July 26–30, 2014
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freely available online texts and interactive simulations with accompanying
activities for an introductory course in quantum mechanics starting from
two-level systems. This approach immediately immerses students in quan-
tum phenomena that have no classical analogue, using simpler mathemati-
cal tools that allow a greater focus on conceptual understanding. It allows
from the start a discussion of interpretative aspects of quantum mechanics
and quantum information theory. This workshop will give participants an
overview of the new curriculum and supporting materials for instructors
(simulations, interactive engagement materials and texts), along with the
opportunity to explore them in greater depth according to their individual
interests. We will describe our iterative process of refining the simulations
and activities, and give examples of in-class use and outcomes. Partici-
pants are encouraged to bring laptops. This work is supported by the UK
Institute of Physics.
W41: Physics Mentoring Training
Sponsor: Committee on Graduate Education in Physics
Co-sponsor: Committee on Diversity in Physics
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $75
Non-Member Price: $100
Location: STSS 412
Renee Michelle Goertzen, American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse,
College Park, MD 20740-3844;
Monica Plisch
Many faculty and graduate students are placed in mentorship roles,
although they rarely receive formal training in how to be an effective men-
tor. The Physics Research Mentor Training Seminar provides training for
physics faculty, postdocs, and graduate students who are in mentorship
roles. Participants will work through a portion of a 10-week seminar that
includes themes such as establishing expectations, maintaining effective
communication, addressing diversity, and dealing with ethical issues.
Participants will improve their own mentoring skills and will learn how
to facilitate mentoring seminars using a facilitation guide. This guide was
developed by physics researchers and researchers from the University of
Wisconsin who have previously adapted several mentor training curricula.
Within each topic, the guide provides learning objectives, suggested activi-
ties, and case studies for discussion. The workshop is intended to help
physics researchers improve their mentoring skills, and to improve the
experiences of the next generation of physicists.
W42: Using, Modifying, and Building Internet
Problem-solving Coaches for Your Students
Sponsor: Committee on Research in Physics Education
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: STSS 512B
Leon Hsu, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455;
Bijaya Aryal, Evan Frodermann, Ken Heller, Qing Ryan
This workshop will introduce participants to a software system for creating
and modifying computer coaching programs designed to help students de-
velop expertise in solving problems in introductory physics. The coaches,
which are delivered via the web so that students can use them at their
convenience, provide students with individualized guidance and feedback
while practicing using an expert-like problem-solving framework to solve
problems. In addition, the software system allows instructors, even those
with no programming background, to modify the coaching programs to
be compatible with their teaching methods. We will discuss the motivation
behind and possible uses of the computer coaches, along with the process
used to build and test them. Participants should bring their own laptops to
access the coaches and try building their own.
W43: Using the MIT MOOC to Teach You & Your Class Better
Sponsor: Committee on Physics in Undergraduate Education
Co-sponsor: Committee on Women in Physics
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $60
Non-Member Price: $85
Location: STSS 530A
David Pritchard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Room 26-241, Cam-
bridge, MA 02139;
Raluca Teodorescu, Boris Korsunsky, ZhongZhou Chen and MIT RELATE
group
8.MReV, Mechanics ReView is a free online course whose Modeling Ap-
plied to Problem Solving (MAPS) pedagogy improves problem-solving
expertise. You can use its ~300 highly praised problems directly or as in-
spiration for your own problems, and/or recommend it as advanced place-
ment preparation for your students. Three offerings of Mechanics ReView
have benefited over 300 physics teachers and 1000 students. Graduates
praise the problems, the MAPS pedagogy, the discussion forums, and the
availability of CEU credits. Based on Hestenes’ seminal papers about mod-
eling, MAPS generates problem-solving skills that transfer to a subsequent
E&M course and helps students develop more expert-like attitudes towards
science, particularly in problem-solving self confidence. The workshop will
include innovative problem-solving and classification activities and discus-
sions. Bring your laptop for a hands-on introduction to our MOOC. We
seek users/collaborators for our materials, which can be freely modified.
We acknowledge support by NSF, Google, and MIT.
W44: SCALE-UP 1
Sponsor: Committee on Research in Physics Education
Co-sponsor: Committee on Physics in Undergraduate Education
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $65
Non-Member Price: $90
Location: STSS 312
Brandon Lunk;
Jon Gaffney
The Student Centered Active Learning Environment using Upside-down
Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) project promotes both a style of classroom
environment and a set of pedagogical strategies that together integrate
the intimacy of small, discussion-based classrooms and laboratories even
in large-enrollment introductory service courses. A successful SCALE-
UP classroom is an active place, with round tables, whiteboards, and a
pedagogy that encourages student collaboration. The actual design of such
a classroom depends on class size, the institutional culture, and the needs
of the faculty and students, but always the focus is on fostering relation-
ships between students, faculty, and curricular materials. In this workshop,
participants will learn about the philosophy of SCALE-UP, including how
to use sample pedagogy, by working through a few of the same activities
we give to our students. For more advanced topics, including curricular
design, contact the workshop organizers.
W45: Physics and Toys II: Energy, Momentum, Electricity,
and Magnetism Scheduling
Sponsor: Committee on Science Education for the Public
Co-sponsor: Committee on Physics in Pre-High School Education
Time: 1–5 p.m. Sunday
Member Price: $70
Non-Member Price: $95
Location: STSS 420B
Beverley Taylor, Miami University Hamilton, 1601 University Blvd., Hamilton,
OH 45011;
Stephen Luzader
This hands-on workshop is designed for teachers at all levels in search
of fun physics demonstrations, lab experiments, and interactive materi-
als through the use of ordinary children’s toys. More than 50 toys will be
demonstrated, and the physical principles related to these toys will be dis-
cussed. The workshop will concentrate on toys that illustrate the concepts
of kinetic and potential energy, linear and angular momentum, electricity,
magnetism, pressure, temperature and properties of materials. You will
have the opportunity to participate in both qualitative and quantitative
investigations using toys. The workshop leaders have found that toys can
be utilized at all grade levels from kindergarten through college by varying
the sophistication of the analysis. These same toys can be used for informal
presentations to public groups of all ages, whether children or adults.
Canceled
