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Course number: Physics 5B Lab: Light, Electricity and Modern Physics

Reflection on Instructional Change:

Following the Sidecar sessions frequent Zoom polling was added to the synchronous slide presentations. Weekly discussions were added to maintain student to student interactions. Rubrics were added. Each week was structured using Modules. PPT slides were uploaded to the modules. Zoom recordings with transcripts were included for all synchronous sessions. PPT presentations had real time transcription. Students missing assignments were emailed reminders.

One Side car participation goal was to find more efficient and equitable means for scoring participation. In prior semesters, the course would have used graded TopHat as a student response system (SRS). The challenges are 1) the cost to the students; 2) The need for the students to be logged into multiple platforms (Zoom and TopHat); 3) The demand of synchronous meetings offered limited flexibility tor students with substantial reasons for missing Zoom meetings. The solutions were explored included using other SDS's, asking IRT if the CSUS selection of a CSUS supported SRS was eminent (it was not), using Canvas quizzes for short after-lecture follow-up, or using an asynchronous SRS. The course was redesigned to include weekly graded student discussions. Grading was on participation and not correctness.

The full equity path is a long one. This semester, for this course, it was to be mindful of the issues and respond to the individual needs such as flexibility in the meeting times (3 students were overseas) or students suffering significant Covid impacts as they or household members were infected. There was an outreach to students to identify those needing IRT equipment loans or assistance.

Zoom poll.JPG

This is an example of a poll asked on a PPT slide with answers given using a generic Zoom poll question with A-E responses.

This is an example of a PHET simulation that students constructed to explore resistors.

Although this is a standard feature available on Zoom the Sidecar taught me the importance of supporting recording presentations and seeing that there is a transcript.

Post Side Car - Syllabus and Schedule

Pre Side Car - Syllabus and Schedule

Faculty Biography

Photograph of D.r Chrisopther Hodges

My focus is to assist Sacramento State University in bringing the best possible education in physics and astronomy to the greater Sacramento Valley community. My commitment is to help the department maximize local educational opportunities.

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.