Dean Zollman

Quantum mechanics for everyone: Hands-on activities integrated with technology

Quantum mechanics is frequently taught toward the end of the first year of physics if it is taught at all. Many physics instructors believe that quantum mechanics is a very abstract subject that cannot be understood until students have learned much of classical physics. We are challenging this belief by creating instructional materials for quantum mechanics that can be integrated throughout the first physics course. In addition, we have transferred some of the materials and the basic approach to higher-level courses. The result is a hands-on approach to learning and teaching quantum mechanics for a broad spectrum of students. We describe some of our materials and the results of using these materials with students.

Model Analysis of Fine Structures of Student Models: An Example with Newton's Third Law.

In problem-solving situations, the contextual features of the problems affect student reasoning. Using Newton’s third law as an example, we study the role of context in students’ uses of alternative conceptual models. We have identified four contextual features that are frequently used by students in their reasoning. Using these results, a multiple-choice survey was developed to probe the effects of the specific contextual features on student reasoning. Measurements with this instrument show that different contextual features can affect students’ conceptual learning in different ways. We compare student data from different populations and instructions and discuss the implications.

Teaching and Learning Physics with Interactive Video

In 1961 the psychologist Jerome Bruner concluded a discussion of innovative teaching materials of the late 1950s by saying, “The intelligent use of [audiovisual] resources will depend upon how well we are able to integrate the technique of the filmmaker or the program producer with the technique and wisdom of the skillful teacher.” The Physical Sciences Study Committee had just completed a series of films that attempted to bring together current film technology, the expertise of the film producer and the knowledge and experience of outstanding physics teachers. Today a critic of pedagogical films would find much to change in the PSSC films. Yet they did open new territory for physics teachers, and parts of these films survive today in the videodisc series Physics: Cinema Classics.

The effect of distracters on student performance on the force concept inventory

We have compared students’ responses on four multiple-choice force concept inventory (FCI) questions with similar responses to equivalent open-ended questions. Our results indicate a good agreement between the percentages of correct responses in each of the two formats, indicating that distracters on the FCI do not adversely affect performance as measured by the number of correct answers. However, a significant percentage of the open-ended responses fall into categories that are not included in the FCI multiple choices. When these alternative categories were presented to the students as distracters in a revised multiple-choice format, a significant percentage of the students chose these alternative responses.

The Vocabulary of Introductory Physics and Its Implications for Learning Physics

In science new words might be “invented” to name or describe new processes, discoveries, or inventions. However, for the most part, the scientific vocabulary is formed from words we use throughout our lives in everyday language. When we begin studying science we learn new meanings of words we had previously used. Sometimes these new meanings may contradict everyday meanings or seem counterintuitive. We often learn words in association with objects and situations.1 Due to these associations that students bring to class, they may not interpret the physics meaning correctly. This misinterpretation of language leads students to confusion that is sometimes classified as a misconception.2–6 Research about the semantics used in physics textbooks7–9 and the meaning of words has been done,10–12 but the problem seems to go beyond semantics.8 The linguistic relativity hypothesis, sometimes referred to as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis,1 says that “we see and hear and otherwise experience very largely as we do because th...

Impact of a Classroom Interaction System on Student Learning

We have developed and implemented a Web‐based wireless classroom interaction system in a large‐enrollment introductory physics lecture class that uses HP handheld computers (PDAs) to facilitate real‐time two‐way student interaction with the instructor. Our system is ahead of other “clicker” based PRS (Personal Response System) that is limited to multiple‐choice questions. Our system allows for a variety of questions. It also allows for adaptive questioning and two‐way communication that provides real‐time feedback to the instructor. We have seen improved performance on course assessments through use of PDAs compared to PRS in the same class. We have also shown that students who use PDAs more often in class are more likely to perform better in the course.

The New Studio format for instruction of introductory physics

We have developed the New Studio format of instruction for improved conceptual learning while retaining problem-solving skill development in large, first-year physics courses. This format retains the large lecture, but combines traditional recitation and laboratory instruction. The New Studio format integrates simplified laboratories with assigned homework problems to integrate conceptual and problem-solving skills. The studio format combines 2hours of lecture with 4hours of studio each week. The studio is taught for 2hours twice per week, and consists of up to 40 students working in groups of four at tables equipped with modern instructional technology and apparatus. The group setting allows for peer instruction and development of group skills. The combination of traditional lecture with the studio format enables a research-oriented physics department with a large service teaching load to implement research-based pedagogy. Student gains on the Force Concept Inventory were similar to other courses taught ...

Visualizing motion in potential wells

The concept of potential-energy diagrams is of fundamental importance in the study of quantum physics. Yet, students are rarely exposed to this powerful alternative description in introductory classes and thus have difficulty comprehending its significance when they encounter it in beginning-level quantum courses. We describe a learning unit that incorporates a sequence of computer-interfaced experiments using dynamics or air-track systems. This unit is designed to make the learning of potential-energy diagrams less abstract. Students begin by constructing the harmonic or square-well potential diagrams using either the velocity data and assuming conservation of energy or the force-displacement graph for the elastic interaction of an object constrained by springs or bouncing off springy blocks. Then, they investigate the motion of a rider magnet interacting with a configuration of field magnets and plot directly the potential-energy diagrams using a magnetic field sensor. The ease of measurement allows exp...

Computer simulation of p - n junction devices

We present here a computer program—the Semiconductor Device Simulator—which simulates the working of three p–n junction devices: the light-emitting diode, the solar cell, and the tunnel diode. This program enables students to create the device starting with two pieces of intrinsic semiconductor material, and doping them appropriately to create a p–n junction device of their choice. While creating the device, students can observe the changes in the energy bands and Fermi level as a response to doping. The device, once created, can then be incorporated into a circuit where the students can observe the energy bands, the I–V graph, as well as the intensity spectrum of the device in response to the changes in applied voltage and/or incident light. No prior knowledge of higher level mathematics is required to use the program. The program is available for Windows™ and Macintosh™ platforms. The flexibility of the program allows it to be used by students over a range of academic levels. We have field tested the pr...

Learning Cycle physics

The Learning Cycle is used to offer student-centered learning in a large enrollment physics course. Because the Learning Cycle was created for relatively small classes, adaptations in the usual format were needed. These adaptations center on an open laboratory environment in which students complete both exploration and application activities. With this approach one instructor is able to help over 1000 students learning physics in a single class. For the past 19 years this Learning Cycle course has provided an effective way to offer an active learning environment to students in an introductory physics course.