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Phys 10: Physics in Our World

Inquisitive, Interesting, Discovery

Reflection on Instructional Change:

I have changed the language of my syllabus to make it more appealing and friendly for the students. I also implemented low-stakes assignments and "second chances".

I am trying to make myself (and the course) more approachable and less "scary" for the students. Phys 10 is a conceptual course intended for non-science majors, and quite a few of the students who enroll in this course do not have any prior scientific knowledge or experience with physics in particular. Pair that with a generally low math skills level, and, as a result, a physics course can become quite difficult and overwhelming. I am trying to teach the students that physics is nothing to be afraid of, that everyone can "do physics" and that acquiring and implementing scientific knowledge can be fun and rewarding.

As for the assignments, I started giving out a LOT of homework and quizzes (2-3 short homework assignments and 1-2 quizzes per week). However, I told the students that only 10 homework and 20 quizzes will count towards their final grade. That means that if a student missed a few assignments or did not receive a "high enough" score, they could redeem themselves on future assignments. I have also included 2 attempts for all the quiz submissions.

As for the language of the syllabus, I have changed "office hours" to "student office hours" and included the paragraph explaining that I understand that many students can face unforeseen circumstances and challenges throughout the semester and that I am willing and hoping to work with them through these challenges to help them succeed in the course.

My participation in this FLC highlighted the need for change in all of my classes. I recognized that some of my grading practices were outdated and created more unnecessary work for myself and undue stress for my students. I am currently trying to make ALL of my classes more student-friendly and "easier" in terms of navigation and approachability.

**Evidence of Instructional Change**
This is the excerpt from my syllabus in which I tell the students that I recognize the difficulties they may be having.	This is the excerpt from my syllabus in which I tell the students that there are many options for them to take quizzes.

Changes in Course Syllabus and Schedules:

Pre FLC - Syllabus and Schedule

Post FLC - Syllabus and Schedule

**Faculty Bio**
	My name is Daria Eiteneer. You can call me Daria, Dr. Eiteneer or Professor Eiteneer. I will NOT respond to any communication starting with Ms. or Mrs. About me: I am a physicist and material scientist by trade. I have been teaching Physics (and a little bit of Math, Chemistry, Astronomy, and Engineering) since 2003. I taught at UC Davis, ARC and CRC before I joined Sacramento State in January of 2016 and Folsom Lake College in August of 2016. I also love spending time with my family, traveling, reading, horses, and fencing (I ride and fence semi-competitively).

This work was supported by grant funding from:
	STEM4Equity: US Dept. of Education STEMHSI P031C210012 NSF STEMZone: 1832335 *Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sacramento State.