1:00 pm CT (2:00 pm ET)

A1. Toward Expert Type Thinking: Strategies for Teaching

Marianna Ruggerio - Auburn High School - 2 - Teaching Methods

One of the distinguishing attributes of first year physics students is the novice-style approach to solving problems, typically based upon common variables or equation hunting. Having students shift to more expert-like strategies, based upon more over-arching ideas or concepts is often a challenge in physics teaching. This talk will discuss several strategies implemented in an urban-emergent high school for both traditional junior level students, as well as AP level students to help shift student approaches from novice to expert.

1:15 pm CT (2:15 pm ET)

A2. Incorporation of PhET Simulations to a General Education Physics course to Improve Scientific Reasoning and Student Attitudes about Science

Grant Kaufman, Jeffrey Rosauer, Katie Crook, and Raymond Zich - Illinois State University - 4 - Research

Studies have shown that student attitudes toward science and science classes are often worse after taking a class. In this study an instructional intervention adding PhET simulations to the course was undertaken to improve student attitudes toward science and scientific reasoning ability. The intervention was administered via ten PhET simulation-based activities completed during the class period. The activities were coordinated with class topics by week, with one activity per week. Each activity consisted of an instruction sheet on how to access the simulation and a guided inquiry worksheet where students were required to manipulate the simulation, record the results, and answer questions about the physics principles involved. Lawson’s Scientific Reasoning Test was administered to assess improvement in student scientific reasoning skills, and the CLASS was used to assess changes in student attitudes towards science. Pre and post surveys were used to assess student attitudes to the use of the simulations.

1:30 pm CT (2:30 pm ET)

A3. Effects on Student Attitudes and Curricular Benefits of Addition of PhET Simulation-Based Activities to a General Education Physics course

Jeffrey Rosauer, Grant Kaufman, Katie Crook, and Raymond Zich - Illinois State University - 2 - Teaching Methods

We report on the results from the introduction to a general education physics course of activities based on PhET simulations. These activities were added to the course in order to improve student attitudes toward science and increase scientific reasoning skills. Ten different PhET simulation-based activities were created. These were given to students as in-class course assignments completed collaboratively. The effects of the PhET simulation-based activities on student attitudes about science and their scientific reasoning skills were assessed by comparison of pre- and post-test data from the CLASS and Lawson’s Test of Scientific Reasoning for two control and one treatment semesters plus pre- and post-course surveys to investigate student learning, attitudes toward PhET simulation activities, and overall perceptions of the course. The results showed pre to post CLASS shifts of 0.01 and Lawson gains of 1.68. Survey results showed students appreciated the PhET simulation activities

1:45 pm CT (2:45 pm ET)

A4. A Theoretical Perspective on the Role of Kinematics Graphs

Thomas Foster - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville - 4 - Research

Do you teach kinematics using graphs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of teaching with graphs to you as an instructor? To your students? I'd like to share with you a theoretical argument against kinematic graphs and welcome the discussion.

2:00 pm CT (3:00 pm ET)

A5. A Hands On Introduction to STEMcoding Project Resources

Chris Orban - Ohio State University - 5 - Other

Computer simulations are increasingly part of the modern toolkit for science. Some teachers do integrate physics-focused coding activities in their courses, but for a variety of reasons this is not yet the norm. I will describe a number of free-to-use “STEMcoding” resources for introductory physics, physical science and astronomy that thoughtfully integrate coding into these subjects in a standards-aligned way that students without prior programming experience can successfully manage. Unlike coding activities designed for calculus based physics, these activities typically involve some level of interactivity as the simulation runs. Many of the activities follow a “physics of video games” theme. Importantly, these activities are all well documented on the STEMcoding YouTube channel (http://youtube.com/c/STEMcoding) which features women and students from underrepresented groups. I will also describe a summer training course organized in collaboration with AAPT.

