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PICUP Fall 2023 Webinar Series: Frame-shifting for student success in physics classroom coding
Presenters: Hannah Kramer, Scott Bonham
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 @ 5:00pm PST | 6:00pm MST | 7:00pm CST | 8:00pm EST
Zoom link
Several years ago, Visual Python (VPython) was incorporated into University Physics as part of adopting the Matter & Interactions curriculum. While computational thinking is widely recognized as an important skill for us to help our students develop, this endeavor does not come without challenges. In particular, our students have struggled to translate physics principles into functional code. In an effort to address student difficulties, we have implemented a series of interventions in University Physics I lab and lecture. From our analysis of student work, we have determined that how students frame (or mentally categorize) VPython activities, whether through a 'coding frame,' a 'physics frame,' or both, is a useful tool for better understanding student difficulties. For this workshop, we will share a sample activity that capitalizes on the importance of frame shifting for student success along with data that led us to this conclusion. Participants
are encouraged to already have set up a GlowScript.org account to participate in the sample activity.
PICUP Fall 2023 Webinar Series: Computational Data Science with Jupyter Notebooks: An Undergrad/Graduate-Level Course Offered in Different Formats
Presenter: Alexander Shvonski
Monday, December 4, 2023 @ 5:00pm PST | 6:00pm MST | 7:00pm CST | 8:00pm EST
Zoom link
Modern computational methods are increasingly becoming an essential tool throughout physics. However, their practical use within Physics is often built upon combined knowledge of computational methods and physics that are taught separately. We present a course that provides realistic, contemporary examples of how computational methods apply to physics research, and deliver this content via interactive Jupyter notebooks. This course, titled "Computational Data Science in Physics," was delivered in several different modalities from 2021 to 2023, ranging from online modules on the MITx Online platform (using Open edX), to a full semester, graduate-level course at MIT. For the online modules, we developed interactive problem graders for coding problems and organized content to promote active learning (e.g., lecture videos intermixed with exercises). Each module culminated in a Final Project, where students applied what they had practiced in previous lessons towards a recent (Nobel prize winning) data set (e.g., LIGO and LHC data). Importantly, we ensured that notebooks were accessible to learners in several formats in order to broaden the modes with which learners could engage with the content.
PICUP Fall 2023 Webinar Series: Pivot Interactives
Presenters: Matt Vonk, Peter Bohacek
Matt Vonk, UW River Falls
Peter Bohacek, Pivot Interactives
Tuesday, August 22, 2023 @ 5:00pm PDT | 6:00pm MDT | 7:00pm CDT | 8:00pm EDT
Zoom link
Zoom meeting ID: 958 2166 1854
Passcode: 101840
Pivot Interactives is an online platform created by and for teachers. Pivot lets students engage with real phenomena and lets them put their science skills into practice. This webinar will highlight the power of interactive video and provide ideas for how to harness that power throughout the instructional cycle, e.g., using Pivot to introduce a new concept, to apply knowledge to relevant real-world situations, or to provide authentic assessments. In many cases, students can not only discover the basic laws of physics on their own, but they can push farther to see how and why those simple models start to fall short. Participation and questions encouraged!
PICUP Spring Webinar Series: Exploring the Intersection of Physics Education and AI: The Role of ChatGPT
May 9, 2023, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2023-05-09
Presenters: Duncan Carlsmith, Walter Freeman, Jay Wang, Colin West
Join us for a thought-provoking virtual panel featuring four distinguished university physics faculty as they explore the implications of ChatGPT and AI on undergraduate physics education. With the rise of AI technologies, the landscape of physics education is rapidly evolving, and this panel promises to offer unique insights on how these advances will impact the classroom.
Our esteemed panelists will delve into a variety of topics, including how AI can be used to enhance traditional teaching methods, the role of AI in personalized learning, and the potential for AI to transform the way we approach physics education. They will also discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with incorporating AI into the undergraduate curriculum, and share their own experiences of using these cutting-edge tools in their own teaching practices.
Whether you are an undergraduate physics student, a physics educator, or simply interested in the future of AI in education, this panel is not to be missed. Engage in a lively and thought-provoking discussion with some of the leading minds in the field of physics education. Register now to reserve your spot and be part of this exciting conversation!
NOTE: The above webinar description was generated by ChatGPT.
