1. Distance Learning Labs for Introductory Physics Using IOLab
Erik Jensen Chemeketa Community College David Sokoloff
University of Oregon
Erik Bodegom
Portland State University

2. Outline
Pre-test
Other approaches to online physics
My work through 2016
NSF grant to develop IOLab
Future work
Post-test
Q&A

3. The lectures I give (or attend) are based on physics education research (PER)
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree

4. The labs I teach (or attend) are based on physics education research (PER)
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree

5. Online physics is …
an opportunity to expand access.
a scam to make money for colleges or instructors.
a scam to provide easy grades for students.
impossible; labs cannot be done.
dangerous; students will injure themselves or burn down their houses during labs.

6. Other approaches to online physics labs

7. No Lab!
University of Wisconsin
Brigham Young University

8. Hybrid State University New York Rio Salado College
University of North Dakota

9. Commercial Kits Ocean Community College
Columbus State Community College

10. Virtual
North Carolina State University
Parkland Community College

11. Remote
Texas A&M, Kingsville
Lots in Europe

12. BS Portland State University 1999 MS Oregon State University 2003
Education
BS Portland State University 1999
MS Oregon State University 2003
Work at Chemeketa Community College
Algebra-based physics on campus 2001-present
Algebra-based physics online 2005-present
Calculus-based physics on campus
First exposure to PER was teaching for Dr. Krane (influenced by McDermott and Manogue)

13. My Labs Custom lab kits (Cynmar, hardware store) about $100/term
Done at home
Few differences with campus-based
No injuries to date

16. Textbook, Lectures, Homework, Exams
Knight, Jones, Field, 1st edition ($10)
MIT Open Courseware (free)
MasteringPhysics homework ($60/year)
Proctored essay exams (usually free)

17. Online compared to campus-based has …
Higher retention
Same retention
Lower retention
Depends

18. Campus-Based PH201 Retention

19. Online PH201 Retention

20. Online compared to campus-based has …
higher FCI normalized gains
similar FCI normalized gains
lower FCI normalized gains
depends

22. Online compared to campus-based is …
higher percent female
same percent female
lower percent female
depends

24. Physics compared to other sciences has…
more online classes and students
similar number of online classes and students
fewer online classes and students

25. Problem: Availability
This is a survey I did of 4 state universities and 6 community colleges in western Oregon.
Less than 10% of colleges offering introductory physics provide even one such course online, often due to the perception that lab cannot be done properly.
A. M. Reagan, “Online Introductory Physics Labs: Status and Methods,” Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, Spring 2012, pp

26. Problem: Cost of lab Campus-based: Thousands of $
eScience Labs: $198/semester
LabPaq: ≈$147/semester
Chemeketa Community College (custom kits): $350/year
These costs are in addition to tuition, fees, books, and online homework
eScience lab costs are from their website. LabPaq is from Columbus State University Bookstore.

27. Problem Lack of research validation for lab
Online physics is expensive, unavailable, and of uncertain quality
Little research has been done on physics lab effectiveness. Some evidence suggests that traditional labs (even campus-based) are ineffective. Measuring the impact of an instructional laboratory on the learning of introductory physics
Carl Wieman and N. G. Holmes
Citation: American Journal of Physics 83, 972 (2015); doi: /

28. Good
Women taking online physics
Roughly equal performance on FCI compared to campus-based
Equivalent labs can be done
Bad
Retention
Cost
Lack of availability
Lack of research on lab component

29. Solution Combine RealTime Physics and the IOLab

30. RealTime Physics Active and discovery-based lab learning
Real time graphical data collection
Research validated

31. RealTime Physics Active and discovery-based lab learning
Real time graphical data collection
Research validated
But…
Not practical for distance education
RealTime physics is great, but it cannot be duplicated online in its current form due to expense

32. IOLab www.iolab.science
Wheels with optical encoder to measure position, velocity, and acceleration
Force sensor
Light intensity sensor
Atmospheric pressure sensor
Microphone
Temperature sensor
3D accelerometer
3D magnetometer
3D gyroscope
More
Versatile and cheap enough for students to buy or rent, currently $100. Perhaps $10 in additional equipment such as rubber bands and string.

33. Completed Work
Modified RealTime Physics labs and wrote entirely new labs (mechanics only)
Tested on campus and online at Portland State and Chemeketa winter, summer, and fall of 2016
Continuous revision

34. Labs Introduction to IOLab and Software Introduction to Motion
Changing Motion
Force and Motion
Two-Dimensional Motion (Using video analysis with Tracker)
Impulse and Momentum
Work and Energy
Rotational Motion
Simple Harmonic Motion
Lab instructions written in html and fairly easy to do, albeit a bit tedious. Students click through a series of interactive slides.

35. Prediction
Instructions are to give the IOLab a quick shove up a ramp, then allow it to roll up and down.

37. This is what students would see using the normal IOLab software
This is what students would see using the normal IOLab software. Instructions and questions were on pencil and paper.

38. “Lesson Player” Split Screen
Directions and questions are on the left while graphs are on the right. Graphs selected and axes can be controlled by the programmer (html)

39. Focus on Relevant Parts of Graph
Lesson player allows instructions and questions to be place on the left side of the screen. It also simplifies the data collection by specifying which variables are graphed and the limits of the axes.

40. Analysis and Reflection
Students complete their work and upload it to the learning management system such as Blackboard.

41. Validation: Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE)
Results are slightly better than traditional lab. It is hard to discern a signal from lab alone.

42. FMCE at Portland State Summer 2016 Summer 2016
25 Selected questions from FMCE

43. 25 Question FMCE. PSU is mixed calc and algebra-based
25 Question FMCE. PSU is mixed calc and algebra-based. Chemeketa is algebra-based. N = 44, 33, 21, and 23. PSU assignment for control vs IOLab was random while online was not.

44. Other Outcomes
Attitude surveys indicate a positive view of the experience with the IOLab and software
Online challenges students and instructors: tech support and asynchronous interaction
Students can focus on the graphs and the motion of the IOLab. Students needn’t redraw graphs on paper.

45. Certain Future Work Continuous revision
Additional lab on Newton’s laws
Test again at Portland State and Chemeketa summer and fall of 2017
E-CLASS lab attitudes survey

46. Possible Future Work Adaptive learning
Publish lab manual or software bundled with IOLab and accessories
Develop labs for sound, optics, circuits, electricity, magnetism
Open-source text and homework

47. Online physics is …
an opportunity to expand access.
a scam to make money for colleges or instructors.
a scam to provide easy grades for students.
impossible; labs cannot be done, or at least done well.
dangerous; students will injure themselves or burn down their homes during labs.

48. Thanks Mats Selen, Professor, University of Illinois
Geoffroy Piroux, Programmer, MacMillan
Paul Ivanov, Nicholas Jones, and other students, Chemeketa Community College
Wiley and MacMillan
NSF DUE– Distance Learning Labs for Introductory Physics