Context:

• LA program is only in physics

• All sections of intro calculus-based physics have LAs; LAs come to the “lecture” times (two 80-minute class meetings each week) to transform 50-student sections into small-group learning environment

• Weekly prep is two hours (Fridays noon to 2:00pm)

• Begins with all physics LAs together, with all faculty teaching in the intro sequence, then breaks into groups by course (multiple sections)

Outline of activities

• (5-10 min.) Announcements / opportunities (e.g., SPS outreach event, REU programs)

• (15-25 min.) Whole-group discussion (some weeks) on current concerns / relevant current events topics. Examples:

  • What are your current struggles?

  • What are your strategies for working with the students in the Help Center?

  • Here’s an article that just came out about “expectations of brilliance” and gender – is this consistent with your experiences? What do you think about this research result?

BREAK into course groups – intro Mechanics, intro E&M, intro Waves and Heat all in different rooms.

• (10 min.) LAs meet with Course-specific instructors (in different corners of the room), debrief the previous week, give instructors feedback about students / groups

  • Note: some LAs are assigned to multiple sections – choose which instructor to meet with

• (60-90 min.) Get into small groups, work through tutorial / challenge problems for the next week

  • work in groups of 3-4 – different groups each week

  • as you work, think about where and how students will struggle

• (10-20 min.) Debrief: first with your small group, then with large group:

  • What are the key concepts/skills we want students to learn from this activity?

  • What are the pedagogical issues? – e.g., common student mental models, places in the tutorial to let students continue even if they are incorrect vs. places to intervene.

  • What do students need to know before they start the tutorial / activity?