PICUP Webinar: Various ways to use HTML5 simulations in a physics class
March 21, 2023, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2023-03-21
Presenter: Andrew Duffy
I have developed a set of 200 HTML5 simulations aimed at introductory physics, which are freely available on the web (see link below). This talk will focus on our experience at Boston University, incorporating these simulations into a large algebra-based introductory physics course for life-science students. I will show examples of various ways we use these simulations, including incorporating them into lab activities, embedding them in class worksheets and homework problems, using them for class demonstrations, and building an interactive e-book, on Top Hat, around them. Feel free to explore the simulations yourself ahead of time:
200 HTML5 physics simulations: https://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/sims.html
A larger collection, including many Physlet simulations: https://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/classroom.html
PICUP Spring Webinar Series: A Scaffolding Framework for Supporting Students’ Development of Computational Adaptive Expertise
February 16, 2023, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2023-03-09
Presenter: Patricia Soto
Speaker: Alejandra J. Magana, Purdue University
Thursday, February 16
Modern science and engineering workplaces now use computational practices to aid in analyzing and designing products, processes, and systems. In light of the integration of these practices in the workplace, engineering educators continue to identify the breadth and depth of computation, data science, modeling, and simulation skills needed by the 21st Century STEM workforce. This agenda establishes an integrated, evidence-based program of research and education centered on how people develop model-based reasoning through authentic computational practices in science and engineering. Through a series of qualitative and quantitative research studies, we attempt to understand (i) How can faculty support student model-based reasoning using computational tools? and (ii) How can students develop computational adaptive expertise? This presentation (1) provides an overview of ways in which science and engineering instructors have integrated computation practices as part of their undergraduate curriculum; (2) identifies the different forms of reasoning and knowledge used when students engage in these practices as they perform problem-solving; and (3) describes opportunities and challenges students have encountered when engaging in these practices. The ultimate goal is to identify pedagogies and learning strategies that can result in students' computational adaptive expertise.
Joint PICUP/ALPhA Webinar: Computational Physics with Python and Vernier Sensors
November 14, 2022, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2022-11-14
Presenters: Tom Smith, Dave Vernier
Integrate live data collection into your computational physics activities. Take advantage of your Vernier sensors using Python and Web VPython (formerly known as Glowscript) to increase student engagement and comprehension. Dave Vernier and Tom Smith will show you the resources available and provide examples that illustrate the benefits of this combination of hardware and software.
PICUP Fall Webinar Series: Using Computing in Physics at the Molecular and Cellular Level P@MCL
October 5, 2022, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2022-11-02
Presenter: Lisa Lapidus
In 2016, Michigan State University began a pilot of a new curriculum of introductory physics for life scientists. Because biology-related applications on the macroscale are complex and require mathematics beyond introductory calculus, the focus is entirely on applications from molecular and cellular biology, which are amenable to computing. The curriculum is designed around two main themes, diffusion and electric dipoles. In this talk I shall discuss how diffusion is explored as an emergent phenomenon of elastic collisions by building from one to many balls in a box. Extending the simulations to realistic force fields also illuminates bound states. These simulations provide the framework for introducing entropy from the perspective of statistical mechanics. They also mirror molecular dynamics simulations regularly used by computational biologists to study real phenomena such as protein folding and function.
PICUP Spring Webinar Series: The Unveiling of the PICUP Capstone Report
May 11, 2022, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2022-05-11
Presenters: Robert Hilborn, Kelly Roos, Larry Engelhardt, Michelle Kuchera, Alexis Knaub, Todd Zimmerman, Brandon Lunk, Marie Lopez del Puerto
The long-awaited PICUP Capstone Report on the state of computation in undergraduate physics (from a PICUP perspective!) is now public. Several of the report authors will be available for comments and discussion surrounding the report.
Wednesday, May 11, 2022; 5:00pm PDT | 6:00pm MDT | 7:00pm CDT | 8:00pm EDT
PICUP Spring Webinar Series: Computation in Introductory Physics at KU
April 27, 2022, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2022-04-27
Presenter: Jennifer Delgado
This presentation will discuss an attempt to develop “pre-simulation” skills for non-major students in a first semester, algebra-based physics course. As part of their weekly work, students were asked to create a calculator for homework questions using excel. They were asked to make their calculators such that the value of the variables in the problem could be changed but the calculator would still produce the correct answer. The goal of this was to get students to solve the question using variables first. Students preforming better in the course did better on these exercises.
Joint PICUP/ALPhA Webinar: Coupled Modes of Oscillators and Instruction: Combining Theory, Computation, and Experiment in Junior-level Mechanics
March 30, 2022, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2022-03-30
Presenters: Nicholas Nelson, Eric Ayars
In our community we often describe ourselves as theoretical, computational, or experimental physicists. That division between theory, computation, and experiment is often present at the upper-division level of our undergraduate courses as well – but should it be? A growing body of research is showing that integrating different methodologies can greatly improve student outcomes. In this webinar we will present an overview of our attempt to break down the divisions between theory, computation, and experiment in upper-division physics courses at Chico State, as well as a specific example of how all three methodologies have been combined in our junior-level classical mechanics course.
