Groups and Divisions

 

IOP Groups

Enhancing the Experience of Entrant Physics Students - Meeting Summary

Meeting organised for the Higher Education Group of the Institute of Physics and the Physical Sciences Centre of the Higher Education Academy by Ifan Hughes (Durham) and Bruce Sinclair (St Andrews).

14 May 2008 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, George Street, Edinburgh

Enhancing the Experience of Entrant Physics Students

The speakers

 

1. Simon Bates, Edinburgh University
Interactive engagement in large group physics lectures using electronic voting systems

 

Simon told us about his department’s use of “clickers” in large lectures to get interactive engagement of students. Simon used his clickers to poll the audience, and found that the majority had heard of or were using this technology. He described some of the benefits of using clickers and some of the issues involved. Eric Mazur’s work on peer instruction was highlighted, as was the need for good questions. We were told about the DUMP database of introductory physics multiple-choice questions, and the question database now run by the PSC. Many in the audience expressed interest in joining a collaboration that would write “good” questions for formative assessment that would then be shared.

 

2. Sarah Symons and Derek Raine, piCETL, University of Leicester
Building Community through Problem-Based Learning

 

Sarah and Derek in their joint presentation described the way in which structured group work on problems can result in useful learning and a greater degree of responsibility from students, along with the building of a learning community. The role of the facilitator was stressed. The assessment of learning outcomes they suggest should be done as an authentic part of the assignment, rather than an “add-on”. For example, in one assignment the groups looking at designing a wind-gust warning for airports submit a mock patent application for assessment.

 

3. Dr Ben Sauer, Physics Department, Imperial College London
First year physics projects at Imperial College

 

Ben gave an overview of the IC first year course structure, then concentrated on the pair-based mini-projects that most of their students do at the end of their first year. The students finish their exams in physics, the spend 6 hours per week for six weeks working on studies suggested by academic and related staff and PhD students. The demonstrators spend only an hour a week with the project groups. The projects result in two poster sessions, one with students and staff from the department and one with school pupils and teachers. Between two thirds and three quarters of mini-projects are repeats of previous years’ titles. Student generally get deeply involved in these projects.

 

4. Tom Hase, Warwick University
Addressing the Skills shortage in Experimental Physics

 

Tom described the work he had carried out with Ifan Hughes at Durham to renew their first year lab teaching. In a complete overhaul of the teaching structure the labs now start with introductory materials on error-analysis, use of oscilloscopes, basic optics, etc. Five “golden rules” for the treatment of data are introduced and focussed on throughout the year. The experiments at the end of the year are close to what had been done previously, but students now have a suitably graded experience from entry, through first year, and into second year. This has been well-received by the students involved. Tom is now engaged in a similar exercise in Warwick.

 

5.  Alison Voice, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds and Tracey Madden, Higher Education Academy Physical Sciences Centre
Embedding PDP and Skills in the 1st Year Physics Curriculum

 

In the first afternoon session Alison told us of the work at her department to overhaul the first year course. A personal tutor meets weekly with a group of four students to cover academic matters, and four times during the year with students individually to advise and to talk about personal development planning. The PDP questions, and indeed the PDP sessions, are strongly focussed on particular issues relevant to the time of year. The department is also seeing success with peer mentoring and with problem solving workshops. Tracey Madden followed this up with an overview of the PDP-related resources that are freely available from the PSC.

 

6. Duncan Lawson, Sigma, Coventry University
Recent Developments in Mathematics Support

 

Duncan Lawson gave us an interesting overview of the maths-support material that has been developed in various projects in which he has been involved, and which are now freely available to the HE community to use in maths support activities. These include paper-based formulae sheets, online guides and exercises, and online video tutorials. He also described work creating video podcasts and short video lessons for mobile phones. He noted that a diagnostic maths test used with entrant students in Coventy in the nineties gave similar results from the start of the decade for students with grade N Maths A level and the end of the decade for students with grade B.

 

7. Terry Mayes, Glasgow Caledonian University
The First Year Experience Outcomes of the Scottish Universities' Enhancement Theme

 

Terry told us of some of the issues that have been considered within this theme. One of the quotes provided was that “Learners achieve their full potential….actively engaged in delivery and management of their own learning experience…students as co-creators of own learning experience…take responsibility for own learning…institutions should push students to become more active learners..”, which nicely tied together many of the messages from other speakers during the meeting.

This meeting topic was suggested by the IOP HEG, and the HEAPSC agreed to run it jointly. The HEAPSC supported the meeting financially and dealt with the registration process.

This meeting attracted 44 delegates.

^ To the top ^

 
Artwork | Image by Fred Swist