Steven Pollock | University of Colorado, Boulder (original) (raw)
Papers by Steven Pollock
Physical Review C, 2001
Parity violating electron nucleus scattering is a clean and powerful tool for measuring the spati... more Parity violating electron nucleus scattering is a clean and powerful tool for measuring the spatial distributions of neutrons in nuclei with unprecedented accuracy. Parity violation arises from the interference of electromagnetic and weak neutral amplitudes, and the Z 0 of the Standard Model couples primarily to neutrons at low Q 2 . The data can be interpreted with as much confidence as electromagnetic scattering. After briefly reviewing the present theoretical and experimental knowledge of neutron densities, we discuss possible parity violation measurements, their theoretical interpretation, and applications. The experiments are feasible at existing facilities. We show that theoretical corrections are either small or well understood, which makes the interpretation clean. The quantitative relationship to atomic parity nonconservation observables is examined, and we show that the electron scattering asymmetries can be directly applied to atomic PNC because the observables have approximately the same dependence on nuclear shape.
Validation of a Conceptual Assessment Tool in E&M II
2014 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, 2015
As part of an ongoing project to investigate student learning in upper-division electrodynamics (... more As part of an ongoing project to investigate student learning in upper-division electrodynamics (E&M II), the PER research group at the University of Colorado Boulder has developed a tool to assess student conceptual understanding: the CURrENT (Colorado UppeR-division ElectrodyNamics Test). The result is an open-ended post-test diagnostic with 6 multi-part questions, an optional 3-question pretest, and an accompanying grading rubric. This instrument is motivated in part by our faculty-consensus learning goals, and is intended to help measure the effectiveness of transformed pedagogy. In addition, it provides insights into student thinking and student difficulties in the covered topical areas. In this paper, we present preliminary measures of the validity and reliability of the instrument and scoring rubric. These include expert validation and student interviews, inter-rater reliability measures, and classical test statistics.
Utilizing the integral expression of Coulomb's Law to determine the electric potential from a con... more Utilizing the integral expression of Coulomb's Law to determine the electric potential from a continuous charge distribution is a canonical exercise in Electricity and Magnetism (E&M). In this study, we use both think-aloud interviews and responses to traditional exam questions to investigate student difficulties with this topic at the upper-division level. Leveraging a theoretical framework for the use of mathematics in physics, we discuss how students activate, construct, execute and reflect on the integral form of Coulomb's Law when solving problems with continuous charge distributions. We present evidence that junior-level E&M students have difficulty mapping physical systems onto the mathematical expression for the Coulomb potential. Common challenges include difficulty expressing the difference vector in appropriate coordinates as well as determining expressions for the differential charge element and limits of integration for a specific charge distribution. We discuss possible implications of these findings for future research directions and instructional strategies.
Much of the research done by modern physicists would be impossible without the use of computation... more Much of the research done by modern physicists would be impossible without the use of computation. And yet, while computation is a crucial tool of practicing physicists, physics curricula do not generally reflect its importance and utility. To more tightly connect undergraduate preparation with professional practice, we integrated computational instruction into middle-division classical mechanics at the University of Colorado Boulder. Our model for integration works within the constraints of faculty who do not specialize in computation teaching standard physics courses by placing a strong emphasis on {an adaptable curriculum}. Our model includes the construction of computational learning goals, the design of computational activities consistent with those goals, and the assessment of students' computational fluency. We present critiques of our model as we work to develop an effective and sustainable model for computational instruction in the undergraduate curriculum
Applying the results of education research to help students learn more
Over the past 6 years, the physics faculty at the University of Colorado have worked to transform... more Over the past 6 years, the physics faculty at the University of Colorado have worked to transform four core courses in our upper-division undergraduate physics curriculum: Classical Mechanics/Math Methods, Electricity and Magnetism I and II, and Quantum Mechanics. We discuss our transformations as a potential model for transformation of other upper-division courses, such as fluid mechanics. The goal of our transformations was to improve student learning and to develop materials and approaches that other faculty could adopt or adapt. This work began with ...
