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The First Year of PhysTEC at the University of Minnesota

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:55:55 EST

The PhysTEC program at the U of M is based on the experiences of other PhysTEC institutions and adapted to the needs and strengths at the U of M. Members of the PhysTEC team at the U of M have a long history of commitment to improving education. At the heart of the U of M PhysTEC program is the use of Learning Assistants (LAs), a successful component of other PhysTEC sites. The ten LAs that worked in Physics 1101 in the spring 2008 semester brought a pioneering, adventurous, "make it work" attitude to their job. This was demonstrated by the way that they interacted with the students, by the feedback that they gave at the weekly LA seminar, by the way that the LA program (and consequently PhysTEC) evolved in response to the feedback given by the LAs, and by the overwhelmingly positive formal assessments of their value in the lecture.

Franck-Hertz Experiment

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:55:40 EST

Classic Franck-Hertz experiment using mercury. Some attempt is made to understand the energies actually measured, as contrasted with the energy levels in mercury.

APS Forum on Education Newsletter - Fall 2008

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:44:56 EST

The fall 2008 edition of the Forum on Education newsletter contains a discussion of the new PhysTEC program at the University of Minnesota by Jon Anderson, a discussion of intercity teaching by Richard Steinberg, and a discussion of some less well known pressure forcing out of field physics teaching by Marty Alderman.

Transmission Lines

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:38:31 EST

Students study RG58U coalial cable, determining the relationships among: capacitance, inductance, impedance, pulse propagation speed, termination and reflection coefficients.

Gamma Spectroscopy

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:26:23 EST

Students use NaI/PMT gamma detectors to gather spectra of several radioactive sources. The full-enrgy peak, Compton edge, Compton shelf and backscatter peaks are identified. The physics of the detection process is emphasized.

Angular Correlation of Gammas

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:21:34 EST

Students use NaI/PMT detectors to measure the angular correlation of simultaneously emitted gammas from Na-22 and Co-60.

Hall Effect

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:15:38 EST

Students study the Hall Effect in single crystal germanium, doped with gallium. The Hall voltage, resistivity, and mobility are studied in the temperature range 78K to 430K.

Heat Capacity

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:44:45 EST

Students measure the heat capacity of nickel and niobium in the temperature range 4K to 300K.

Infra-red Absorption in Semi-conductors

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:35:26 EST

Students measure infra-red transmission through silicon, germanium and gallium arsenide. The band gap energies are measured and transitions are characterized as direct or indirect.

Multiple Slit Diffraction Model

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:26:37 EST

The EJS Multiple Slit Diffraction model allows the user to simulate Fraunhofer diffraction through single or multiple slits. The user can modify the number of slits, the slit width, the slit separation and the wavelength of the incident light. The scale of the diffraction pattern can also be changed and a plot of the light intensity can be toggled on and off with a checkbox. A basic theoretical introduction to diffraction is included. The Multiple Slit Diffraction Model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (Ejs) modeling tool. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive. Double clicking the ejs_ntnu_optics_MultipleSlitDiffraction.jar file will run the program if Java is installed. Ejs is a part of the Open Source Physics Project and is designed to make it easier to access, modify, and generate computer models. Additional Open Source Physics programs for quantum mechanics are available. They can be found by searching ComPADRE for Open Source Physics, OSP, or EJS.

Special Functions Model

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:24:59 EST

EJS Special Functions Model shows how to access special functions in the OSP numerics package. The simulation displays a graph of the specail function over the given range as well as the value of the selected function at single point. The following special functions can be displayed:

Legendre polynomials Pn(x)
associated Legendre functions Pnm(x)
Laguerre polynomials Ln(x)
associated Laguerre polynomials Lnm(x)
Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind Tn(x)
Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind Un(x)
Bessel functions Jn(x)

A description of the EJS special functions along with links to more information about the functions are provided.

Mentoring New Science Teachers

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:55:03 EST

Most experienced high school science teachers are asked at some point to serve as a mentor to a novice teacher. While mentor-training programs have been established in many states, they often only focus on how the mentor can help new science teachers understand and negotiate the school culture, such as how the school runs and where supplies are kept. Less attention is given to teaching mentors how to assist new science teachers to develop their content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, and science-specific pedagogical content knowledge. This article provides a checklist for mentor teachers to use when assessing the teaching skills and knowledge of new science teachers. This checklist helps prioritize what and how much assistance the new teacher needs.

