Isaac Physics
All the questions in the Nuclear Physics Masterclasses are set through Isaac Physics. Using an Isaac Physics teacher account, you can track your students' progress. The information below takes you step by step through this process.
If you are already a regular Isaac Physics user, you can skip to the "Track your students' progress" section below.
Setting up Isaac Physics
Isaac Physics is an online resource that aims to encourage insight and understanding of both pre-16 (GCSE and equivalent) and post-16 (A-level equivalent) physics through problem-solving. Isaac physics does this through practice and problem-solving questions with automated marking and feedback.
All the questions in the masterclass resources utilise Isaac Physics questions. These questions can be accessed without any form of login or account, but in order to get the most out of the system, and engagement with the masterclass, you and your students should set up accounts.
Accounts are free to set up for both students and teachers and do not generally require high bandwidth or internet data.
Register as a teacher with Isaac Physics
Go to isaacphysics.org/register and create an account.
Follow the instructions to create a Teacher account: isaacphysics.org/pages/contact_us_teacher
On the homepage, you should now see an option ‘Teach’ in the top menu. Select ‘Teacher Features’ to find out how to create a class group, how to set assignments, and how to view your students’ progress.
If you have any problems, you can contact Isaac Physics.
Once you have created an Isaac Physics account, we strongly recommend using it for physics educational content. It is a great, free educational tool with 1000s of practice questions at all levels.
Create a class group for your students
If you already have an Isaac Physics group for your class, you do not need to create a new one in order to track your students' progress through the masterclass. Otherwise, create a group as follows:
Go to 'Teach' and select 'Manage groups'. To create a new group, you need to enter a group name and select 'Create'.
Invite your students to join this group. There are two ways for students to link their accounts:
by sending them a link, which they can click on and then log in, or by sending them a code, which they can enter in their 'My Account' under 'Teacher Connections'.
You see these when you create a group, and you can always find them again by clicking the "Invite Users" button. Students will be asked to grant access to you and any other teachers. They must accept in order to join the group.
Note that students must already have an account, which they can set up by going to isaacphysics.org/register.
For more information check out these videos:
Monitoring your students throughout the Masterclass
Track your students' progress
In order to track your students' progress, you will need to set the same assignments to your class group as set in the Nuclear Physics Masterclass.
For each of the Nuclear Masterclass modules, click on the Isaac question activity links (also provided below). Once in Isaac Physics, scroll to the bottom of the page, select 'Set as assignment', and click your class group under the 'Group:' drop-down menu. Note that you will need to be logged in to your teacher account to see the 'Set assignment' option.
We recommend setting the assignments only once the associated materials are available to the students (i.e. setting assignments on a week by week basis, rather than setting all questions at the beginning of the course). Dates on which the content is released are given on both the masterclass homepages, and on the module links below.
Once you have set all the assignments, you will be able to see your class' progress by going to 'Teach', 'Assignment Progress'.
We have a threshold of 75% to receive a certificate of completion for the masterclass, but if you are using this with your class, you can set any target you choose. Note that students completing the post-16 masterclass only have to complete two of the four optional modules.
Certificates of Completion for your students
Create a group, as previously, by going to 'Teach' and selecting 'Manage groups'. However, this time your group name will be shared with us so please enter it in the following format: 'Nuclear MC/School name/Year group'
Before inviting students to the masterclass, you need to add Binding Blocks as a group manager. Select 'Add/remove group managers' and enter physics-bindingblocks@york.ac.uk.
Then invite your students to join the group and set the assignments. In addition to you being able to track your students' progress, we will also have access to this data. Simply email physics-bindingblocks@york.ac.uk when your students complete the Masterclass, and we will issue you certificates to distribute.
Using the masterclass independently of Binding Blocks
Go to 'Teach' and select 'Manage groups'. To create a new group, you need to enter a group name and select 'Create'. Your group name will be shared with us so please enter it in the following format: 'Nuclear MC/School name/Year group'
Before inviting students to the masterclass, you need to add Binding Blocks as a group manager. Select 'Add/remove group managers' and enter physics-bindingblocks@york.ac.uk.
You then need to invite students to connect their account to yours. Students should set up their accounts by going to isaacphysics.org/register and create their account, just as you already did. After this, they can link their account to your class so that you can see them. There are two ways for students to link their accounts: by sending them a link, which they can click on and then log in, or by sending them a code, which they can enter in their "My Account" under "Teacher Connections".
You see these when you create a group, and you can always find them again by clicking the "Invite Users" button. Students will be asked to grant access to you and any other teachers. They must accept in order to join the group.
Through the Binding Blocks modules, you need to select an assignment and click 'Set as assignment' and click your group under the 'Group:' drop-down menu.
If you would like to monitor your class as they complete the masterclass, you will need to repeat this process for every assignment in the masterclass.
When your class has completed the masterclass, please email us and we can issue certificates. We require a 75% threshold to pass the masterclass - if you are unsure, we can check this for you.