Abstract:
The challenges we face as physics educators are many: student retention in STEM programs, increase of diversity in our classrooms, teacher burn-out and then there is the little matter of student learning – how to optimize structure and activities for students coming in with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities. Studies involving thousands of students from the like of Hake [AJP 1998] and Freeman et al. [PNAS 2014] seem to suggest the best approach: content is delivered through nonclassroom channels so instructors can lead interactive activities to help students with assimilation of the material and skill development. Going remote has added a whole new level of complexity and forced us to reconsider what our role is at the front of the “classroom”. This seminar will involve a mix of: study results exploring the relationship between interactive engagement and improved learning (with a focus on gender), remote delivery techniques you can try out in your own courses, and early impressions from the front line of teaching 140 2nd yr students in a remote-delivery Modern Physics course.
Please note: The speaker will be available (with the zoom link to be shared by email) at 3 pm for a "meet and greet" with him (BYO coffee/tea & cookies).