Addressing Gender Disparity in Introductory Physics Courses: Are existing reforms enough?
Previously researchers have reported that by transforming teaching practices in introductory phys... more Previously researchers have reported that by transforming teaching practices in introductory physics, it is possible to eliminate the disparity in achievement of males and females on measures of conceptual learning. [1] We follow-up on the studies of the original researchers by comparing achievement of male and female students on measures of conceptual learning in the introductory physics courses at a
The strangeness content of the proton: A theoretical investigation
The authors investigate the strangeness content of the proton, both in the cloudy bag model and i... more The authors investigate the strangeness content of the proton, both in the cloudy bag model and in a hybrid of a naive nonrelativistic quark model and the Chew-Low model. Nucleonic matrix elements involving strange quarks are generated in these models from the contribution of the kaonic cloud. By using SU(6) for the mesonic couplings and by fitting the bag radius so that they reproduce the standard nucleonic observables, i.e. the magnetic moments and the charge radii, the authors are able to give theoretical predictions for Fâ, the strange quark contribution to the magnetic moments, for r², the strangeness radius of the nucleon, and for Îs, the strangeness axial vector matrix element.
Correlating students' beliefs about physics with learning, retention, and recruitment
We have developed and used a new survey instrument -- the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Scien... more We have developed and used a new survey instrument -- the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS)^1-- to extensively study the importance of students' beliefs about physics and about learning physics to physics education. Since Fall 2003, we have surveyed over 10000 students in 50 physics courses ranging from courses for non-science majors to graduate courses in physics. In
Studying the importance of students' beliefs in physics education
APS Bulletin of the American Physical Society. 2007 APS March Meeting Volume 52, Number 1. Monday... more APS Bulletin of the American Physical Society. 2007 APS March Meeting Volume 52, Number 1. MondayFriday, March 59, 2007; Denver, Colorado. ...
Sustaining educational transformations: evidence and approaches at CU Boulder
Research in educational innovations provides mechanisms to systematically improve education in la... more Research in educational innovations provides mechanisms to systematically improve education in large introductory physics classes. But what is involved in adopting, and than adapting, research-based transformations to suit local constraints? How do we assess the impact of the curricula, how do we promote and sustain changes across time, with a broad variety of faculty? We report here on local efforts to implement two well-studied PER-based innovations: Peer Instruction [1] and Washington Tutorials [2]. Our course transformations are facilitated through our local model of undergraduate Learning Assistants, promoting reforms while recruiting and supporting future K-12 teachers. We document the impacts from multiple terms, instructors, and courses, including sustained learning gains that exceed twice the national average for traditional courses. A guiding theme of our studies is to investigate the sustainability and impacts of our efforts.[4pt] [1] Mazur, E., ``Peer Instruction,'&#...
A Research-Based Approach to Transforming Upper-Division Electricity & Magnetism
We present research on transforming an upper-division undergraduate electricity and magnetism cou... more We present research on transforming an upper-division undergraduate electricity and magnetism course using principles of active engagement and learning theory. We build on a systematic investigation of student learning difficulties, with the goal of developing useful curricular materials and suggestions for effective teaching practices. We observe students in classroom, help-session, and interview settings, and analyze their written work. To assess student learning, we have developed and validated a conceptual instrument, the CUE (Colorado Upper-division Electrostatics) diagnostic. We collaborate with faculty to establish learning goals, and have constructed a bank of clicker questions, tutorials, homeworks, and classroom activities. We find that students in the transformed courses exhibit improved performance over the traditional course, as assessed by common exam questions and the CUE, but there is still much work to be done. Our work underlines the need for further research on th...
