I have enjoyed the study of physics since my junior year in high school. In 2003, I graduated with my B.S. in physics from Jacksonville University. In 2005, I received my M.S. in physics from the University of Florida. In 2008, I received my Ph.D. in physics from the University of Florida under the supervision of Kevin Ingersent, Ph.D., with my dissertation "Conductances in the Two-Impurity Anderson Model." I am an Associate Professor of Physics at Jacksonville University. My research interests include physics education research, the interaction of faith and scholarship, computational physics, and condensed matter theory. Phone: 904-256-7326 Address: W. Brian Lane JU Physics Department 2800 University Boulevard North Jacksonville, FL 32246
This introductory physics textbook guides the student through various topics in physics with spec... more This introductory physics textbook guides the student through various topics in physics with special applications to aviation, including units, problem-solving, vectors, forces & motion, aerodynamics & flight dynamics, electronics, and thermodynamics. The approach is algebra-based and includes a review of trigonometry, making the text accessible to students at various levels of mathematical preparation. Each chapter features helpful Sample Problems and concludes with thought-provoking problems for homework or practice. Students of aviation will find this text a helpful resource in learning about the physics that makes their remarkable line of work possible, and seasoned aviators will find it a useful resource.
For an examination copy, please e-mail me at wlane@ju.edu.
The traditional lab report is known to create several pedagogical shortcomings in the introductor... more The traditional lab report is known to create several pedagogical shortcomings in the introductory physics course, particularly with regard to promoting student engagement and encouraging quality writing. This paper discusses the use of a “letter home” written to a non-physicist as an alternative to lab reports that creates a more authentic writing experience.
Student research experiences (SREs) have a significant effect on learning. Although the diversity... more Student research experiences (SREs) have a significant effect on learning. Although the diversity of possible topics, demands, and outcomes makes SREs difficult to assess university-wide, many of the attitudes (motivation, beliefs, and practices) that students develop about research transcend disciplines. Just as assessing student learning attitudes in the classroom has proven important, assessing student attitudes toward research could also benefit institutions of higher education. However, no standardized means of assessing student attitudes toward research exists. This paper describes how, using educational research techniques, we have developed the Jacksonville Attitudes toward Research Survey (JARS) to fill this need. Student responses to the survey items are scored for the survey overall and for categories of similarly themed items. Administration of the survey to faculty and students with follow-up interviews has established the validity of the JARS in accomplishing its purpose, and has demonstrated the types of insight that the JARS can offer. We invite other institutions to implement the JARS as they strive to engage in and assess the effectiveness of student research and to join us in a large-scale validation study of the survey’s categories.
Computer simulations continue to prove to be a valuable tool in physics education. Based on the n... more Computer simulations continue to prove to be a valuable tool in physics education. Based on the needs of an Aviation Physics course, we developed the PHYSics of FLIght Simulator (PhysFliS), which numerically solves Newton's second law for an airplane in flight based on standard aerodynamics relationships. The simulation can be used to pique students' interest, teach a number of physics concepts, and teach computational investigation techniques. This paper describes the development and operation of this simulation, illustrates an example study that can be performed using it, and suggests further ideas for its use.
In the hard sciences, important motivational factors such as relevance and confidence are often n... more In the hard sciences, important motivational factors such as relevance and confidence are often not an explicit part of the design of higher education introductory courses. We describe the implementation of an instructional strategy that used a course blog to create a community of learners made of upper-level physics seminar students and non-major introductory physics students. We examine the impact of this strategy on the introductory students’ senses of relevance and confidence.
Based on the importance of student attitudes in learning, we propose university standards and stu... more Based on the importance of student attitudes in learning, we propose university standards and student learning outcomes (SLOs) that focus on the attitudes toward research that students develop during undergraduate research opportunities (UROs). To assess these SLOs, we outline the proposed development of the Jacksonville Attitudes toward Research Survey (JARS).
At JU, SoTL has become much more than a movement, it has positively affected cultural change. To ... more At JU, SoTL has become much more than a movement, it has positively affected cultural change. To ensure future growth and improvement of SoTL programs at JU, the Director for the CTL has asked the current SoTL Fellows to gather data across departments and disciplines to determine what perceptions are currently held regarding the important of SoTL for professional faculty development.