2:15 pm CT (3:15 pm ET)

A6. Investigating the effects of modified electric field representations on student interpretation of electric field diagrams

Naomi Satoh, Andrew Princer, and Raymond Zich - Illinois State University (Department of Physics) - 4 - Research

We report on the design and implementation of a study of the effect of a visual change to electric field diagrams. Electric fields are often represented with lines of uniform thickness with integrated arrows. Students must infer the strength of the electric field from the spacing of the lines and the direction of the field from the arrows. This project studies the results from modifying electric field indicators based on theories of visual affordances to increase the visual salience of the strength and direction of the electric field and of the charge sign. Alternative symbols and variations in line thickness to are used indicate the direction and magnitude of the electric field. Students’ are randomly assigned to traditional or modified field representations and asked to compare electric field direction and strength for indicated points on given diagrams.

2:30 pm CT (3:30 pm ET)

A7. What are you “Torquing” about? Investigate the applications of PASCO's new meter stick torque set

*Julie Thomas, *JJ Plank - PASCO scientific - 3 - Demonstrations

Explore ways of creating an improved version of the meter stick balance so that you can investigate torque, physical pendulums and rotating systems with your students.

2:45 - 3:15 pm CT (3:45 - 4:15 pm ET) BREAK

3:15 pm CT (4:15 pm ET)

B1. Group velocity surfaces of optically uniaxial crystals

Pengqian Wang - Western Illinois University - 4 - Research

Group velocity is the velocity of the envelope of a laser pulse traveling inside a medium, which is a vital parameter in laser science and technology. Group velocity surface is a surface in the velocity space that describes the speed of laser pulses traveling in all directions. This surface physically represents the positions of laser pulses emitted radially from a certain source point inside the medium. In this presentation, I will derive the explicit expression of group velocity of light waves in optically uniaxial crystals, and discuss the shapes of their group velocity surfaces. Numerical results for some crystals will be given.

3:30 pm CT (4:30 pm ET)

B2. Spectrometry of Sirius

*Saul Garcia,*Dontae Milner - Eastern Illinois University - 5 - Student Research Symposium

Calibration and installation of Eastern Illinois 16 in telescope.

3:45 pm CT (4:45 pm ET)

B3. How Accurate are Astronomy Photometric Systems

Patrick Mallaney - Eastern Illinois University - 5 - Student Research Symposium

The goal of our research is to build our own photometric algorithm to determine the accuracy of Source Extractor. We plan to do this by taking the measurements given by the Charged Coupling Device and determining the light coming from that source. We will be creating an algorithm that applies a circular shape for each star so that we may obtain the most accurate data. The circular method presents challenges as the pixels get split into different fractions based on the arc of the circle chosen.

4:00 pm CT (5:00 pm ET)

B4. Inexpensive Reconstructions of Historic Electric Devices

Joel Bryan - Ball State University - 1 - Active Learning

Instructional adaptions in response to the Covid pandemic have led me to develop instructional videos that may be beneficial to classroom teachers who wish to have their own students use inexpensive materials to construct working replications of several historic static and current electric devices (Leyden jar, electrophorus, Franklin’s bells, Voltaic pile, Faraday motor, dc motors, etc…).

4:15 pm CT (5:15 pm ET)

B5. Doing labs in an online introductory physics courses

Tim Duman - University of Indianapolis - 1 - Active Learning - slides

Pivotinteractives.com has created a collection of physics experiment videos that allow students to take and analysis data by using the site's web browser based tools. I will present the use of this site for experiential activities and how it was used in an introductory, calculus based, physics course.

4:30 pm CT (5:30 pm ET)

Take Fives!