PICUP Spring 2022 Webinar Series: Quantum Mechanics and Data Science for HS Physics
February 16, 2022, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2022-02-16
Presenters: Christopher Orban, W. Brian Lane
Our first webinar of the spring semester focused on some exciting new developments targeting the high school level.
Computation-Based Spins-First Quantum Mechanics for High School
Dr. Brian Lane, University of North Florida
Our students' careers will touch on quantum concepts in ways we might not anticipate, yet the learning of quantum mechanics largely remains separated from the high school physics experience where students first form expectations of how they might use physics throughout their lives. Two primary barriers to integrating quantum into the high school context are conceptual challenges and mathematical formalism. We outline how these barriers can be lowered by adopting a computationally integrated spins-first approach. We have begun introducing this approach to a cohort of high school physics and chemistry teachers with the goal of introducing a supplemental quantum unit in the teachers' classes at the end of the school year and tracking the adaptations required to deliver this experience to high school students. We present the structure of our professional development activities and report on the successes and challenges thus far.
New tools to integrate data science into your physics class
Dr. Chris Orban, Ohio State University
A feature of most tools to analyze motion in physics labs is automatic calculation of the velocity and acceleration of objects from position versus time data. This is convenient but it squanders an opportunity to let students learn how to analyze data and calculate these quantities themselves (for example with a spreadsheet). I will discuss tools and other content that we developed in the STEMcoding project with this goal in mind, including the STEMcoding Object Tracker
PICUP Fall 2021 Webinar Series: Hidden Gems of the PICUP Collection
December 7, 2021, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2021-12-07
Presenter: Todd Zimmerman
The PICUP website hosts a variety of activities for your physics class. Many of these are peer-reviewed by educators like you, and are ready to deploy with background information, step-by-step exercises, sample codes, and solutions. Join us as Todd Zimmerman, Editor in Chief of the PICUP Collection, highlights some of the resources that PICUP has to offer.
PICUP Fall 2021 Webinar Series: Integrating Computation Across the Curriculum at IUPUI
October 28, 2021, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2021-10-28
Presenters: Andy Gavrin, Gautam Vemuri
The Physics Department at IUPUI is now in the fourth year of an initiative to implement computational methods across all undergraduate physics classes at IUPUI. Our goal is ambitious: for approximately 25% of all assignments to be computational by 2023. During this webinar, we will give an overview of this initiative from its inception through the present. We'll emphasize our department's change process, the mistakes we've made, and lessons learned. We'll also discuss the assessment tool we have developed, preliminary results, and next steps. We will leave plenty of time for Q&A.
Presenters:
Andy Gavrin is Associate Professor of physics at IUPUI. He is active in physics education research, and was Chair of the department for the first three years of the project.
Gautam Vemuri is Professor of Physics at IUPUI. His research is focused on laser physics and nonlinear optics. As part of the project, he developed and now teaches the "Introduction to Computational Physics" course.
PICUP Fall 2021 Webinar Series: A Beginner's Guide to
PICUP
September 29, 2021, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2021-09-29
Presenter: Marie Lopez del Puerto
Watch to explore what PICUP does and see how you (or any colleagues you invite) can get involved in the partnership! The Partnership for Integration of Computation into Undergraduate Physics (PICUP) mission is described in its name, but how exactly do we do that? You probably know some of what PICUP does, but did you know that we:
* Host in-person and online intensive faculty development workshops each summer?
* Have regular webinars during the academic year?
* Curate an ever-growing collection of pedagogical resources?
* Host a vibrant online community of computational physics enthusiasts?
* Have been supported by NSF funding?
PICUP Spring 21 Webinar Series: Physics for Tomorrow: Contemporary Enhancements to the Undergraduate
June 1, 2021, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2021-06-01
Presenter: Crystal Bailey
For years PICUP has advocated the integration of a significant computational component into the undergraduate physics curriculum. But computation is just part of a broader set of enhancements to the curriculum that should be made to accommodate the career prospects of contemporary physics students. In this meeting there will be a short presentation regarding what a contemporary undergraduate physics curriculum might include, followed by stimulating discussion. All are invited to attend, participate, and provide input on this important topic.
This webinar is co-sponsored by Physics for Tomorrow, a burgeoning group of physics faculty from the ALPhA, PIPELINE Network, and PICUP communities dedicated to improving the physics experience for undergraduates.
