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PHYS 11A: Introductory General Physics, Mechanics

Reflection on Instructional Change:

Physics 11A is an introductory gateway course for students in science and engineering that typically has high opportunity gap for underrepresented minority students. As a department we have worked for several years to try to address this inequity and have made great strides towards creating a course that promotes the success of all students. Nearly everything that we implemented, however, did not transfer well to an online environment. My goal in participating in this FLC was to find ways to keep students engaged with the course and each other in this online environment.

Thus far I have implemented 4 different new tools that I picked up from participating in the FLC. The most successful has been the discussion board. Each week students post a question that has come up for them in any aspect of the course, the reading, assignments, quizzes, labs, or homework. Students are also required to reply to two other posts. The discussions have been very fruitful and require minimal corrective posts. I also began having the students work on collaborative documents while examining questions in breakout rooms. Assigning different rooms different questions in a jigsaw format has keep the material fresher when we reengage in the large class format.

The hardest part for me with the online format has been finding ways to connect with students who are starting to fall behind. In order to address this, I assign students who are under 75% a mandatory check in assignment. During that check in the student comes to my office hours and we go over their progress in the course and make plans for next steps. Several students have been able to bring their grades back up again after thoughtful planning during a couple of check ins.

Weekly discussions help students engage with the material and each other. Students are required to post an initial question and also reply to two other posts. Above is a question posted from the chapter reading and a subsequent response.

Quiz questions are discussed in large groups in a collaborative document. Each breakout room is assigned a specific question to examine and then report back.

Regular check ins are required for all students under 75% at the start of the week. Students will receive a Check In assignment and will be required to attend office hours. At the check in the student reviews their performance thus far, looks for possible options for adjustments, and plans for the next week.

Post Side Car - Syllabus and Schedule

Pre Side Car - Syllabus and Schedule

Faculty Biography

I started as a physics student at Sac State in 2002. I always loved science growing up, but I chose physics in particular because I thought they had the friendliest department. I grew to love physics while hiking up snow covered mountains with my professors, who would constantly ask questions like, "why do the holes from your snowshoeing poles look blue"? I decided to continue my study of physics, moving to Boston where I completed my PhD in Applied Physics at Harvard University. Now I am back at Sac State where I teach and conduct research in soft matter physics and biophysics. When I am not busy with physics, one of my favorite things to do (pre-pandemic) is curling. Of course, I am usually thinking about physics while curling!

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation NSF Hispanic Serving Institution Award 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 the National Science Foundation.