Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University

Introduction

Contact

Marcia Fetters
Associate Professor of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership
marcia.fetters@wmich.edu
269/387-3538

Al Rosenthal
Associate Professor of Physics
alvin.rosenthal@wmich.edu
269 387-4952

Western Michigan University Website

Western Michigan has focused its PhysTEC efforts on reforming its introductory course sequence, recruiting additional majors and minors, and preparing their teaching graduates to use interactive methods. As at many institutions, faculty adoption of course reforms has been uneven, and as a result, the PIs have been able to gather data to show convincingly that interactive courses yield higher gains on concept assessments than do traditionally taught courses. Western Michigan project leaders also reports that although they did not set out with this goal, they have “built a community of physics teachers composed of preservice teachers, novice teachers, and experienced local teachers of physics.”

Faculty

Marcia Fetters Marcia Fetters
Bob Poel Bob Poel
Al Rosenthal Al Rosenthal

Teachers-in-Residence

Dale Freeland (2002-2003) Dale Freeland (2002-2003)
Gene Wood (2003-2004) Gene Wood (2003-2004)
Bill Semrau (2004-2005) Bill Semrau (2004-2005)
Drew Isola (2005-2007) Drew Isola (2005-2007)