We study a strongly interacting "quantum dot 1" and a weakly interacting "dot 2" connected in par... more We study a strongly interacting "quantum dot 1" and a weakly interacting "dot 2" connected in parallel to metallic leads. Gate voltages can drive the system between Kondo-quenched and free-moment phases separated by Kosterlitz-Thouless quantum phase transitions. As interactions in dot 2 become stronger relative to the dot-lead coupling, the free moment evolves from an isolated spin-$\half$ in dot 1 to a many-body doublet arising from an underscreened Kondo effect. These limits, which feature very different entanglements between dot and lead electrons, can be distinguished by conductance measurements at finite temperatures.
Enhancing motivation and learning attitudes in an introductory physics course is an important but... more Enhancing motivation and learning attitudes in an introductory physics course is an important but difficult task that can be achieved through class blogging. We incorporated into an introductory course a blog operated by upper-level physics students. Using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS), periodic in-class surveys, analysis of student blog comments, and post-instructional interviews, we evaluate how the blog combined with class instruction provided the students with a better sense of relevance and confidence and outline recommendations for future use of this strategy.
Students typically begin an introductory physics course without the important motivational factor... more Students typically begin an introductory physics course without the important motivational factors of relevance and confidence, such that many students do not fully engage with learning activities. Instructional technology can provide a venue for developing student motivation by extending the classroom discussion and incorporating into the learning community outsiders at different stages along the novice-to-expert journey. To leverage these benefits, we implemented an instructional strategy that used a course blog to create a community of learners made of upper-level physics seminar students (who wrote a variety of articles for the blog) and non-major introductory physics students (who read and commented on the articles). Using various surveys (including the CLASS) and post-instruction interviews, we examine the impact of this strategy on the introductory students’ senses of relevance and confidence and propose further developments of this instructional strategy.
Supported by the Marilyn Repsher Center for Teaching and Learning.
In a number of systems of interest that involve magnetic atoms and their analogous quantum dot ma... more In a number of systems of interest that involve magnetic atoms and their analogous quantum dot manifestations, there arises a competition between Kondo screening and various types of magnetic ordering (direct and induced). This competition can be studied in detail using scanning tunneling microscopy to probe clusters of magnetic adatoms on metallic surfaces and has direct implications for systems of double quantum dots. In both of these cases, an observable quantity of interest is the electrical conductance, which can be calculated by applying the numerical renormalization group to the two-impurity Anderson model. Depending on their separation and the strength of their exchange interaction, pairs of magnetic adatoms may exhibit ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic alignment of the impurity local moments, in some cases leading to a two-stage Kondo screening process, effectively isolated impurity screening, or a complete suppression of the Kondo effect. These behaviors have different signatures in the differential conductance. A class of double quantum dot devices composed of a Kondo-like dot and a weakly interacting dot is predicted to display a splitting of the Kondo resonance and a pair of quantum phase transitions. These behaviors introduce unique signatures in the device conductance when the level energy on either dot is varied by tuning the appropriate gate voltage. This work demonstrates that double quantum dots can provide a controlled experimental setting in which to study quantum phase transitions in a strongly correlated system.
The undergraduate research experience (URE) has a significant effect on student learning. Althoug... more The undergraduate research experience (URE) has a significant effect on student learning. Although the diversity of possible topics, demands, and outcomes makes UREs difficult to assess university-wide, many of the attitudes (beliefs, practices, and perspectives) that students develop about research transcend disciplines. Using educational research techniques, we have developed the Jacksonville Attitudes Toward Research Survey (JARS) to assess such student attitudes toward research. Student responses to the survey items are scored for the survey overall and for categories of similarly themed items. This poster describes the development and validation of the JARS, demonstrates sample uses, and invites other institutions to implement the JARS as they strive to engage in and assess the effectiveness of undergraduate research.
I must confess: During my first two years of teaching Aviation Physics, I suffered from a mild fe... more I must confess: During my first two years of teaching Aviation Physics, I suffered from a mild fear of flying. Part of this fear was due to a heart arrhythmia, but part was my advanced physics knowledge that stuff—including airplanes—tends to fall down. However, upon construction of a physics-based airplane simulation, I was able to successfully demonstrate to myself and my students that the conventional wisdom—“The plane wants to stay in the air”—is in fact physically sound! Come find out how!