How do you get student to ask question if they don't understand the material? - Tim Duman

Summer QuarkNet at Purdue University - Marla Glover

The 3D Printed Twirly Whirly - Spencer Perry

Rising Scholars@Illinois-HS Physics Mentoring Program - Patrick Snyder

A Home-Made Optical Bench and an Introductory Optics Lab at Home - Jie Zou

Developing Remote Learning Lab Kits - Britney Rutherford

Indiana Teacher of the Year Recognition awarded to Jacob Bowman - Indiana Section AAPT

Invited Speakers - Friday, April 23, 2021

5:15 pm(CT) / 6:15 pm(ET)

Reviving Creativity in Our Introductory Physics Labs

Dr. Katie Ansell and Dr. Mats Selen - University of Illinois

Approaching a question without fear; coming up with an idea; designing an experiment; understanding assumptions; interpreting data; reasoning from evidence. Most physicists would claim they do this for a living and would be delighted to observe this behavior in their students, yet for a variety of reasons, this is often not what we encourage in our introductory physics labs.

We have developed a portable wireless lab system with the goal of putting simple yet powerful tools in the hands of every student, and with it have developed and implemented an introductory physics lab curriculum that bridges between informal “tinkering” and community standards for scientific practices. Our students invent experiments and acquire data both in and out of the classroom, and share their data with each other and with instructors using an integrated cloud-based repository.

This new approach is allowing us to shift the focus of our introductory physics labs toward creativity, critical thinking, and communication.

Contributed Presentations - Saturday, April 24, 2021

8:30 am CT (9:30 am ET)

C1. Implementing PIVOT Interactives for the Modeling Approach to Curriculum

Benjamin Grimes - Roncalli High School - 1 - Active Learning

Methods of creating and implementing videos of a range of guided inquiry activities for first and second year Physics courses in lieu of hands on experiments. Copies of all of the videos and activities can be provided at request.

8:45 am CT (9:45 am ET)

C2. Multi-Model Scenarios

Hugh Ross - Guerin Catholic High School - 2 - Teaching Methods

Ideally, we'd like our "physics graduates" to apply the physical models we develop in our class to solve real life problems and to articulate the simplifying assumptions implicit in their solutions. However, our assessments often involve only problems that are limited in scope to just one or two models. This talk will share ideas for open-ended "Multi-Model Scenarios" that may be used to develop these skills along with an assessment rubric.

9:00 am CT (10:00 am ET)

C3. Bayesian Inference in Intro Physics.

Steve Spicklemire - University of Indianapolis - 2 - Teaching Methods

Physicists are all familiar with frequentists methods for statistical inference since that's been the dominant paradigm for most data analysis for the last century or so. However advances in computing power have made the methods of Bayesian inference available to anyone with a computer! Can we (should we?) introduce students to Bayesian methods in introductory courses? This talk will describe the essential philosophy of Bayesian inference and explore the question of introducing these ideas to students at the undergraduate (or maybe even High School?) level.

9:15 am CT (10:15 am ET)

C4. Skills Based Grading and AP Physics

Craig Williams - Northwestern High School - 2 - Teaching Methods

Skills Based Grading is a system of learning, feedback, and assessment that focuses on student mastery of the course Learning Goals rather than completing assignments and tests for points. Although I initially implemented it in my lower level courses, I have found its principles beneficial for AP Physics as well. I will explain how I modified the grading of AP Physics homework assignments, lab reports, and tests in order to prioritize mastery and allow for students to continue attempting a skill until they mastered it. I will also provide resources (sample learning goal lists, books, and links to workshops) for anyone interested in learning more about SBG and/or thinking about implementing it in their classroom.

9:30 am CT (10:30 am ET) BREAK

9:45 am CT (10:45 am ET)

D1. Machine learning approach to finding differential equations and iterative maps

Jordan Bryan*, C. Gong, T. Sturino, J. Bellinger, Q. Su and R. Grobe - Illinois State University - 5 - Student Research Symposium

We examine machine learning techniques such as genetic evolution-based symbolic regression to construct exact and approximate differential equations and iterative maps for several dynamical systems. This method can recover the logistic map as well as the governing equations of motion for the Lorenz system from noisy chaotic time series. We also examine the continuous time limit of the logistic map. When symbolic regression is applied to numerical trajectories of nonlinear oscillators, it predicts a new iterative map for the orbits. It can also predict approximate differential equations of motion for the time dependence of the average position of an ensemble of nonlinear oscillators. Depending on the initial phase space density of the ensemble, the nonlinearity-induced dephasing mechanism can lead to exponential, Gaussian or even non-monotonic decays of the average position. This research is supported by NSF.