Taking a Scientific Approach to Science Teaching
It is now well-documented that traditionally taught, large-scale introductory science courses oft... more It is now well-documented that traditionally taught, large-scale introductory science courses often fail to teach our students the basics. In fact, these same courses have been found to teach students things we don't intend. Building on a tradition of research, the physics and astronomy education research communities have been investigating the effects of educational reforms at the undergraduate level for decades. Both within these scientific communities and in the fields of education, cognitive science, psychology, and other social sciences, we have learned a great deal about student learning and environments that support learning for an increasingly diverse population of students. This presentation will discuss a variety of effective classroom practices, (with an emphasis on peer instruction, "clickers," and small group activities), the surrounding educational structures, and examine assessments which indicate when and why these do (and sometimes do not) work. After ...
Boundary conditions (BCs) are considered as an important topic that advanced physics under- gradu... more Boundary conditions (BCs) are considered as an important topic that advanced physics under- graduates are expected to understand and apply. We report findings from an investigation of student difficulties using boundary conditions (BCs) in electrodynamics. Our data sources include student responses to traditional exam questions, conceptual survey questions, and think-aloud interviews. The analysis was guided by an analytical framework that characterizes how students activate, con- struct, execute, and reflect on boundary conditions. Common student difficulties include: activating boundary conditions in appropriate contexts; constructing a complex expression for the E&M waves; mathematically simplifying complex exponentials and checking if the reflection and transmission co- efficient are physical. We also present potential pedagogical implications based on our observations.
Keeping a Good Things Going: What does sustaining reforms in physics mean?
As a result of decades of work in the physics education research (PER), the physics community has... more As a result of decades of work in the physics education research (PER), the physics community has successfully demonstrated programs that significantly improve student understanding. At the same time there is less of an understanding of what it means to replicate and sustain these reforms. This poster examines what it means to replicate proven reforms and to develop models for sustainable implementation of educational reforms in physics. As part of the Colorado Physics Teacher Education Coalition and an NSF CCLI grant, we have implemented a number of PER-based reforms in our introductory sequence [1]. We introduce some of these programs, present empirical data on the success and fidelity of implementation of the reforms, and develop theoretical frames for analyzing these data. Two key factors in the program success are: 1) Colorado's Learning Assistant program [2] which enables these course transformation, while simultaneously increasing the pool of talented physics teachers and...
Sustaining Educational Innovation: engaging traditional faculty in transformed practices
Over the past five years CU Physics has engaged in an experimental study of what it means to tran... more Over the past five years CU Physics has engaged in an experimental study of what it means to transform our introductory physics sequence to employ the tools and practices shown to be productive by physics education research. We have previously reported on the successful transformation of the courses to make them student centered, interactive and post high learning gains on conceptual surveys. [1] In an effort to understand the long-term potential of these course transformations, we now examine what happens when the course is transferred to new faculty. We demonstrate that it is possible to maintain high learning gains with new faculty and find two critical factors that contribute to the sustained success of these course transformations: 1) faculty background and beliefs and 2) particular curricular materials and practices selected to use. We also present a model (the Learning Assistant program) designed for sustaining these reforms and for increasing student interest and retention i...
Replicating Reforms in a Large-scale Lecture Environment
We present a longitudinal study of the implementation of a series of reforms in the large-scale, ... more We present a longitudinal study of the implementation of a series of reforms in the large-scale, calculus based introductory physics sequence at University of Colorado. As part of the Colorado Physics Teacher Education Coalition and an NSF CCLI grant, we have implemented Tutorials in Introductory Physics, Peer Instruction, personalized computerized homework sets, and in-class personal response systems[1]. While we have demonstrated that these combined efforts result in significant improvement in student learning gains [1], we turn our attention to what it means to hand off these course transformation to faculty who have historically focussed on more traditional methods (e.g. those who are not members of AAPT). We present empirical data on the success and fidelity of implementation of the reforms, and identify two key factors in the overall program success: 1) Colorado's Learning Assistant program [2] which enables these course transformation, while simultaneously increasing the ...