"The choice to engage fully in any learning endeavor is determined by many interrelated factors. ... more "The choice to engage fully in any learning endeavor is determined by many interrelated factors. Motivation is one of the most important factors that determine the level of engagement with which a student will pursue learning (Ames, 1990). Four important aspects of student motivation are the attention raised in the student’s mind, the student’s perception of the relevance of the material, the student’s confidence in the ability to succeed in the learning process, and the satisfaction the student feels during and at the end of the learning process (Lynch, 2010; Larkin & Belson, 2005; Keller, 1987; Bandura, 1997).
The investigation into motivation indicates that relevance and confidence are important factors that are often not an explicit part of the course design in higher education introductory physics courses (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Kortemeyer, 2007). In teaching such courses, there is particular need for instructors to pay attention to the motivational factors of relevance and confidence, as students typically begin an introductory physics course without these motivational factors in place (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Abdul-Razzaq & Bushey, 2009; Guemez, Fiolhais, & Fiolhais, 2009) and they typically develop these factors only after successfully completing a learning activity (such as a problem set or laboratory exercise). However, without these factors to motivate them beforehand, many students do not apply themselves fully to the learning activities.
Without a strong sense of relevance between scientific principles and the everyday world, students are not likely to apply themselves to learn the principles; without confidence in their abilities to “do” science, students are likely to become frustrated and give up when they make mistakes. In contrast, many current learning activities (e.g., homework problems and laboratory exercises) in science courses are structured such that students must learn from their mistakes and see the relevance through application.
In the introductory physics course described in this paper, teaching evaluations from prior semesters showed that non-major undergraduates were unable to see the real-world applications of theoretical models. As part of a university grant for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), this faculty member redesigned his course objectives as they relate to relevance and confidence (e.g., make connections between the principles of physics and the everyday world; confidently apply the principles of physics and mathematics to a problem of interest) and then aligned his instructional strategies to help his students achieve these affective objectives.
Instructional technology can provide a venue for developing student motivation by extending the classroom discussion. For example, one study (Huett, Kalinowski, Moller, & Huett, 2008) found that students’ confidence in a technical field can be bolstered using periodic mass e-mails. Another study (Larkin & Belson, 2005) found that the use of an optional course chat room could result in improved learning gains in a physics course. Similarly, another study (Duda & Garrett, 2008) that used an extra-credit course blog to supplement class discussion found that students who participated in the blog felt a greater sense of relevance of the course material than those who did not participate. Course blogs are also useful in that they can incorporate into the learning community outsiders at different stages along the novice-to-expert journey (Sprague & Stuart, 2000), and they can be used to complement and enhance other successful instructional strategies (Higdon & Topaz, 2009).
Based on the literature, an instructional strategy using a blog for a community of learners was implemented in the spring 2011 semester. This community of learners combined two courses: a non-majors introductory physics course and an upper-level physics seminar course. The purpose was to 1) increase the novice learners’ confidence through additional learning opportunities outside the classroom, 2) provide the novice learners a different perspective, from the upper-level majors, on the application and relevance of the material, 3) increase novice interest through the use of a social learning technology, 4) develop the upper-level majors’ communication skills (including audience analysis, topic research, and collaboration), 5) develop the upper-level majors’ technological skills (including document formatting and Web media), and 6) expose the upper-level majors to education as a field of research by including them in the blog design and evaluation process.
This presentation will focus on the first two purposes above by investigating the question of how students’ senses of confidence and relevance were impacted by a) the social learning aspect and b) the extended practice offered through the course blog. Because SoTL research is action oriented, the data from this case study will be used to make systematic design decisions for implementing these strategies in future courses. Data will be collected using periodic in-class surveys (Angelo & Cross, 1993), a standardized physics learning attitudes survey administered pre- and post-instruction (Adams, Perkins, Podolefsky, Dubson, Finkelstein, & Wieman, 2006), an analysis of the students’ blog comments, and post-instruction interviews. In this presentation, we will describe the SoTL process as it relates to instructional design in higher education, the design choices, the pilot implementation of this strategy, and the implications for future course design.
The report of this case study will be of interest to higher education faculty and instructional designers who support faculty in their course design."
