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Give Students a Compass – Inquiry based and Active Learning in the Physics Freshman Lab

CSU Campus: CSU Campus: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Claudia Pinter-Lucke, Peter Siegel, Nina Abramzon

Norco College (Riverside Community College District): Phu Tran

This is a networking partnership between Cal Poly Pomona and Norco College. Focusing on undergraduate physics laboratory courses, the project introduces assignments that involve the foundations of undergraduate research into the GE physics sequences at both CPP and Norco College.

Background

• meeting the GE Area B physical science requirement •meeting a CPP GE Program outcome• introducing lower division STEM students to undergraduate research

Goals

The Big Idea

References

On Going Work and Future Plans:

Can’t provide one on one experience to everybody

understanding the essence of what makes undergraduate research such a valuable experience

applying these principles across the curriculum,

we can provide opportunities for more undergraduates to experience similar benefits.

LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes to be Assessed

Undergraduate researchers:

•Gain skills in using literature, formulating research hypotheses, interpreting data, and communicating•Gain independence, self-confidence, and career preparation •Have a higher rate of persistence in their pursuit of a degree•Pursue graduate education at a higher rate •As alumni report higher gains in skills such as carrying out research, acquiring information, and speaking effectively

High-Impact Practice with the lower-division GE curriculum that was explored:Undergraduate Research..

Knowledge of the Physical and Natural WorldIntellectual and Practical Skills, including

• Inquiry and analysis• Critical and creative thinking• Written and oral communication• Quantitative literacy• Information literacy• Teamwork and problem solving

High Impact Practice:

The Project Focusing on undergraduate physics laboratory courses, the project introduce assignments that involve the foundations of undergraduate research into the GE physics sequences at both CPP and Norco College. Instructors introduce new inquiry-based elements, such as open-ended experiments and capstone projects, as well as scientific writing assignments into pilot laboratory courses. The evaluation of these new elements and the analysis of student learning and attitudes is performed in collaboration between the CPP and Norco faculty involved.   

We are in the process of assessing the effectiveness of the modified labs using assessment materials developed by the Physics education group at the University of Colorado. In addition we are looking for methods to investigate whether this experience increased students’ interest in STEM disciplines and improved preparation for research opportunities.

The existing 131L/ 4A labs have a strong emphasize on verifying formulas in cookbook fashion with a large quantity of labs that have step-by-step instructions. Although it is important in science for students to learn how to follow directions, offering only cookbook labs limits students' access to exploration and connection to the steps researches in the field take while preforming scientific experiment.

The Existing Course

The Modified Course

The experiments preformed are: Uncertainties in Measurement, analysis of motion, vectors, the relationship between force and motion, uniform circular motion, conserved quantities, static equilibrium and rotational dynamics. All the labs were designed in the spirit of inquiry based with very short handouts and minimal instructors’ lecturing. In fact we also modified the name of some of the labs, for example” the relationship between force and motion” lab was called “constant acceleration” the name of the lab contained the conclusions form that lab. We were carful to make sure the students discover the laws of physics where possible and are not told what they are and given the assignment to verify them. 

Re- designed The Course In the spirit of Inquiry based

Follow The active learning and Inquiry based approach

Undergraduate research:•directly involves students in the process of discovery- Active learning•limits what students must accept on suspended judgment Requires students to build upon their current knowledge

During active learning, students are actively (rather than passively) engaged in their learning by discovering, processing, and applying information. They engage in higher-order thinking tasks such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation .

Lopatto, D. (2003). The essential features of undergraduate research. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 24 , 139-142.

Seymour, E., Hunter, A-B., Laursen, S.L., & DeAntoni, T. (2004). Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: first findings from a three-year study. Science Education,.

Physics freshman level laboratory course. a Laboratory course to accompany General Physics lecture series. This is a required course for all engineering and Science and Math majors.

Cal Poly Pomona: 131 L Norco College: 4A