of Beichner et. al. (
/
scaleup.html), the introductory physics course environment at the Uni-
versity of Michigan-Flint has transformed from a typical arrangement of
large-lecture/small-lab to an integrated lecture-lab environment. Necessary
infrastructure changes were made possible through a generous gift from
a physics alumnus and the David Zick Active Learning Classroom was
created. An overview of the learning environment will be presented as well
as observations gleaned from the initial use. A comparison of scores from
the Force Concept Inventory and the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and
Magnetism before and after the creation of the classroom are used to assess
changes in student learning due to the change in learning environment.
Student retention and student comments as well as faculty load and staffing
changes will also be discussed.
DJ03:
8:40-8:50 a.m. SCALE-UP, Scaled Down
Contributed – Brandon R. Lunk, Elon University, Carrboro, NC 27510;
The Student Centered Active Learning Environment using Upside-down
Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) project was designed to promote a style of
classroom environment that brings the intimacy of small, discussion-based
seminars and laboratories to large enrollment courses. Although the most
recognizable characteristic of a SCALE-UP classroom is the architec-
ture —specifically the multiple large, round tables situated within a large
capacity studio —the SCALE-UP philosophy is meant to function more
as a framework for establishing and maintaining interactive pedagogies.
Thus even the small classes typical of many liberal arts and community
colleges can be taught using SCALE-UP. In this talk, I will discuss my use
of the SCALE-UP framework within small, 24 person introductory physics
courses at Elon University.
DJ04:
8:50-9 a.m. Studying the Spread of Research-based
Instructional Strategies: Rich Case Study of SCALE-UP
Contributed – Kathleen T. Foote, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
27606;
Xaver Neumeyer, Charles Henderson, Western Michigan University
Melissa Dancy, University of Colorado, Boulder
Robert Beichner, North Carolina State University
Much time, money, and effort has been spent developing innovative teach-
ing pedagogies. But, the majority of college instruction in physics fields is
inconsistent with research-based recommendations. This project investi-
gates the dissemination and implementation of research-based instruction
by using a web survey to understand the spread of SCALE-UP (Student-
Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies).
Responses from 659 people indicate that SCALE-UP is used at over 250
institutions worldwide and has also spread to disciplines beyond physics.
Information about SCALE-UP has traveled through both formal and infor-
mal channels. Secondary sites frequently modify the original SCALE-UP
model, which may impact the success of the implementation. According to
the Diffusion of Innovations theory, the developer may need to change the
message to continue increasing the number of sites beyond early adopters.
DJ05:
9-9:10 a.m. Transitioning Introductory Physics at UNC
Chapel Hill
Contributed – Alice D. Churukian, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Department of Physics & Astronomy, Chapel Hill, NC 27517; adchuruk@
physics.unc.edu
Duane L. Deardorff, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill we have been teach-
ing one reformed section of calculus-based introductory physics using
the SCALE-UP (Student Centered Active Learning Environment for
Upside-down Pedagogies) methodology since fall 2010. While the pilot
study proved successful, we were unable to take the next step of “scaling
up” to use this approach for all students. Beginning fall 2013 we adopted
a Lecture/Studio methodology—a hybrid of traditional and interactive
engagement—for all students. In this approach, students have one hour
of lecture and two hours of studio twice per week. In this fashion we were
able to offer large lecture sections for efficiency, but retain smaller, more
intimate studios for hands-on, minds-on problem-solving and laboratory
activities. How we got to where we are today, and the lessons learned along
the way, will be discussed.
Session DK: If They Build It, They
Will Learn
Location: Tate Lab 131
Sponsor: Committee on Physics in Pre-High School Education
Date: Tuesday, July 29
Time: 9:20–10 a.m.
Presider: Bill Reitz
DK01:
9:20-9:30 a.m. Build a Submarine Lab: Buoyancy,
Density, Volume, and Pressure
Contributed – Lori Nesbitt, J.I. Case High School, Racine, WI 53406;
This class is about underwater exploration. We will play with the concepts
of buoyancy, density, volume, and pressure enabling us to explore a body
of water at varying depths. It will be your job to figure out how to use these
concepts to dive and retrieve objects while being fully in control! Your
first challenge is to design a set of simple devices that house instruments
to take water samples for the Water Quality Monitoring Project. You need
to collect samples at the surface, middle and bottom of the body of water.
You need to design three instruments, each varying in density, so one will
float, one will hover, and one will sink. Your second challenge is to design
