Case Study: Oregon State University Corinne Manogue http://www.physics.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki Paradigms in Physics Revising the Upper-Division Curriculum Paradigms in Physics is a project at Oregon State University to revise the entire upper-division curriculum for physics and engineering physics majors to make our program more modern, integrated, and flexible and to increase students’ success. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Support National Science Foundation DUE-9653250, 0231194, 0618877 DUE-0088901, 0231032, 0837829 Oregon State University Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers Grinnell College Mount Holyoke College Utah State University Acknowledgements This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. DUE 96-53250 and DUE-0088901. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. The project has also received support from the Department of Physics, College of Science, and Academic Affairs at Oregon State University and the Hutchcroft Fund at Mount Holyoke College. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Outline The Oregon State Model Department Culture Classroom Culture Spaces Content & the Hidden Curriculum Classroom Practice 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Genetics Learning is nonlinear. People are not interchangeable. Storytelling. Connect with your students. No powerpoint/No fade-ins. Multiple messages. Challenge for bright students. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Four Curriculum Projects Paradigms in Physics: complete reform of upper-division major. The Bridge Project: to bridge the vector calculus gap between mathematics and physics. Computational Physics for Undergraduates: Second-generation, large-enrollment, lower-division course reform. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Paradigms Project —The Old Curriculum Long Sequences Traditional Subdisciplines Rigid Scheduling Choices Difficult Junior Level ~ Senior Level Can’t Revisit Topic Interrelationships Difficult The Old Curriculum Our old curriculum, full of year-long sequences of courses in the traditional physics subjects, was characterized by rigid scheduling that made choices difficult. Each subject area was treated in a single year, so that the junior-year sequences were roughly the same level of difficulty as the senior-year courses. Since it was difficult to revisit topics, it was also difficult to highlight many of the beautiful interrelationships across physics disciplines. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Paradigms Project —Characteristics of Paradigms Reorder topics as professionals think. Case-study method. Collaborative planning. Active engagement. Many sources of information. Explicit attention to professional development. All of the things that we do differently in the paradigms. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Paradigms Project —Our Program Junior Year—9 Paradigms 3 week courses (one-at-a-time) 7 hrs/week (MWF 1 hr, TR 2 hrs) Senior Year—6 Capstones 1 quarter courses (two-at-a-time) 3 hrs/week Also Electronics, Optics, Thesis, Electives 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Paradigms Project —Paradigms (Junior Year) Fall Symmetries & Idealizations Static Vector Fields Oscillations Winter 1-D Waves Spin & Quantum Measurements Central Forces Spring Energy & Entropy Periodic Systems Rigid Bodies Reference Frames Paradigms A list of the Paradigms courses that we currently teach at Oregon State University, emphasizing early quantum mechanics. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Curriculum Design Chop content into small pieces. Make each piece a separate course. Use evocative names. Organize on multiple levels. Use existing spaces and times. “Throw away” textbooks. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Hidden Curriculum —Content Expectation values & Probability Energy Resonance Symmetry Normal Modes Discrete & Continuous 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Lower-division Reform Old: 3 hrs lecture (250) 3 hrs lab (30) New: 2 hrs lecture (200) 2 hrs active-engagement (70) 2 hrs lab (30) 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Spaces Pay attention to every remodeling opportunity. Do not buy more tablet-arm chairs. Consider donors—mid-level commitment. Do not forget air, lights, sound/acoustics Aisles! 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Hidden Curriculum —Professional Development Speaking Writing Modern Topics Professional Identification Career Development Non-academic careers Future teachers 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Hidden Curriculum —Problem-Solving Moving away from templates Using advanced notation Breaking-up complicated problems Developing harmonic reasoning Novice Expert Developing problem-solving confidence Using Reflective Judgment 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Hidden Curriculum —Integrate or Separate? Math & physics Experiment, Theory, Computation 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Department Culture Collaborative Solitaire Set aside time to discuss curriculum. Discuss curriculum details. Refine rather than reinvent. Be consumers of PER AAPT NSDL/ComPADRE physics.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Classroom Culture Research shows that active engagement works better. What is active-engagement? Lecture strategies/ template problem-solving The Teaching Gap Problems with clickers Listen to students! Action Research 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Curriculum Reform Content Matters Pedagogy Matters (Metacognition Matters) (Transitions Matter) 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Content Matters What we teach? What do we leave out? Do we teach concepts, facts, problem-solving, …? What order do we teach it in? How do the pieces contribute to our overall goals? 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Early Mathematics Content What is the role of the number 2? 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Physics Application Dependence on two variables Minus sign Parameters rather than constants Funny Greek letter Physics content 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Pedagogy Matters Tutorials Black-box Computer Simulations Projects Research Small White Boards Groups Activities Compare & Contrast Summaries Multiple Representations Kinesthetic Activities Reflection Activities Visualization Activities 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Dot Product Record on your small white board something that you know about the dot product. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Small White Board Questions Allow the instructor to set a context. Allow the instructor to see if everyone is on the same page. “Quiet” members of the class are encouraged to participate. Students vie to have their answers chosen. Keep everyone engaged and awake. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Plane Wave Activity W o r k i n g w t h a p e y u b d , f s v c ~ . L l ¢ m C q 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Plane Wave Activity Students connect points with equal value of What is 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Plane Wave Activity Students connect points with equal value of What is 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Large Whiteboards Provide the opportunity: to practice calculations, to innovate, to discuss problem-solving strategies, synthesis, evaluation, decision-making, etc. to practice communication: how can they make their own reasoning understood, how can they ask effective questions about someone else’s reasoning. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Compare & Contrast Activities Allow students to compare the results of many similar calculations without having to do many cases, Allow students to discuss how can a particular problem-solving schema can be modified for other cases, Engage a reflective mode of thinking, Encourage students to look for patterns and rules. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Effective Activities Are short, containing approximately 3 questions. Ask different groups to apply the same technique to different examples. Involve periodic lecture/discussion with the instructor. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Charge & Current Density 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Kinesthetic Activities Tap into to embodied cognition Ask for students to use geometric reasoning, Concretize idealizations, Allow students to think conceptually about how you would measure things, Keep everyone engaged and awake. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

The Hidden Curriculum —Lecture vs. Activities The Instructor: Paints big picture. Inspires. Covers lots fast. Models speaking. Models problem-solving. Controls questions. Makes connections. The Students: Focus on subtleties. Experience delight. Slow, but in depth. Practice speaking. Practice problem-solving. Control questions. Make connections. 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Resources http:physics.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Resources http://physics.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki http://www.math.oregonstate.edu/bridge http://physics.oregonstate.edu/BridgeBook Activities Instructors’ guides Pedagogical strategies Courses How students learn Publications Textbooks 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo

Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo Socratic vs. Groups How does it feel to teach in these ways? vs. Everyone knows everything vs. No one knows anything 6/26/2010 Spin-Up 2010, San Luis Obispo