Standardized conceptual assessment represents a widely-used tool for educational researchers inte... more Standardized conceptual assessment represents a widely-used tool for educational researchers interested in student learning within the standard undergraduate physics curriculum. For example, these assessments are often used to measure student learning across educational contexts and instructional strategies. However, to support the large-scale implementation often required for cross-institutional testing, it is necessary for these instruments to have question formats that facilitate easy grading. Previously, we created a multiple-response version of an existing, validated, upper-division electrostatics diagnostic with the goal of increasing the instrument's potential for large-scale implementation. Here, we report on the validity and reliability of this new version as an independent instrument. These findings establish the validity of the multiple-response version as measured by multiple test statistics including item difficulty, item discrimination, and internal consistency. Mo...
Sustaining Educational Transformation in a Physics Department (part 1 of 2)
The CU Boulder Physics Department has been engaged in the systematic transformation and study of ... more The CU Boulder Physics Department has been engaged in the systematic transformation and study of many of its physics courses for the last five years. We report on two interrelated research threads: 1) sustaining and 2) scaling of educational innovations. In this first, of two talks, we examine the sustainability of two of the most widespread PER-based innovations, Peer Instruction and the University of Washington's Tutorials in Introductory Physics, at our institution. We demonstrate measures of improved student conceptual mastery, and that these achievements can be reliably maintained as the introductory sequence is taught by a variety of faculty. Applying a contextual constructivist framework, we document key factors that might account for the success and variation in student performance.
Examining the Gender Gap in Introductory Physics
Our previous research[1] showed that despite the use of interactive engagement techniques in the ... more Our previous research[1] showed that despite the use of interactive engagement techniques in the introductory physics course, the gap in performance between males and females on a mechanics conceptual learning survey persisted from pre- to post-test, at our institution. Such findings were counter to previously published work[2]. Follow-up studies[3] identified correlations between student performance on the conceptual learning survey and students' prior physics and math knowledge and their incoming attitudes and beliefs about physics and learning physics. The results indicate that the gender gap at our institution is predominantly associated with differences in males' and females' previous physics and math knowledge, and attitudes and beliefs. Our current work extends these results in two ways: 1) we look at the gender gap in the second semester of the introductory sequence and find results similar to those in the first semester course and 2) we identify ways in which ma...
Interactive Engagement in Upper-Division Physics
Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 2014
Physical Review C, 2001
Parity violating electron nucleus scattering is a clean and powerful tool for measuring the spati... more Parity violating electron nucleus scattering is a clean and powerful tool for measuring the spatial distributions of neutrons in nuclei with unprecedented accuracy. Parity violation arises from the interference of electromagnetic and weak neutral amplitudes, and the Z 0 of the Standard Model couples primarily to neutrons at low Q 2 . The data can be interpreted with as much confidence as electromagnetic scattering. After briefly reviewing the present theoretical and experimental knowledge of neutron densities, we discuss possible parity violation measurements, their theoretical interpretation, and applications. The experiments are feasible at existing facilities. We show that theoretical corrections are either small or well understood, which makes the interpretation clean. The quantitative relationship to atomic parity nonconservation observables is examined, and we show that the electron scattering asymmetries can be directly applied to atomic PNC because the observables have approximately the same dependence on nuclear shape.
Validation of a Conceptual Assessment Tool in E&M II
2014 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings, 2015
As part of an ongoing project to investigate student learning in upper-division electrodynamics (... more As part of an ongoing project to investigate student learning in upper-division electrodynamics (E&M II), the PER research group at the University of Colorado Boulder has developed a tool to assess student conceptual understanding: the CURrENT (Colorado UppeR-division ElectrodyNamics Test). The result is an open-ended post-test diagnostic with 6 multi-part questions, an optional 3-question pretest, and an accompanying grading rubric. This instrument is motivated in part by our faculty-consensus learning goals, and is intended to help measure the effectiveness of transformed pedagogy. In addition, it provides insights into student thinking and student difficulties in the covered topical areas. In this paper, we present preliminary measures of the validity and reliability of the instrument and scoring rubric. These include expert validation and student interviews, inter-rater reliability measures, and classical test statistics.