Supporting Beginning Science Teachers

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:36:02 EST

The focus of this article is the more immediate way to help new science teachers, which comes from the experienced and professionally active teacher--you! As science teacher educators who work with and study the development of beginning teachers, the authors found the support offered knowingly and unknowingly by the teacher next door was a critical factor in assisting the new teacher (Luft and Roehrig 2006). Other research has expanded on this and found that support creates a positive learning and teaching environment and contributes to the development of the new teacher (Dangel 2006). Experienced science teachers can use the research-based strategies presented in this article to assist beginning science teachers.

Professional development of graduate TAs: The role of physics education research

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:14:11 EST

This presentation from the April 2008 APS Meeting discusses the need for professional development of TAs and how the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington is addressing their TA preparation.

Pfun Physics: Pencil Drop

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:15:25 EST

This page contains procedures for a classroom demonstration that illustrates the concept of inertia. A large wooden crochet hoop is balanced on the lip of a glass soda bottle. A pencil is then balanced atop the hoop. The pencil remains stationary until the demonstrator yanks the hoop in a downward angle. Performed properly, the pencil should drop directly into the soda bottle below. The page contains photos and background information on the physics fundamentals (in this case, Newton's First Law of Motion). Performed incorrectly, the demo still illustrates the effects of a net external force on a stationary object. Phun Physics is a collection of physics demonstrations which introduce basic physics topics, are approximately 45 minutes long, and can be varied for presentation to grades 3-12. SEE RELATED ITEMS BELOW for a link to the full collection.

Pfun Physics: Dollar Bill Grab

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:51:45 EST

This page contains procedures for a classroom demonstration that illustrates the concept of inertia. A dollar bill is placed between two soda bottles, with the top bottle filled with water. The currency acts as a water sealant, creating a system of balanced upward and downward forces. The water remains at rest until the demonstrator yanks out the dollar bill. Background information and reference material on Newton's First law are included. Phun Physics is a collection of physics demonstrations which introduce basic physics topics, are approximately 45 minutes long, and can be varied for presentation to grades 3-12. SEE RELATED ITEMS BELOW for a link to the full collection.

Using a Computer-Rich Curriculum to Teach Quantum Mechanics

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:00:13 EST

This web site contains the notes for a seminar on the use of java applets in teaching quantum mechanics. Applets are included that cover basic quantum mechanics, hydrogenic and two-particle systems, and some simulation techniques. Time dependent results are stressed. Physlets are used to develop the example resources.

Phun Physics

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:11:50 EST

Phun Physics is a physics demonstration show developed by instructors at the University of Virginia. The demonstrations introduce several basic physics topics, are approximately 45 minutes long, and can be varied for presentation to grades 3-12. The purpose of the show is to spark students' interest in science. Many of the activities can be easily set up in a science classroom. Users can link to a complete list of demonstrations with step-by-step instructions for classroom set-up and background information. Explanations of the phenomena observed are fully discussed. **NOTE** The road show itself is available only to schools within a 60-mile radius of Charlottesburg, Virginia, but the web-based procedurals are freely accessible to online users.

Problem Based Learning for College Physics: What Is Problem-Based Learning?

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:40:28 EST

This page contains an overview of the Problem-Based Learning pedagogical approach, an instructional method in which authentic problems are used as the basis for student activities. The history and fundamental principles of the PBL method are discussed, with links provided to additional online resources. This page is part of a larger PBL collection, which includes a set of of field-tested activities for introductory physics classes. SEE RELATED ITEMS BELOW for a link to the full collection.

Problem Based Learning for College Physics

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:25:45 EST

This web site contains a growing collection of field-tested problem-based learning (PBL) activities for introductory physics classes. The PBL method challenges students to solve real-world problems by first determining questions to be answered, sifting through given information to separate useful from irrelevant data, and collaborating to apply physics in finding solutions. The goal of this collection is to help faculty overcome the difficulties in finding or creating good problems. It includes background and references on the problem-based approach and information about how it is best implemented in a class. Each problem includes a brief introduction and materials for students and instructors. Instructors interested in contributing PBL problems are strongly encouraged to do so through this site in the section Submit a Problem. **NOTE** Click on "English" to enter the website from the home page.