It is important for physics teachers to understand the impact of students’ emotional responses to... more It is important for physics teachers to understand the impact of students’ emotional responses to class discussions and activities. In an upper-level electromagnetic theory course, we asked students to report their emotional states in class using flashcards and clickers, with each card or button corresponding to one of the emotions most commonly experienced while learning physics (curiosity, frustration, happiness, anxiety, boredom, and confusion), and based the flow of class discussion on these responses. The students responded very positively to this teaching strategy, indicating that their learning experience was enhanced and that they perceived a great level of support from the instructor. In this poster presentation, we describe the outcomes of this teaching strategy, outline the lessons learned for future refinement, and propose an implementation in multiple introductory physics courses with the goal of comparing students’ in-class emotional states with their learning gains and learning attitude shifts.
This introductory physics textbook guides the student through various topics in physics with spec... more This introductory physics textbook guides the student through various topics in physics with special applications to aviation, including units, problem-solving, vectors, forces & motion, aerodynamics & flight dynamics, electronics, and thermodynamics. The approach is algebra-based and includes a review of trigonometry, making the text accessible to students at various levels of mathematical preparation. Each chapter features helpful Sample Problems and concludes with thought-provoking problems for homework or practice. Students of aviation will find this text a helpful resource in learning about the physics that makes their remarkable line of work possible, and seasoned aviators will find it a useful resource.
For an examination copy, please e-mail me at wlane@ju.edu.
The traditional lab report is known to create several pedagogical shortcomings in the introductor... more The traditional lab report is known to create several pedagogical shortcomings in the introductory physics course, particularly with regard to promoting student engagement and encouraging quality writing. This paper discusses the use of a “letter home” written to a non-physicist as an alternative to lab reports that creates a more authentic writing experience.
Student research experiences (SREs) have a significant effect on learning. Although the diversity... more Student research experiences (SREs) have a significant effect on learning. Although the diversity of possible topics, demands, and outcomes makes SREs difficult to assess university-wide, many of the attitudes (motivation, beliefs, and practices) that students develop about research transcend disciplines. Just as assessing student learning attitudes in the classroom has proven important, assessing student attitudes toward research could also benefit institutions of higher education. However, no standardized means of assessing student attitudes toward research exists. This paper describes how, using educational research techniques, we have developed the Jacksonville Attitudes toward Research Survey (JARS) to fill this need. Student responses to the survey items are scored for the survey overall and for categories of similarly themed items. Administration of the survey to faculty and students with follow-up interviews has established the validity of the JARS in accomplishing its purpose, and has demonstrated the types of insight that the JARS can offer. We invite other institutions to implement the JARS as they strive to engage in and assess the effectiveness of student research and to join us in a large-scale validation study of the survey’s categories.
Computer simulations continue to prove to be a valuable tool in physics education. Based on the n... more Computer simulations continue to prove to be a valuable tool in physics education. Based on the needs of an Aviation Physics course, we developed the PHYSics of FLIght Simulator (PhysFliS), which numerically solves Newton's second law for an airplane in flight based on standard aerodynamics relationships. The simulation can be used to pique students' interest, teach a number of physics concepts, and teach computational investigation techniques. This paper describes the development and operation of this simulation, illustrates an example study that can be performed using it, and suggests further ideas for its use.
In the hard sciences, important motivational factors such as relevance and confidence are often n... more In the hard sciences, important motivational factors such as relevance and confidence are often not an explicit part of the design of higher education introductory courses. We describe the implementation of an instructional strategy that used a course blog to create a community of learners made of upper-level physics seminar students and non-major introductory physics students. We examine the impact of this strategy on the introductory students’ senses of relevance and confidence.
Based on the importance of student attitudes in learning, we propose university standards and stu... more Based on the importance of student attitudes in learning, we propose university standards and student learning outcomes (SLOs) that focus on the attitudes toward research that students develop during undergraduate research opportunities (UROs). To assess these SLOs, we outline the proposed development of the Jacksonville Attitudes toward Research Survey (JARS).
At JU, SoTL has become much more than a movement, it has positively affected cultural change. To ... more At JU, SoTL has become much more than a movement, it has positively affected cultural change. To ensure future growth and improvement of SoTL programs at JU, the Director for the CTL has asked the current SoTL Fellows to gather data across departments and disciplines to determine what perceptions are currently held regarding the important of SoTL for professional faculty development.