PICUP Spring 2021 Webinar Series: The Future of Remote Learning in Physics
Presenters: KC Walsh, Walter Freeman
This webinar was not recorded.
After more than a year of being compelled to engage in remote instruction, a return to a conventional, in-person educational experience is overwhelmingly desired; yet, it is also becoming clear that certain aspects of remote learning will (and probably should) continue even when the pandemic has passed. There will be short presentations followed by time for discussion.
PICUP Spring 2021 Webinar Series: Computational Thinking in K-16 STEM Education
February 25, 2021, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2021-02-25
Presenter: Terrie Galanti
How do we inspire our STEM students to perceive computation as a creative and innovative endeavor? In her talk titled "Meaning Making in Computational Thinking", Dr. Terrie Galanti draws upon her experiences as an electrical engineer, high school mathematics teacher, and K-16 STEM Education researcher to ponder logical thinking though the eyes of the learner. As they respond to questions that make computational thinking visible, students can grow to see themselves as productive STEM thinkers.
PICUP Spring 2021 Webinar Series: Computation in Undergrad Physics with an Emphasis on Using MATLAB
January 28, 2021, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2021-01-28
Presenters: Michele McColgan, Duncan Carlsmith
The presenters use MATLAB in their courses, and this meeting will provide a good opportunity to see the functionality that MATLAB affords. However, the presenters' approach to integrating computation is relevant generally; thus, this meeting should be of great interest, even if you are not a MATLAB user. The meeting will start with short presentations, and then we'll have time for questions and discussion in a colloquial setting.
PICUP Back-to-School Webinar: Tools of the Trade
August 12, 2020, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2020-08-12
Presenters: Brett DePaola, Kelly Roos, Larry Engelhardt, Karen Camarda, Christopher Orban, Nicholas Nelson, Bruce Sherwood
Join us for a special back-to-school PICUP webinar where we'll briefly explore a number of free tools that are available to help you deliver computational activities in your physics courses: Jupyter Notebooks (local and in the cloud), Spyder, Octave/Matlab, GlowScript/VPython, p5.js, and Excel/Google spreadsheets. After being introduced to these platforms, you'll be able to ask questions and schedule follow-up learning opportunities based on the platform(s) that interests you most.
June 26, 2020, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2020-06-26
Presenter: Marie Lopez del Puerto
This conference featured 18 presentations and 5 panel discussions that provided you with tips, tricks, and best practices to help you teach physics online!
This link provides access to the conference website which includes presentation videos, abstracts, and more.
PICUP Spring 2020 Webinar Series: Online Trajectories
May 21, 2020, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2020-05-21
Presenter: Rebecca Vieyra
Now that we've survived the half-online semester of spring 2020, we can start to make more proactive plans for modified delivery in fall 2020. Whether we're planning to teach online, meet with students six feet apart, or evaluate our options for teaching with social distancing, there's a lot we can learn from each other to deliver the best physics experience to our students. Come hear from colleagues and developers who have plenty to share about new approaches to our classes, and specifically about teaching computation on-line.
Featured Presenters: Rebecca Vieyra, Ruth Chabay, Bruce Sherwood, and Ariel Paul.
PICUP Spring 2020 Webinar Series: Failure Modes for Online Physics
April 29, 2020, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2020-04-29
Presenter: Nicholas Nelson
In our rushed move to teaching physics online, it was probably inevitable that some things were going to go wrong. Now that we have been at it for a while, we are all starting to see just how something we had hoped would help our students may have instead confused them, or things that we had hoped would simplify the logistics of teaching virtually have actually made them more complex. In homage to the engineers, we're searching for failure modes in our online teaching. Join us for a few examples of where, how, and why a topic, a homework, or a lab hasn't worked out the way we envisioned and what we've learned from these stumbles.
PICUP Spring 2020 Webinar Series: Our transition to virtual instruction: How are we doing so far?
April 2, 2020, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2020-04-02
Presenter: Manuel Bautista
This webinar will provide an opportunity for you to share your approach to conducting online courses, what may or may not be working, point others to effective resources you have discovered, or to just listen and possibly PICUP(!) some good ideas.
PICUP Spring 2020 Webinar Series: Why Integrate Computation?
March 10, 2020, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2020-03-10
Presenter: W. Brian Lane
It's been almost a decade since the AAPT formally recommended "that every physics and astronomy department provide its majors and potential majors with appropriate instruction in computational physics." In this webinar we'll explore why young physicists need computational skills and why faculty need to integrate computation deeper into their undergraduate coursework. Join the PICUP for a panel discussion focused on the question "Why integrate computation?"