10:00 am CT (11:00 am ET)

D2. Optimization of nonlinear responses based on space-time forces

Jordan Bryan*, Q. Su, R. Grobe - Illinois State University - 5 - Student Research Symposium

We compare numerically the nonlinear response of various systems to external forces with a characteristic space and time dependence. The goal is to maximize the final excitation of the system under suitably chosen space-time variations of the forces. More specially, we maximize the final elongation of a linear harmonic oscillator for forces that are either solely space or time dependent. The optimum elongations are then compared to the response due to a single combined force which has both dependencies. We also perform a similar comparative analysis for the laser induced breakdown process of the quantum vacuum state. This work is supported by the NSF.

10:15 am CT (11:15 am ET)

D3. Results of Computational Exercises Integrated into a General Education Astronomy Course

*James DiCaro, Andrew Princer, Raymond Zich - Illinois State University - 4 - Research

We report on the integration of computational activities to a general education astronomy course and the result of the transformation. Computational activities were added to the course to compliment other active learning methods. The computational exercises were important in developing conceptual understanding and connecting science with prediction. Collaboratively completed spreadsheet-based computational exercises tied to active learning tasks were added to the course. We will discuss the types of exercises, reflect on the transition, and report on influences that led to the inclusion of computational activities, factors that supported the change, and barriers encountered. Results from quantitative and qualitative assessments investigating student learning, attitudes toward computational exercises, and perceptions of the course will be discussed. We found that there were not significant differences pre to post for the TOAST or LPCI, but 86% of students found the computational exercised helpful in learning the material.

10:30 am CT (11:30 am ET)

D4. Vacuum polarization is not a precursor for permanent pair creation

Chi Gong*, Q. Su and R. Grobe - Illinois State University - 5 - Student Research Symposium

The effect of an external charge distribution Q on the Dirac vacuum state has been widely studied. For a small magnitude of Q, it can induce a polarization characterized by the displacement of virtual electrons and positrons. If Q is further increased, the occurrence of real and permanent electron-positron pairs is predicted. These well-known findings might suggest that these two phenomena are just the weak- and strong-field limits of the same dynamical vacuum process. However, a direct comparison of these "limits" for a charged capacitor configuration shows that this view is incorrect. The physical mechanisms that lead to the formation of the vacuum's induced polarization charges are entirely different from those that trigger the permanent creation of electron-positron pairs. This research is supported by NSF.

10:45 am CT (11:45 am ET)

Take Fives!

Mousetrap cars - Tina Ahmadi

Bringing the Second Quantum Revolution to High Schools - David Baxter

Tip the Box Lab - Frank Noschese

It's Not An Old Dead White Guy's Law - Benjamin Grimes

A look at SDR - software defined radio - John Taylor

Civil Air Patrol - Aerospace Education - Daniel Walsh

Business meetings

11:30 am CT (12:30 pm ET)

Section business meetings / Student Research Symposium Awards

Workshops

W1. "New Teacher Network & Development", Saturday, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm CT (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET)
Facilitated by Marianna Ruggerio, Physics Instructor, Auburn High School

W2. "STEP UP for Women", Saturday, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm CT (2:00 pm - 4:30 pm ET)

Facilitated by Jennifer Gimmel, Adjunct Faculty, Physics, College of DuPage

Hosts - Morten Lundsgard, mlundsga@illinois.edu and Craig Williams, craig.williams@nwsc.k12.in.us

This program - Andrew Morrison, amorriso@jjc.edu