Utilizing the integral expression of Coulomb's Law to determine the electric potential from a con... more Utilizing the integral expression of Coulomb's Law to determine the electric potential from a continuous charge distribution is a canonical exercise in Electricity and Magnetism (E&M). In this study, we use both think-aloud interviews and responses to traditional exam questions to investigate student difficulties with this topic at the upper-division level. Leveraging a theoretical framework for the use of mathematics in physics, we discuss how students activate, construct, execute and reflect on the integral form of Coulomb's Law when solving problems with continuous charge distributions. We present evidence that junior-level E&M students have difficulty mapping physical systems onto the mathematical expression for the Coulomb potential. Common challenges include difficulty expressing the difference vector in appropriate coordinates as well as determining expressions for the differential charge element and limits of integration for a specific charge distribution. We discuss possible implications of these findings for future research directions and instructional strategies.
Much of the research done by modern physicists would be impossible without the use of computation... more Much of the research done by modern physicists would be impossible without the use of computation. And yet, while computation is a crucial tool of practicing physicists, physics curricula do not generally reflect its importance and utility. To more tightly connect undergraduate preparation with professional practice, we integrated computational instruction into middle-division classical mechanics at the University of Colorado Boulder. Our model for integration works within the constraints of faculty who do not specialize in computation teaching standard physics courses by placing a strong emphasis on {an adaptable curriculum}. Our model includes the construction of computational learning goals, the design of computational activities consistent with those goals, and the assessment of students' computational fluency. We present critiques of our model as we work to develop an effective and sustainable model for computational instruction in the undergraduate curriculum
Applying the results of education research to help students learn more
Over the past 6 years, the physics faculty at the University of Colorado have worked to transform... more Over the past 6 years, the physics faculty at the University of Colorado have worked to transform four core courses in our upper-division undergraduate physics curriculum: Classical Mechanics/Math Methods, Electricity and Magnetism I and II, and Quantum Mechanics. We discuss our transformations as a potential model for transformation of other upper-division courses, such as fluid mechanics. The goal of our transformations was to improve student learning and to develop materials and approaches that other faculty could adopt or adapt. This work began with ...
Addressing Gender Disparity in Introductory Physics Courses: Are existing reforms enough?
Previously researchers have reported that by transforming teaching practices in introductory phys... more Previously researchers have reported that by transforming teaching practices in introductory physics, it is possible to eliminate the disparity in achievement of males and females on measures of conceptual learning. [1] We follow-up on the studies of the original researchers by comparing achievement of male and female students on measures of conceptual learning in the introductory physics courses at a
The strangeness content of the proton: A theoretical investigation
The authors investigate the strangeness content of the proton, both in the cloudy bag model and i... more The authors investigate the strangeness content of the proton, both in the cloudy bag model and in a hybrid of a naive nonrelativistic quark model and the Chew-Low model. Nucleonic matrix elements involving strange quarks are generated in these models from the contribution of the kaonic cloud. By using SU(6) for the mesonic couplings and by fitting the bag radius so that they reproduce the standard nucleonic observables, i.e. the magnetic moments and the charge radii, the authors are able to give theoretical predictions for Fâ, the strange quark contribution to the magnetic moments, for r², the strangeness radius of the nucleon, and for Îs, the strangeness axial vector matrix element.
Correlating students' beliefs about physics with learning, retention, and recruitment
We have developed and used a new survey instrument -- the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Scien... more We have developed and used a new survey instrument -- the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS)^1-- to extensively study the importance of students' beliefs about physics and about learning physics to physics education. Since Fall 2003, we have surveyed over 10000 students in 50 physics courses ranging from courses for non-science majors to graduate courses in physics. In
Studying the importance of students' beliefs in physics education
APS Bulletin of the American Physical Society. 2007 APS March Meeting Volume 52, Number 1. Monday... more APS Bulletin of the American Physical Society. 2007 APS March Meeting Volume 52, Number 1. MondayFriday, March 59, 2007; Denver, Colorado. ...
