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Reimagining Our Reimagined�STEM Gateway Courses

Tim Gfroerer and Mario Belloni

Dan Boye, Wolfgang Christian, Brandon Eberly, Tim Gfroerer, Anthony Kuchera, Michelle Kuchera, Kristen Thompson, John Yukich

Aidan Edmondson, Julia Bauer, Jaime Felipe, Pranjal Singh, Connor O’Leary, Jennifer Jones

Stephanie Cudo, Keith Frye, Sue Fabros

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This event will be recorded.

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Acknowledgments

HHMI Leadership Team (especially Esther Lherisson), HHMI Action Team, Professor Susan Voss (Smith), Angie Dewberry, Naila Mamoon, MAPS, and Posse 4.

Supported in part by Davidson College Capital Fund for PHY 125, Davidson’s HHMI FIRST grant (PHY 125), HHMI FIRST RATE (PHY 214), and the Davidson College Physics Departmental Budget.

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This is a workshop…

in-Time Teaching: Blending Active Learning with Web Technology, Novak, Patterson, Gavrin, and Christian (1998)

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This is a workshop…

First you will work (play),

then you will shop.

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Cart (Video) Exercise

Watch the movie.
Hold a sheet of paper up to the screen and mark the position of the cart on the paper every second (metronome).
Graph x vs. t.
Describe the graph.

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Cart (Video) Exercise

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Work Video (Esther style!)

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Outline

New Course Structure and Goals
Implementation
Learning Outcomes
Diversity/Inclusivity
Results

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Goals of PHY 214 Redesign

Make the classroom more dynamic, inclusive, and effective by emphasizing active learning and teamwork:

Hands-on learning in an open, collaborative environment is more fun and less intimidating
Think-pair-share and peer instruction occur naturally with small individual tasks that develop into larger team-based labs
Less-structured assignments encourage creativity, experimentation, and a sense of accomplishment
Activities that build skills en route to a comprehensive final project inherently instill a growth mindset
Students experience diversity-fueled teamwork

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214: What it looked like (2019)

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What it looks like (COVID)

214: What it looks like (COVID)

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“Traditional” Studio Physics

Wilson (1994)

integrated “lecture”/laboratory setting that combines the “lecture” and laboratory
classes are 2 hours long and meet three times a week
meetings take place in a specially designed learning space where students have access to computers, data-collecting apparatus, and several instructors
students are expected to have read the material beforehand, and most faculty members have a brief quiz (i.e., internet-based) before class to encourage this
class starts with a brief presentation by a professor on that day’s material, then a mini laboratory
approach proven to be successful at other colleges and universities: RPI, North Carolina State, Dickinson, Tufts, and Arizona State, among many other institutions

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Goals of PHY 125 Redesign

Integrate “lab” and “lecture”
Offer instead of PHY 120
Prepare students for PHY 220/230 (225/235)
Prepare for CHE, PHY, engineering, MCAT...
Lab informs “lecture,” not “lecture” inform lab
Use labs to aid in problem solving
Successfully work in diverse groups
Understand and remove barriers to success
Create student agency, freedom, and creativity
Promote a Growth Mindset

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PHY125 – Fall 2019

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Designing New Lab Exercises

Learning

Outcomes

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Successful implementation of these learning outcomes has clear societal benefits.

The physics laboratory prepares responsible scientists and fosters both a deeper understanding of natural physical processes and the development of a variety of highly transferrable 21st century skills.

The laboratory also provides a link to skills and habits that are valuable for innovation and entrepreneurship.

The laboratory allows students to understand how fundamental physical ideas enable most modern technologies and therefore to appreciate the role that physicists can play in developing practical solutions to societal problems.

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Breakout Discussion I

How do your laboratories (or class activities) construct knowledge?

How do you motivate the development of technical and/or practical skills?

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PHY 214/125: Inclusivity

First Week: Set tone
Poster: “About Me”
Uniqueness and Commonality Exercises
Readings/Discussion on Diversity in Science
Moodle questionnaire or 4x6 card

Get to know students/they get to know each other: majors, accommodations, health, real experience in math/physics which was extremely useful for assigning groups.

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PHY 125: Expectations

Expectations

Growth Mindset

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Poster: About Me

Preferred name, pronouns
Hometown, family, friends, pets
Interests, hobbies, achievements
Anything else that makes you you!

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Culminating Inclusive Exercise

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Breakout Discussion II

Discuss Roberts’ question and Scalia’s remarks.
How do you address the lack of diversity and inclusivity in STEM in your courses?

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125: Summary

Every class started with a lab, then model/synthesis
Students wrote a lot
Improved study habits, retention, content knowledge, morale, appreciation for diversity, and feelings of inclusivity.
Student push for 220/230 conversion to 225/235
Performance same or better (so far)

Pre-/post-test assessment with with a valid assessment instrument: Same or better course averaged norm gain
Grades Same or better on same exams and homework

Need more problem-solving time (office hours)

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214: Overall CLASS Results

Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

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214: Largest CLASS Shifts

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214: Representative Student Feedback (2019)

“I am a firm believer that science is for everyone, and building a community is essential to optimizing learning. In the beginning of the semester, we read and discussed several articles about the importance of diversity. I believe that our class was an experiment in itself, and looking back, upheld the findings of those articles: the most innovative solutions come from diverse work groups. It was important that each of the labs and the final project were all done with new assigned partners. Group work required brainstorming, talking through ideas, compromising, and holding each other accountable. The quote ‘it takes a village’ applied to this class in a very real sense. We were a close community by the end of the semester, and on the day of Tiny Town, I felt the camaraderie that had grown among us over the 16 weeks.”