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Active Learning Chautauqua Short Courses in June, 1999



DEAR PHYS-L LIST SUBSCRIBERS:

Thought you might be interested in the two Chautauqua Short Courses
Priscilla Laws, Ron Thornton and I will be offering in June, 1999. See
descriptions below. Please contact me for more information and an
application.

Regards, David

Promoting Active Learning in Introductory Physics Courses: I and II
PRISCILLA W. LAWS, Dickinson College, DAVID R. SOKOLOFF, University of
Oregon RONALD K. THORNTON, Tufts University

June 3-5, 1999 (I) in Carlisle, PA
June 17-19, 1999 (TENTATIVELY) (II) in Eugene, OR

Note: Course I will be held at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA and
Course II will be held at University of Oregon in Eugene, OR.

CONTACT:
Prof. David R. Sokoloff
Professor of Physics
Department of Physics
1274 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1274

sokoloff@oregon.uoregon.edu

office phone: (541) 346-4755
fax: (541) 346-5861

Course Descriptions:

Widespread physics education research has shown that a majority of
students have difficulty learning essential physical concepts in the best
of traditional courses. These Chautauqua courses are designed for those
interested in making major changes in introductory physics courses or in
other introductory science courses. The focus will be on giving
participants direct experience with methods for promoting active
involvement of students in the learning process through activity-based
physics strategies.
Participants will explore activities from several successful
curriculum development projects which share common goals and techniques,
all of which are based on the outcomes of physics education research and
the comprehensive use of microcomputers. (The microcomputer-based tools
used are available for Macintosh, Windows and MS-DOS computers.) Samples
of curricula will be given out. We will discuss adaptation of curricular
materials to a range of institutional settings including small colleges and
large universities.
While the emphasis will be on activity-based learning in laboratory
or workshop environments, strategies for better integration of lecture and
laboratory sessions by means of interactive lecture demonstrations will
also be discussed. We will also explore effective methods for evaluation
of the learning of physics concepts. Studies have demonstrated substantial
and persistent learning by students who have used these materials.
Course I will focus on first semester topics: mechanics, heat and
thermodynamics. Use of computers will include data collection and analysis
with microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) tools, basic mathematical
modeling using MBL software and spreadsheets, and basic interactive video
analysis.
Course II will focus on second semester topics: electricity and
magnetism, waves and optics. In addition to use of computers for data
collection and analysis (using MBL tools) this course will explore more
advanced mathematical modeling and more advanced video analysis including
recording of digitized physics movies.
Open to teachers of undergraduate students in institutions of
higher education in the U.S. High school teachers and faculty from outside
the U.S. are also admitted if space is available. There is a small
application fee, but no tuition. Reasonably-priced accommodations in
dormitories and hotels will be arranged.

For college teachers of: introductory physics and other introductory
science and mathematics disciplines. Prerequisites: none.

Dr. Laws is a Professor of Physics at Dickinson College where she and her
colleagues have developed a workshop method for teaching physics without
lectures. Students in Workshop Physics courses use several related
computer applications including spreadsheets linked dynamically to graphs
for modeling, microcomputer interfacing for real-time data collection, and
video analysis software. Workshop Physics has been published by John Wiley
and Sons. Dr. Sokoloff is Professor of Physics at the University of Oregon
where he integrates classroom testing on research-based curricula with the
assessment of conceptual learning in introductory courses with large
enrollments. He is the principal author (along with Ronald Thornton and
Priscilla Laws) of Real-Time Physics--computer-supported active learning
laboratories for use in traditional university settings. (Just published
by John Wiley and Sons.) He is also co-developer (along with Ronald
Thornton) of microcomputer-based Interactive Lecture Demonstrations which
create an active learning environment in lecture classes. Dr. Thornton is
the director of the Center for Science and Mathematics Teaching of the
Physics and Education Department at Tufts University where he directs the
development of software for microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) tools for
real-time collection and analysis of data, for modeling and for vector
visualization, and curricula designed to be used with these. The center
conducts research on student learning in physics. The MBL software has won
awards from EDUCOM, Computers in Physics, and the Dana Foundation.







David R. Sokoloff
Professor of Physics
Department of Physics
1274 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1274

sokoloff@oregon.uoregon.edu

office phone: (541) 346-4755
fax: (541) 346-5861