We study a strongly interacting "quantum dot 1" and a weakly interacting "dot 2" connected in par... more We study a strongly interacting "quantum dot 1" and a weakly interacting "dot 2" connected in parallel to metallic leads. Gate voltages can drive the system between Kondo-quenched and free-moment phases separated by Kosterlitz-Thouless quantum phase transitions. As interactions in dot 2 become stronger relative to the dot-lead coupling, the free moment evolves from an isolated spin-$\half$ in dot 1 to a many-body doublet arising from an underscreened Kondo effect. These limits, which feature very different entanglements between dot and lead electrons, can be distinguished by conductance measurements at finite temperatures.
Enhancing motivation and learning attitudes in an introductory physics course is an important but... more Enhancing motivation and learning attitudes in an introductory physics course is an important but difficult task that can be achieved through class blogging. We incorporated into an introductory course a blog operated by upper-level physics students. Using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS), periodic in-class surveys, analysis of student blog comments, and post-instructional interviews, we evaluate how the blog combined with class instruction provided the students with a better sense of relevance and confidence and outline recommendations for future use of this strategy.
Students typically begin an introductory physics course without the important motivational factor... more Students typically begin an introductory physics course without the important motivational factors of relevance and confidence, such that many students do not fully engage with learning activities. Instructional technology can provide a venue for developing student motivation by extending the classroom discussion and incorporating into the learning community outsiders at different stages along the novice-to-expert journey. To leverage these benefits, we implemented an instructional strategy that used a course blog to create a community of learners made of upper-level physics seminar students (who wrote a variety of articles for the blog) and non-major introductory physics students (who read and commented on the articles). Using various surveys (including the CLASS) and post-instruction interviews, we examine the impact of this strategy on the introductory students’ senses of relevance and confidence and propose further developments of this instructional strategy.
Supported by the Marilyn Repsher Center for Teaching and Learning.
In a number of systems of interest that involve magnetic atoms and their analogous quantum dot ma... more In a number of systems of interest that involve magnetic atoms and their analogous quantum dot manifestations, there arises a competition between Kondo screening and various types of magnetic ordering (direct and induced). This competition can be studied in detail using scanning tunneling microscopy to probe clusters of magnetic adatoms on metallic surfaces and has direct implications for systems of double quantum dots. In both of these cases, an observable quantity of interest is the electrical conductance, which can be calculated by applying the numerical renormalization group to the two-impurity Anderson model. Depending on their separation and the strength of their exchange interaction, pairs of magnetic adatoms may exhibit ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic alignment of the impurity local moments, in some cases leading to a two-stage Kondo screening process, effectively isolated impurity screening, or a complete suppression of the Kondo effect. These behaviors have different signatures in the differential conductance. A class of double quantum dot devices composed of a Kondo-like dot and a weakly interacting dot is predicted to display a splitting of the Kondo resonance and a pair of quantum phase transitions. These behaviors introduce unique signatures in the device conductance when the level energy on either dot is varied by tuning the appropriate gate voltage. This work demonstrates that double quantum dots can provide a controlled experimental setting in which to study quantum phase transitions in a strongly correlated system.
The undergraduate research experience (URE) has a significant effect on student learning. Althoug... more The undergraduate research experience (URE) has a significant effect on student learning. Although the diversity of possible topics, demands, and outcomes makes UREs difficult to assess university-wide, many of the attitudes (beliefs, practices, and perspectives) that students develop about research transcend disciplines. Using educational research techniques, we have developed the Jacksonville Attitudes Toward Research Survey (JARS) to assess such student attitudes toward research. Student responses to the survey items are scored for the survey overall and for categories of similarly themed items. This poster describes the development and validation of the JARS, demonstrates sample uses, and invites other institutions to implement the JARS as they strive to engage in and assess the effectiveness of undergraduate research.
I must confess: During my first two years of teaching Aviation Physics, I suffered from a mild fe... more I must confess: During my first two years of teaching Aviation Physics, I suffered from a mild fear of flying. Part of this fear was due to a heart arrhythmia, but part was my advanced physics knowledge that stuff—including airplanes—tends to fall down. However, upon construction of a physics-based airplane simulation, I was able to successfully demonstrate to myself and my students that the conventional wisdom—“The plane wants to stay in the air”—is in fact physically sound! Come find out how!
