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STACKING YOUR PHYSICS COURSES

STACKING YOUR PHYSICS COURSES. GOOD IDEA OR TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN? By Grant Eastland Instructor, Blue Mountain Community College Pendleton, OR. Outline. Background What is stacking? What are the benefits? What are the drawbacks? Why do it? Does it depend on the subject?

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STACKING YOUR PHYSICS COURSES

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  1. STACKING YOUR PHYSICS COURSES GOOD IDEA OR TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN? By Grant Eastland Instructor, Blue Mountain Community College Pendleton, OR

  2. Outline • Background • What is stacking? • What are the benefits? • What are the drawbacks? • Why do it? • Does it depend on the subject? • How to make it work? • Student opinion • Conclusions • Acknowledgements

  3. Background • I am an adjunct instructor. • I could only teach 12 IU per term and 36 a year. (Instructional Units) • Both the trig-based and Calculus-based courses I would put me at 12.5 IU. • I also teach a general science course. • Had enough students interested in both courses. • Didn’t want to tell one group of students to take a hike.

  4. Stacking courses • Stacking is teaching two similar content courses simultaneously and treating it as one. • Ex. PH 201/211 • Done all the time at a university. • PH 451/551—A undergraduate course and graduate course together.

  5. Benefits • Stacking is a possible solution to low enrollment courses. • Students are able to utilize each others skills. • Calculus-based students can act as tutors for trig-based students to aid in problem solving. • All the students must learn physics by applying it with more emphasis on experimentation.

  6. Benefits (cont.) • Trig-based students get a glimpse into more advanced topics. • All students learn how to work in groups comprised of people with different backgrounds. • Administrators are happy at getting two courses for the price of one.

  7. Drawbacks • Have to make two versions of all course materials. • Must teach all topics so that they can be understood by all students. • Can’t cover topics that require any mathematical rigor without a special session for calculus students. • Textbooks do not always coincide on the same topic.

  8. Drawbacks (cont.) • Use of calculus in example problems are limited to avoid confusing trig-based students • Spending more time in preparation than expected. • Calculus-based students are not learning as much theoretical physics as experimental. • Need more experimental activities. • Students seem to be understanding less.

  9. Why do it? • Only should do it if low enrollment is a problem! • Don’t want to tell a group of students to take a hike. • Most of your students have poor math backgrounds. • Experiment with learning activities. • Gives students the opportunity to diversify their learning.

  10. Does the subject matter? • Answer: Yes • Physics is difficult without mathematics • Successful for other subjects • Geology—Fairly successful • Chemistry—has been done at BMCC, not recommended

  11. How to make it work? • Traditional lecture doesn’t work well • Must keep mathematical rigor to a minimum • Calculus-based students get gypped. • Students must be more involved in their learning of physics • Interactive lecture demonstrations • More experimental work than theoretical • Regular lab reports or in-depth classroom handouts

  12. Making it work • Activity-based physics probably best method. • Students learn by discovering. • Calculus-based students answer same questions, with more mathematical rigor. • All students learn how to pick and fit a model to experimental data. • All students learn the scientific method and report results to others. • Learn how to report on “real world” problems. • Good Skills for future engineers.

  13. Making it work (cont.) • Students write regular lab reports or worksheets. • Do separate homework assignments and exams. • Only differ by mathematical treatment

  14. Student opinion(survey answers)

  15. Conclusions • Only should stack General and Calculus-based courses when low enrollment is a problem. • Traditional lecture is not best method. • Activity-based physics probably best method. • Requires more work for instructor with less benefit than teaching a single course. • Probably more drawbacks than benefits • Students didn’t know the difference

  16. Acknowledgements • PNACP—allowing me to give talk • BMCC—supporting my trip • Stan Prowant—Chemistry/Geology instructor • Discussions on stacked courses • Sabina Macy—friend and editor • My Physics students

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