During the Fall 2020 term, when faced with the challenge of instructing a large (400+ student), introductory physics lab virtually, we redesigned the entire course to create a unique experience for the students --a CURE. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) involve students in authentic research by engaging students in inquiries where neither the students nor the instructor know the answer.
We transformed our introductory physics lab course to better prepare students for future courses and careers. We began by soliciting input from a variety of university stakeholders including faculty and staff from both physics and the College of Engineering and Applied Science. The consensus learning goals are listed below.
The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS) was developed as a broadly applicable assessment tool for undergraduate physics lab courses. At the beginning and end of the semester, the E-CLASS assesses students' views about their strategies, habits of mind, and attitudes when doing experiments in lab classes. Students also reflect on how those same strategies, habits of mind, and attitudes are practiced by professional researchers.
The Survey of Physics Reasoning on Uncertainty Concepts in Experiments (SPRUCE) is an assessment that is being developed to measure student performances around measurement uncertainty in lower-division lab courses.
The Modeling Assessment for Physics Laboratory Experiments (MAPLE) is an assessment that has been developed to measure students' processes of modeling in Advanced Lab classes focusing on either Electronics or Optics.
We are currently developing a new research-based assessment instrument called the Survey of Physics Reasoning on Uncertainty Concepts in Experiments (SPRUCE). We are doing this in partnership with Prof. Rachel Henderson and Prof. Marcos D. Caballero at Michigan State University (see here). SPRUCE will measure student learning connected to measurement uncertainty at the intro undergraduate level in the context of experimental physics.
The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS) was developed as a broadly applicable assessment tool for undergraduate physics lab courses. At the beginning and end of the semester, the E-CLASS assesses students' views about their strategies, habits of mind, and attitudes when doing experiments in lab classes. Students also reflect on how those same strategies, habits of mind, and attitudes are practiced by professional researchers.
The Modeling Assessment for Physics Laboratory Experiments (MAPLE) is an assessment that has been developed to measure students' processes of modeling in advanced-level lab classes focusing on either electronics or optics. The assessment consists of two surveys: a pre-test on mechanics (measuring the acceleration due to gravity using a pendulum) and a post-test on either an inverting amplifier circuit or a polarizer setup.
During the Fall 2020 term, when faced with the challenge of instructing a large (400+ student), introductory physics lab virtually, we redesigned the entire course to create a unique experience for the students in this very unique situation--a CURE. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) involve students in authentic research by engaging students in inquiries where neither the students nor the instructor know the answer.
Physics Frontiers Centers (PFCs)
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. PFCs also include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, and outreach to the scientific community and general public. Read more about this program at the NSF website.