"The choice to engage fully in any learning endeavor is determined by many interrelated factors. ... more "The choice to engage fully in any learning endeavor is determined by many interrelated factors. Motivation is one of the most important factors that determine the level of engagement with which a student will pursue learning (Ames, 1990). Four important aspects of student motivation are the attention raised in the student’s mind, the student’s perception of the relevance of the material, the student’s confidence in the ability to succeed in the learning process, and the satisfaction the student feels during and at the end of the learning process (Lynch, 2010; Larkin & Belson, 2005; Keller, 1987; Bandura, 1997).
The investigation into motivation indicates that relevance and confidence are important factors that are often not an explicit part of the course design in higher education introductory physics courses (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Kortemeyer, 2007). In teaching such courses, there is particular need for instructors to pay attention to the motivational factors of relevance and confidence, as students typically begin an introductory physics course without these motivational factors in place (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Abdul-Razzaq & Bushey, 2009; Guemez, Fiolhais, & Fiolhais, 2009) and they typically develop these factors only after successfully completing a learning activity (such as a problem set or laboratory exercise). However, without these factors to motivate them beforehand, many students do not apply themselves fully to the learning activities.
Without a strong sense of relevance between scientific principles and the everyday world, students are not likely to apply themselves to learn the principles; without confidence in their abilities to “do” science, students are likely to become frustrated and give up when they make mistakes. In contrast, many current learning activities (e.g., homework problems and laboratory exercises) in science courses are structured such that students must learn from their mistakes and see the relevance through application.
In the introductory physics course described in this paper, teaching evaluations from prior semesters showed that non-major undergraduates were unable to see the real-world applications of theoretical models. As part of a university grant for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), this faculty member redesigned his course objectives as they relate to relevance and confidence (e.g., make connections between the principles of physics and the everyday world; confidently apply the principles of physics and mathematics to a problem of interest) and then aligned his instructional strategies to help his students achieve these affective objectives.
Instructional technology can provide a venue for developing student motivation by extending the classroom discussion. For example, one study (Huett, Kalinowski, Moller, & Huett, 2008) found that students’ confidence in a technical field can be bolstered using periodic mass e-mails. Another study (Larkin & Belson, 2005) found that the use of an optional course chat room could result in improved learning gains in a physics course. Similarly, another study (Duda & Garrett, 2008) that used an extra-credit course blog to supplement class discussion found that students who participated in the blog felt a greater sense of relevance of the course material than those who did not participate. Course blogs are also useful in that they can incorporate into the learning community outsiders at different stages along the novice-to-expert journey (Sprague & Stuart, 2000), and they can be used to complement and enhance other successful instructional strategies (Higdon & Topaz, 2009).
Based on the literature, an instructional strategy using a blog for a community of learners was implemented in the spring 2011 semester. This community of learners combined two courses: a non-majors introductory physics course and an upper-level physics seminar course. The purpose was to 1) increase the novice learners’ confidence through additional learning opportunities outside the classroom, 2) provide the novice learners a different perspective, from the upper-level majors, on the application and relevance of the material, 3) increase novice interest through the use of a social learning technology, 4) develop the upper-level majors’ communication skills (including audience analysis, topic research, and collaboration), 5) develop the upper-level majors’ technological skills (including document formatting and Web media), and 6) expose the upper-level majors to education as a field of research by including them in the blog design and evaluation process.
This presentation will focus on the first two purposes above by investigating the question of how students’ senses of confidence and relevance were impacted by a) the social learning aspect and b) the extended practice offered through the course blog. Because SoTL research is action oriented, the data from this case study will be used to make systematic design decisions for implementing these strategies in future courses. Data will be collected using periodic in-class surveys (Angelo & Cross, 1993), a standardized physics learning attitudes survey administered pre- and post-instruction (Adams, Perkins, Podolefsky, Dubson, Finkelstein, & Wieman, 2006), an analysis of the students’ blog comments, and post-instruction interviews. In this presentation, we will describe the SoTL process as it relates to instructional design in higher education, the design choices, the pilot implementation of this strategy, and the implications for future course design.
The report of this case study will be of interest to higher education faculty and instructional designers who support faculty in their course design."
