Physics Education
Well-developed problem-solving skills are essential for any student enrolled in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) course as well as for graduates in the workforce. One of the most essential skills is the ability to…
As an integrative and insightful example for undergraduates learning about electrostatics, we discuss how to use symmetry, Coulomb's Law, superposition, Gauss's law, and visualization to understand the electric field produced by a…
We investigate how students solve partial differential equations and partial derivatives in the context of quantum mechanics. We use the resources framework to investigate students' discussion in a group problem-solving environment to…
This study investigated whether and how Learning Assistant (LA) support is linked to student outcomes in Physics courses nationwide. Paired student concept inventory scores were collected over three semesters from 3,753 students,…
Since 2010, the Yale physics department has offered a novel calculus-based introductory physics for the life science (IPLS) sequence, that re-imagines the IPLS syllabus to include a selection of biologically and medically relevant topics,…
Phase-sensitive detection (PSD) is an important experimental technique that allows signals to be extracted from noisy data. PSD is also used in modulation spectroscopy and is used in the stabilization of optical sources. Commercial lock-in…
We extend the theory of disciplinary integration of games for science education beyond the virtual world of games, and identify two key themes of a practice-based theoretical commitment to science learning: (1) materiality in the classroom…
University students taking introductory physics are generally successful executing mathematical procedures in context, but often struggle with the use of mathematical concepts for sense making. Physics instructors note that their students…
Pre-class reading assignments help prepare students for active classes by providing a first exposure to the terms and concepts to be used during class. We investigate if the use of inquiry-oriented PhET-based activities in conjunction with…
One of the oft-cited qualities sought after in a potential future engineering employee is an analytical mind that is "continually examining things." In one sense this examination is discouraged in an instructional laboratory employing…
The purpose of the present report was the study and identification of an unspecified sample on a work of art by means only of a microscope coupled to a Raman spectrometer. The origin of the fragment was unknown. The Raman spectra on the…
Several years ago, one of us, having noticed that inexperienced scientists tend to make largely the same mistakes while writing their first papers, was compelled to write a one-page note summarizing some dos and don'ts intended to help take…
A non-native English speaking physics professor formulates obvious yet useful rules for writing research papers.
In this work, the normal modes of a two-dimensional oscillating system have been studied from a theoretical and experimental point of view. The normal frequencies predicted by the Hessian matrix for a coupled two-dimensional particle system…
Paired (or co-)teaching is an arrangement in which two faculty are collaboratively responsible for all aspects of teaching a course. By pairing an instructor experienced in research-based instructional strategies (RBIS) with an instructor…
Acceleration sensors built into smartphones, i-pads or tablets can conveniently be used in the Physics laboratory. By virtue of the equivalence principle, a sensor fixed in a non-inertial reference frame cannot discern between a…
Design and scientific investigation are recognized as key components of undergraduate physics laboratory curricula. In light of this, many successful lab programs have been developed to train students to develop these abilities, and…
Research-based assessments represent a valuable tool for both instructors and researchers interested in improving undergraduate physics education. However, the historical model for disseminating and propagating conceptual and attitudinal…
In this paper we report on a Science Fair activity developed at Colegio Pedro II, a traditional Brazilian school, with a group of eight 8-12 years old Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) students. ADHD is usually a condition…
The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) has been widely used to assess student understanding of introductory mechanics concepts by a variety of educators and physics education researchers. One reason for this extensive use is that many of the…