AN OUTREACH INITIATIVE AT RYERSON UNIVERSITY

1. AN OUTREACH INITIATIVE AT RYERSON UNIVERSITY Tetyana Antimirova Department of Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science Ryerson University, Toronto OAPT C O N F E R E N C E 31 May - 2 June 2007 Ontario Science Center

2. RYERSON’S MISSION

3. RYERSON’S MISSION • Ryerson is committed to excellence in teaching • Ryerson offers professionally oriented socially relevant education • Long tradition of serving local community

4. DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AT RYERSON http://www.physics.ryerson.ca/ OUR OWN PROGRAMS: BSc in Medical Physics MSc in Biomedical Physics

5. Physics Education at RyersonUniversity

6. WE TEACH… • Introductory physics courses for ~750 students in Engineering Programs • Introductory physics courses for ~280 students and some electives in four streams of Science Program (Medical Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Contemporary Science) • Advanced physics courses for our own undergraduate BSc program in Medical Physics • Graduate courses for our graduate MSc program in Biomedical Physics • Some elective courses for Liberal Arts Programs • Course for Architectural Science Program (new!)

7. OUR FACULTY • 12 faculty members (three more are being hired) • The majority of recently hired faculty are in Medical Physics field • All our faculty is committed to excellence in teaching • In August 2004 the Department hired a person dedicated solely to Physics Education (lucky me!) • Physics Education is designated as our second area of expansion (one more hired, will join the Department in July 2007) • We believe that we are the only Physics Department in Canada which hired tenure-track faculty for PER

8. OUR DREAM… To create a Centre for Science Education Research and Outreach at Ryerson: • Science Education Research (PER in particular) • Collaboration with school teachers • Outreach to schools and community

9. OUR EDUCATION-RELATED PROJECTS • Implementation of activity-based physics in some of our courses • Plans for total lab renovations • Implementation of video-analysis assignments (in progress) • FCI (Force Concept Inventory ) pre-instruction and post-instruction testing in some of our courses (action research)

10. OUR EDUCATION-RELATED PROJECTS • Common theme: the use of new technologies to enhance students learning (clickers, Motion Video Analysis, Logger Pro, interactive simulations, on-line tutoring systems (Mastering Physics)) • Goal: to implement activity-based, inquiry based learning

11. WHY OUTREACH? • Postsecondary and secondary education have similar goals and face similar challenges • Both systems can benefit from sharing experiences and exchanging ideas • Help the students with smooth transition from high school to university

12. WE HAVE A COMMON GOAL to provide successful student-centered teaching and learning at both high school and University levels

13. WHY OUTREACH? • Division of Physics Education, Canadian Association of Physicists is alarmed about dropping enrollment in physics courses both at the University and High School levels in many provinces • closer interaction between the school teachers’ and university faculty is needed (through CAP activities, OAPT and locally) • Start locally

14. OUR ACTIVITIES TO DATE • We hosted the “Physic and Earth and Space Science Curriculum Review Day” on May 9, 2007 • The event was co-organized by the TDSB and the Department of Physics at Ryerson University • The event was sponsored by our Department

15. OUR ACTIVITIES TO DATE • Several second-year students from our Medical Physics Program volunteer at Visions of Science Club (their own initiative!)

16. OUR ACTIVITIES TO DATE • I participated in the selection and training of the Canadian team for the International Physics Olympiads in 2006 . I taught and co-supervised the Laboratory Training Session; co-supervised and judged the Experimental Competition for Physics Olympiad Preparation Week, Physics National Olympiad Finals 2006 held at the University of Toronto, May 28-June 2, 2006. Two members of the Canadian team won medals at the 2006 International Physics Olympiad. • I will participate again this year (at Laval University, June 3-10, 2007)

17. OUR PLANS For the long-term collaboration, we plan to hold a series of events jointly with the TDSB on pedagogy and teaching resources such as interactive teaching, project-based learning, hands-on learning, review of available curriculum materials (for example “Minds on Physics” curriculum), Interactive Lecture demonstrations, Video Analysis, etc.

18. WHAT WE CAN OFFER • To send our Faculty to your class to talk about Medical Physics and Biophysics • To invite your class for a site visit at Ryerson • Once we get new teaching labs we will be able to provide workshops for teachers if needed

19. New ideas from YOU are welcome!

20. Phone: (416) 9795000 x 7416 Email: antimiro@ryerson.ca Tetyana Antimirova Assistant Professor Undergraduate Program Coordinator Department of Physics Ryerson University Phone: (416) 9795000 x 6538 Email: goldman@ryerson.ca Pedro Goldman Professor and Chair Department of Physics Ryerson University IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS… SUGGESTIONS… IDEAS… Please feel freeto contact us:

21. 2008 OAPT CONFERENCE • Department of Physics at Ryerson will host next OAPT conference • We look forward to see you at Ryerson!