It is important for physics teachers to understand the impact of students’ emotional responses to... more It is important for physics teachers to understand the impact of students’ emotional responses to class discussions and activities. In an upper-level electromagnetic theory course, we asked students to report their emotional states in class using flashcards and clickers, with each card or button corresponding to one of the emotions most commonly experienced while learning physics (curiosity, frustration, happiness, anxiety, boredom, and confusion), and based the flow of class discussion on these responses. The students responded very positively to this teaching strategy, indicating that their learning experience was enhanced and that they perceived a great level of support from the instructor. In this poster presentation, we describe the outcomes of this teaching strategy, outline the lessons learned for future refinement, and propose an implementation in multiple introductory physics courses with the goal of comparing students’ in-class emotional states with their learning gains and learning attitude shifts.
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Books by W. Brian Lane
For an examination copy, please e-mail me at wlane@ju.edu.
Papers by W. Brian Lane
Correction to article: http://scitation.aip.org/content/aapt/journal/tpt/52/5/10.1119/1.4872399
Supported by the Marilyn Repsher Center for Teaching and Learning.
Talks by W. Brian Lane
The investigation into motivation indicates that relevance and confidence are important factors that are often not an explicit part of the course design in higher education introductory physics courses (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Kortemeyer, 2007). In teaching such courses, there is particular need for instructors to pay attention to the motivational factors of relevance and confidence, as students typically begin an introductory physics course without these motivational factors in place (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Abdul-Razzaq & Bushey, 2009; Guemez, Fiolhais, & Fiolhais, 2009) and they typically develop these factors only after successfully completing a learning activity (such as a problem set or laboratory exercise). However, without these factors to motivate them beforehand, many students do not apply themselves fully to the learning activities.
Without a strong sense of relevance between scientific principles and the everyday world, students are not likely to apply themselves to learn the principles; without confidence in their abilities to “do” science, students are likely to become frustrated and give up when they make mistakes. In contrast, many current learning activities (e.g., homework problems and laboratory exercises) in science courses are structured such that students must learn from their mistakes and see the relevance through application.
In the introductory physics course described in this paper, teaching evaluations from prior semesters showed that non-major undergraduates were unable to see the real-world applications of theoretical models. As part of a university grant for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), this faculty member redesigned his course objectives as they relate to relevance and confidence (e.g., make connections between the principles of physics and the everyday world; confidently apply the principles of physics and mathematics to a problem of interest) and then aligned his instructional strategies to help his students achieve these affective objectives.
Instructional technology can provide a venue for developing student motivation by extending the classroom discussion. For example, one study (Huett, Kalinowski, Moller, & Huett, 2008) found that students’ confidence in a technical field can be bolstered using periodic mass e-mails. Another study (Larkin & Belson, 2005) found that the use of an optional course chat room could result in improved learning gains in a physics course. Similarly, another study (Duda & Garrett, 2008) that used an extra-credit course blog to supplement class discussion found that students who participated in the blog felt a greater sense of relevance of the course material than those who did not participate. Course blogs are also useful in that they can incorporate into the learning community outsiders at different stages along the novice-to-expert journey (Sprague & Stuart, 2000), and they can be used to complement and enhance other successful instructional strategies (Higdon & Topaz, 2009).
Based on the literature, an instructional strategy using a blog for a community of learners was implemented in the spring 2011 semester. This community of learners combined two courses: a non-majors introductory physics course and an upper-level physics seminar course. The purpose was to 1) increase the novice learners’ confidence through additional learning opportunities outside the classroom, 2) provide the novice learners a different perspective, from the upper-level majors, on the application and relevance of the material, 3) increase novice interest through the use of a social learning technology, 4) develop the upper-level majors’ communication skills (including audience analysis, topic research, and collaboration), 5) develop the upper-level majors’ technological skills (including document formatting and Web media), and 6) expose the upper-level majors to education as a field of research by including them in the blog design and evaluation process.
This presentation will focus on the first two purposes above by investigating the question of how students’ senses of confidence and relevance were impacted by a) the social learning aspect and b) the extended practice offered through the course blog. Because SoTL research is action oriented, the data from this case study will be used to make systematic design decisions for implementing these strategies in future courses. Data will be collected using periodic in-class surveys (Angelo & Cross, 1993), a standardized physics learning attitudes survey administered pre- and post-instruction (Adams, Perkins, Podolefsky, Dubson, Finkelstein, & Wieman, 2006), an analysis of the students’ blog comments, and post-instruction interviews. In this presentation, we will describe the SoTL process as it relates to instructional design in higher education, the design choices, the pilot implementation of this strategy, and the implications for future course design.