Sustaining educational transformations: evidence and approaches at CU Boulder
Research in educational innovations provides mechanisms to systematically improve education in la... more Research in educational innovations provides mechanisms to systematically improve education in large introductory physics classes. But what is involved in adopting, and than adapting, research-based transformations to suit local constraints? How do we assess the impact of the curricula, how do we promote and sustain changes across time, with a broad variety of faculty? We report here on local efforts to implement two well-studied PER-based innovations: Peer Instruction [1] and Washington Tutorials [2]. Our course transformations are facilitated through our local model of undergraduate Learning Assistants, promoting reforms while recruiting and supporting future K-12 teachers. We document the impacts from multiple terms, instructors, and courses, including sustained learning gains that exceed twice the national average for traditional courses. A guiding theme of our studies is to investigate the sustainability and impacts of our efforts.[4pt] [1] Mazur, E., ``Peer Instruction,'&#...
A Research-Based Approach to Transforming Upper-Division Electricity & Magnetism
We present research on transforming an upper-division undergraduate electricity and magnetism cou... more We present research on transforming an upper-division undergraduate electricity and magnetism course using principles of active engagement and learning theory. We build on a systematic investigation of student learning difficulties, with the goal of developing useful curricular materials and suggestions for effective teaching practices. We observe students in classroom, help-session, and interview settings, and analyze their written work. To assess student learning, we have developed and validated a conceptual instrument, the CUE (Colorado Upper-division Electrostatics) diagnostic. We collaborate with faculty to establish learning goals, and have constructed a bank of clicker questions, tutorials, homeworks, and classroom activities. We find that students in the transformed courses exhibit improved performance over the traditional course, as assessed by common exam questions and the CUE, but there is still much work to be done. Our work underlines the need for further research on th...
Taking a Scientific Approach to Science Teaching
It is now well-documented that traditionally taught, large-scale introductory science courses oft... more It is now well-documented that traditionally taught, large-scale introductory science courses often fail to teach our students the basics. In fact, these same courses have been found to teach students things we don't intend. Building on a tradition of research, the physics and astronomy education research communities have been investigating the effects of educational reforms at the undergraduate level for decades. Both within these scientific communities and in the fields of education, cognitive science, psychology, and other social sciences, we have learned a great deal about student learning and environments that support learning for an increasingly diverse population of students. This presentation will discuss a variety of effective classroom practices, (with an emphasis on peer instruction, "clickers," and small group activities), the surrounding educational structures, and examine assessments which indicate when and why these do (and sometimes do not) work. After ...
Boundary conditions (BCs) are considered as an important topic that advanced physics under- gradu... more Boundary conditions (BCs) are considered as an important topic that advanced physics under- graduates are expected to understand and apply. We report findings from an investigation of student difficulties using boundary conditions (BCs) in electrodynamics. Our data sources include student responses to traditional exam questions, conceptual survey questions, and think-aloud interviews. The analysis was guided by an analytical framework that characterizes how students activate, con- struct, execute, and reflect on boundary conditions. Common student difficulties include: activating boundary conditions in appropriate contexts; constructing a complex expression for the E&M waves; mathematically simplifying complex exponentials and checking if the reflection and transmission co- efficient are physical. We also present potential pedagogical implications based on our observations.
Keeping a Good Things Going: What does sustaining reforms in physics mean?
As a result of decades of work in the physics education research (PER), the physics community has... more As a result of decades of work in the physics education research (PER), the physics community has successfully demonstrated programs that significantly improve student understanding. At the same time there is less of an understanding of what it means to replicate and sustain these reforms. This poster examines what it means to replicate proven reforms and to develop models for sustainable implementation of educational reforms in physics. As part of the Colorado Physics Teacher Education Coalition and an NSF CCLI grant, we have implemented a number of PER-based reforms in our introductory sequence [1]. We introduce some of these programs, present empirical data on the success and fidelity of implementation of the reforms, and develop theoretical frames for analyzing these data. Two key factors in the program success are: 1) Colorado's Learning Assistant program [2] which enables these course transformation, while simultaneously increasing the pool of talented physics teachers and...
