75
January 4–7, 2014
Monday afternoon
Poster Session 2
Location: Grand Ballroom Foyer
Sponsor: AAPT
Date: Monday, January 6
Time: 8:30–10 p.m.
Persons with odd-numbered posters will present their posters from
8:30–9:15 p.m.; even-numbered will present 9:15–10 p.m.
Upper Division and Graduate
PST2A01: 8:30-9:15 p.m. Constructing a Multiple-Choice
Assessment for Upper-Division Quantum Physics
from an Open-Ended Tool
Poster – Homeyra Sadaghiani, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, CA 91768-
2557;
John Miller, Cal Poly Pomona
Steven Pollock, Daniel Rehn, University of Colorado, Boulder
As part of an ongoing investigation of students’ learning in upper-
division quantum mechanics, we needed a high-quality conceptual
assessment instrument for comparing outcomes of different curricular
approaches. The 14 item open-ended Quantum Mechanics Assess-
ment Tool (QMAT) was previously developed for this purpose. How-
ever, open-ended tests require complex scoring rubrics, are difficult
to score consistently, and demand substantial investment of faculty
time to grade. Here, we present the process of converting open-ended
questions to multiple-choice (MC) format. We highlight the construc-
tion of effective distractors and the use of student interviews to revise
and validate questions and distractors. We examine other elements of
the process, including results of a preliminary implementation of the
MC assessment given at Cal Poly Pomona and CU Boulder. This test
will likely go through more iterations and further statistical analyses
of reliability and validity are pending upon collection of additional.
PST2A02: 9:15-10 p.m. Relativity on Rotated Graph Paper:
Lorentz-Invariant Calculations with Causal
Diamonds
Poster – Roberto Salgado, 1725 State St., La Crosse, WI 54601;
We extend our earlier work (Relativity on Rotated Graph Paper,
arXiv:1111.7254) by visualizing Lorentz-invariant calculations associ-
ated with the Causal Diamonds between pairs of events, rather than
observer-dependent calculations with light-clock diamonds associ-
ated with a given inertial observer. In our approach, we use spacetime
diagrams drawn on graph paper that has been rotated by 45 degrees.
Quantitative results can be read off the diagram by counting boxes,
using a minimal amount of algebra.
Teacher Training and Enhancement
PST2B01: 8:30-9:15 p.m. ATE Workshop for Physics Faculty*
Poster – Thomas L. O’Kuma, Lee College, Baytown, TX 77522-0818;
Dwain M. Desbien, Estrella Mountain Community College
The ATE Workshop for Physics Faculty project has started its fourth
year and has finished its 16th workshop/conference. In this poster, we
will display information about the project, information about these
workshops/conferences, and information about future workshops/
conferences. Information concerning development of laboratory
activities will also be displayed.
*Supported in part by NSF DUE #1003633.
PST2B02: 9:15-10 p.m. Characterizing Noyce Scholars’
Classrooms with RTOP
Poster – Kathleen Ann Falconer, Buffalo State College, Department of
Physics, Buffalo, NY 14217;
Dan MacIsaac, Buffalo State College
Griffin Harmon, Christian Brothers Academy
In 2009, we proposed a renewal and extension of the Robert Noyce
Teacher Scholarship Program at Buffalo State College to support an
additional 35 scholars seeking initial science and mathematics teacher
certification over the next five years. As a component of the Phase 2
Teacher Scholarships Project at Buffalo State College: Science, Tech-
nology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Teacher Effectiveness
Study, we included research and evaluation of the Noyce participants.
Several Noyce scholars, in their first few years of teaching, have been
observed and evaluated using the Reformed Teaching Observation
Protocol (RTOP). We will be reporting on the results from several
classrooms.
PST2B03: 8:30-9:15 p.m. Using RTOP and Other Reformed
Tools to Build and Strengthen My Teaching
Poster – Griffin Harmon,* Christian Brothers Academy, Syracuse, NY
13214;
Kathleen Falconer, Dan MacIsaac, Buffalo State College
As a nontraditional teacher candidate, the Robert Noyce Teacher
Scholarship Program has provided me with the opportunity to receive
my masters in physics education at SUNY Buffalo State College. My
involvement in physics education at Buffalo State has been an amaz-
ing experience. Often in the summer courses, when doing a specific
activity or whiteboarding session, I realized how productive learning
and intense was our learning. Similarly in my high school classroom,
I have been engaging students and fostering an understanding of
physics using reformed teaching. Being assessed with the Reformed
Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP), numerous occasions, has
given me confidence and helped me improve my instruction. Previous
assessments by school administrators focused on items, which had
little impact on the learning going on in the classroom. The RTOP
assessments have provided me with useful notes and have highlighted
the areas I need to work on, while re-enforcing my good habits.
*Sponsored by Kathleen Falconer
PST2B04: 9:15-10 p.m. Undergraduate Pathway to Teaching
Physics at Georgia State University
Poster – Brian D. Thoms, Georgia State University, Department of Phys-
ics & Astronomy, Atlanta, GA 30303-4106;
Elizabeth Walker, Sumith Doluweera, Joshua Von Korff, Georgia State
University
The Department of Physics & Astronomy at Georgia State Univer-
sity has begun an effort to increase the quantity and quality of high
school physics teachers with an emphasis on increasing recruitment
into teaching of students from under-represented groups. GSU is a
large, growing, urban, research university with a diverse student body.
Recently a teacher certification pathway within our BS in Physics
program has been added to the existing master’s level program. As a
new PhysTEC comprehensive site, our efforts include new recruiting,
mentoring, and induction strategies, reform of introductory, calculus-
based physics courses, and the addition of a teacher-on-residence. We
will describe the recruiting and mentoring efforts and early success
of the new undergraduate path to certification which is projected to
produce four physics teachers in 2013-2014 and five in 2014-2015.
PST2B05: 8:30-9:15 p.m. Supporting the Metamorphosis
from Physics Student to Physics Teacher
Poster – Mary A. Norris, Virginia Tech, Physics Department, Blacksburg,
VA 24060;
John Simonetti, Leo Piilonen, George Glasson, Brenda Brand, Virginia
Tech
The Virginia Tech Physics Department and School of Education
are in their third year of a collaboration with the Physics Teaching