The report of this case study will be of interest to higher education faculty and instructional designers who support faculty in their course design."
For an examination copy, please e-mail me at wlane@ju.edu.
Correction to article: http://scitation.aip.org/content/aapt/journal/tpt/52/5/10.1119/1.4872399
Supported by the Marilyn Repsher Center for Teaching and Learning.
The investigation into motivation indicates that relevance and confidence are important factors that are often not an explicit part of the course design in higher education introductory physics courses (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Kortemeyer, 2007). In teaching such courses, there is particular need for instructors to pay attention to the motivational factors of relevance and confidence, as students typically begin an introductory physics course without these motivational factors in place (Hammer, 1994; Redish, Saul, & Steinberg, 1998; Abdul-Razzaq & Bushey, 2009; Guemez, Fiolhais, & Fiolhais, 2009) and they typically develop these factors only after successfully completing a learning activity (such as a problem set or laboratory exercise). However, without these factors to motivate them beforehand, many students do not apply themselves fully to the learning activities.
Without a strong sense of relevance between scientific principles and the everyday world, students are not likely to apply themselves to learn the principles; without confidence in their abilities to “do” science, students are likely to become frustrated and give up when they make mistakes. In contrast, many current learning activities (e.g., homework problems and laboratory exercises) in science courses are structured such that students must learn from their mistakes and see the relevance through application.
In the introductory physics course described in this paper, teaching evaluations from prior semesters showed that non-major undergraduates were unable to see the real-world applications of theoretical models. As part of a university grant for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), this faculty member redesigned his course objectives as they relate to relevance and confidence (e.g., make connections between the principles of physics and the everyday world; confidently apply the principles of physics and mathematics to a problem of interest) and then aligned his instructional strategies to help his students achieve these affective objectives.
Instructional technology can provide a venue for developing student motivation by extending the classroom discussion. For example, one study (Huett, Kalinowski, Moller, & Huett, 2008) found that students’ confidence in a technical field can be bolstered using periodic mass e-mails. Another study (Larkin & Belson, 2005) found that the use of an optional course chat room could result in improved learning gains in a physics course. Similarly, another study (Duda & Garrett, 2008) that used an extra-credit course blog to supplement class discussion found that students who participated in the blog felt a greater sense of relevance of the course material than those who did not participate. Course blogs are also useful in that they can incorporate into the learning community outsiders at different stages along the novice-to-expert journey (Sprague & Stuart, 2000), and they can be used to complement and enhance other successful instructional strategies (Higdon & Topaz, 2009).
Based on the literature, an instructional strategy using a blog for a community of learners was implemented in the spring 2011 semester. This community of learners combined two courses: a non-majors introductory physics course and an upper-level physics seminar course. The purpose was to 1) increase the novice learners’ confidence through additional learning opportunities outside the classroom, 2) provide the novice learners a different perspective, from the upper-level majors, on the application and relevance of the material, 3) increase novice interest through the use of a social learning technology, 4) develop the upper-level majors’ communication skills (including audience analysis, topic research, and collaboration), 5) develop the upper-level majors’ technological skills (including document formatting and Web media), and 6) expose the upper-level majors to education as a field of research by including them in the blog design and evaluation process.
This presentation will focus on the first two purposes above by investigating the question of how students’ senses of confidence and relevance were impacted by a) the social learning aspect and b) the extended practice offered through the course blog. Because SoTL research is action oriented, the data from this case study will be used to make systematic design decisions for implementing these strategies in future courses. Data will be collected using periodic in-class surveys (Angelo & Cross, 1993), a standardized physics learning attitudes survey administered pre- and post-instruction (Adams, Perkins, Podolefsky, Dubson, Finkelstein, & Wieman, 2006), an analysis of the students’ blog comments, and post-instruction interviews. In this presentation, we will describe the SoTL process as it relates to instructional design in higher education, the design choices, the pilot implementation of this strategy, and the implications for future course design.
The report of this case study will be of interest to higher education faculty and instructional designers who support faculty in their course design."