Sustaining Educational Innovation: engaging traditional faculty in transformed practices
Over the past five years CU Physics has engaged in an experimental study of what it means to tran... more Over the past five years CU Physics has engaged in an experimental study of what it means to transform our introductory physics sequence to employ the tools and practices shown to be productive by physics education research. We have previously reported on the successful transformation of the courses to make them student centered, interactive and post high learning gains on conceptual surveys. [1] In an effort to understand the long-term potential of these course transformations, we now examine what happens when the course is transferred to new faculty. We demonstrate that it is possible to maintain high learning gains with new faculty and find two critical factors that contribute to the sustained success of these course transformations: 1) faculty background and beliefs and 2) particular curricular materials and practices selected to use. We also present a model (the Learning Assistant program) designed for sustaining these reforms and for increasing student interest and retention i...
Replicating Reforms in a Large-scale Lecture Environment
We present a longitudinal study of the implementation of a series of reforms in the large-scale, ... more We present a longitudinal study of the implementation of a series of reforms in the large-scale, calculus based introductory physics sequence at University of Colorado. As part of the Colorado Physics Teacher Education Coalition and an NSF CCLI grant, we have implemented Tutorials in Introductory Physics, Peer Instruction, personalized computerized homework sets, and in-class personal response systems[1]. While we have demonstrated that these combined efforts result in significant improvement in student learning gains [1], we turn our attention to what it means to hand off these course transformation to faculty who have historically focussed on more traditional methods (e.g. those who are not members of AAPT). We present empirical data on the success and fidelity of implementation of the reforms, and identify two key factors in the overall program success: 1) Colorado's Learning Assistant program [2] which enables these course transformation, while simultaneously increasing the ...
Standardized conceptual assessment represents a widely-used tool for educational researchers inte... more Standardized conceptual assessment represents a widely-used tool for educational researchers interested in student learning within the standard undergraduate physics curriculum. For example, these assessments are often used to measure student learning across educational contexts and instructional strategies. However, to support the large-scale implementation often required for cross-institutional testing, it is necessary for these instruments to have question formats that facilitate easy grading. Previously, we created a multiple-response version of an existing, validated, upper-division electrostatics diagnostic with the goal of increasing the instrument's potential for large-scale implementation. Here, we report on the validity and reliability of this new version as an independent instrument. These findings establish the validity of the multiple-response version as measured by multiple test statistics including item difficulty, item discrimination, and internal consistency. Mo...
Sustaining Educational Transformation in a Physics Department (part 1 of 2)
The CU Boulder Physics Department has been engaged in the systematic transformation and study of ... more The CU Boulder Physics Department has been engaged in the systematic transformation and study of many of its physics courses for the last five years. We report on two interrelated research threads: 1) sustaining and 2) scaling of educational innovations. In this first, of two talks, we examine the sustainability of two of the most widespread PER-based innovations, Peer Instruction and the University of Washington's Tutorials in Introductory Physics, at our institution. We demonstrate measures of improved student conceptual mastery, and that these achievements can be reliably maintained as the introductory sequence is taught by a variety of faculty. Applying a contextual constructivist framework, we document key factors that might account for the success and variation in student performance.
Examining the Gender Gap in Introductory Physics
Our previous research[1] showed that despite the use of interactive engagement techniques in the ... more Our previous research[1] showed that despite the use of interactive engagement techniques in the introductory physics course, the gap in performance between males and females on a mechanics conceptual learning survey persisted from pre- to post-test, at our institution. Such findings were counter to previously published work[2]. Follow-up studies[3] identified correlations between student performance on the conceptual learning survey and students' prior physics and math knowledge and their incoming attitudes and beliefs about physics and learning physics. The results indicate that the gender gap at our institution is predominantly associated with differences in males' and females' previous physics and math knowledge, and attitudes and beliefs. Our current work extends these results in two ways: 1) we look at the gender gap in the second semester of the introductory sequence and find results similar to those in the first semester course and 2) we identify ways in which ma...
Interactive Engagement in Upper-Division Physics
Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 2014