Website Detail Page

written by Sam B. McKagan, Katherine K. Perkins, and Carl E. Wieman
This website contains lectures, homework, exams, and other materials for a large lecture modern physics course for engineering majors.  This course has been transformed by radically changing both the content and the learning techniques implemented in lecture and homework. Traditionally this course has been taught in a manner similar to the equivalent course for physics majors, focusing on mathematical solutions of abstract problems. Based on interviews with physics and engineering professors, we developed a syllabus and learning goals focused on content that was more useful to our actual student population: engineering majors. The content of this course emphasized reasoning development, model building, and connections to real world applications. In addition we implemented a variety of PER-based learning techniques, including peer instruction, collaborative homework sessions, and interactive simulations. We have assessed the effectiveness of reforms in this course using pre/post surveys on both content and beliefs. We have found significant improvements in both content knowledge and beliefs compared with the same course before implementing these reforms and a corresponding course for physics majors.
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Modern Physics
- General
- Upper Undergraduate
- Instructional Material
= Curriculum
PER-Central Type Intended Users Ratings
- Curriculum
- Educators
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Format:
text/html
Mirror:
http://per.colorado.edu/modern/
Access Rights:
Free access
Restriction:
Does not have a copyright, license, or other use restriction.
Keywords:
Modern Physics, PER-based Learning Techniques, Reformed Curriculum, Research-based Curriculum
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created March 15, 2007 by Sam McKagan
Record Updated:
July 18, 2010 by Lyle Barbato
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

AIP Format
S. McKagan, K. Perkins, and C. Wieman, Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course, WWW Document, (http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/modern/).
APA Format
McKagan, S., Perkins, K., & Wieman, C. (n.d.). Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course. Retrieved September 2, 2010, from http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/modern/
Chicago Format
McKagan, S, K. Perkins, and C. Wieman. Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course. http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/modern/ (accessed 2 September 2010).
MLA Format
McKagan, Sam, Katherine Perkins, and Carl Wieman. Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course. 2 Sep. 2010 <http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/modern/>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Author = "Sam McKagan and Katherine Perkins and Carl Wieman", Title = {Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course}, Volume = {2010}, Number = {2 September 2010}, Year = {} }
Refer Export Format

%A Sam McKagan
%A Katherine Perkins
%A Carl Wieman
%T Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course
%U http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/modern/
%O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source
%A McKagan, Sam
%A Perkins, Katherine
%A Wieman, Carl
%T Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course
%V 2010
%N 2 September 2010
%9 text/html
%U http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/modern/


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Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on the Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education Research journal and includes journal article titles.

The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ.

The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

Course materials for a PER-based modern physics course:


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