Joint PICUP/SIGHPC Webinar (Session 2 of 2)
December 6, 2019, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2019-12-06
Presenter: Bob Panoff
Presentations focused on the use of Excel for computational physics and several interesting physics applications that can be tackled computationally.
Presenters: Robert Panoff and Kelly Roos
Joint PICUP/SIGHPC Webinar (Session 1 of 2)
November 14, 2019, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2019-11-14
Presenter: Larry Engelhardt
Presentations focused on the nature of PICUP activities, teaching "Computational Physics" courses, and the use of Mathematica.
Presenters: Larry Engelhardt and Richard Gass
December 9, 2019, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2019-12-09
Presenter: Nicholas Nelson
The Good, the Bad, and the Computational: A Discussion on Your Integration of Computation This Semester
How did you integrate computation into your courses this semester? What worked, what didn't, and why? Bring your experiences for a group discussion of the ups and downs of whatever you tried this semester so we can all learn from each others successes and failures.
PICUP Community Synchronous Meeting: Integrating Computation in Your Non-Computational Class
Presenter: W. Brian Lane
This webinar was not recorded.
Join us for a practical discussion on how we can integrate computation into non-computational courses, including an example by Brian Lane. Come ready to share your thoughts and questions.
PICUP October 2019 Webinar: Plugging computation into upper-division physics courses without turning the class into a numerical methods course
October 1, 2019, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2019-10-01
Presenter: Walter Freeman
Integrating computation into upper-division physics courses without turning the class into a numerical methods course: A discussion of some computational physics exercise sets, with a focus on upper-level physics. Topics were discussed in non-linear mechanics and optics.
PICUP December 2018 Webinar: An overview of the PICUP website and the PICUP Collection
December 4, 2018, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2018-12-04
Presenter: Larry Engelhardt
In this meeting, Larry Engelhardt and Kelly Roos provided an introduction and overview of PICUP website and the PICUP Collection, introduced PICUP Exercise Sets and the PICUP Faculty Commons, described the process for authoring materials for the PICUP Collection, and discussed the editorial and review process for materials submitted to the PICUP collection.
PICUP October 2018 Webinar: Unique and Interesting Undergraduate-accessible Computational Problems
October 30, 2018, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2018-10-30
Presenter: Larry Engelhardt
One advantage of using computational/numerical methods is that problems that would otherwise be too difficult to solve (analytically) are now within reach for undergraduate students. Given this broader array of problems that can potentially be solved -- what are some of the EXCITING problems that students would actually find INTERESTING to solve...without being too difficult for undergraduate students?
We present discussion of activities that enable students to do cool things using computation, that go beyond the typical physics topics/problems, and how these problems can be integrated into undergraduate courses.
PICUP October 2018 Webinar: A meeting of Editors of the PICUP Collection
September 27, 2018, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2018-09-27
Presenter: Larry Engelhardt
We reviewed the PICUP website, pointed out some of the newly implemented features in the PICUP website, discussed suggestions for future website implementations, and discussed the Peer Review process for the PICUP Collection.
PICUP Community July Meeting: What to expect for your upcoming PICUP workshop
Presenters: Larry Engelhardt, Kelly Roos, Todd Zimmerman
This webinar was not recorded.
Larry, Kelly, and Todd guided participants through what they could expect at the July 2018 PICUP workshop.
February 27, 2018, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2018-02-27
Presenter: Todd Zimmerman
Todd Zimmerman shared some of his work to integrate computation in advanced lab and led a discussion around using computation in labs.
January 29, 2018, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2018-01-29
Presenter: Michelle Kuchera
Michelle Kuchera presented on pair programming.
November 29, 2017, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2017-11-29
Presenter: Marie Lopez del Puerto
A discussion of how things have gone in Fall 2017 in integrating computation into our courses. The discussion focused on introductory physics.
May 9, 2017, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2017-05-09
Presenter: Tony Musumba
Sharing of words of wisdom from some of the alumni from the 2016 Faculty Development Workshop (FDW) to let people know what to expect for the upcoming 2017 FDW.
April 11, 2017, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2017-04-11
Presenter: Ernest Behringer
A group discussion about how people are using computation in their courses. A wide variety of topics were discussed, including a mix of both introductory and upper-level courses, and multiple different platforms.
PICUP February 2017 Webinar
February 7, 2017, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2017-02-07
Presenter: Steven Wolf
A discussion of what resources PICUP can and should offer to help the physics community to get started integrating computation into their courses.
March 21, 2017, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2017-03-21
Presenter: Danny Caballero
A discussion of computational learning goals, including both goals for computation in general and goals for specific courses.
December 12, 2016, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2016-12-12
Presenter: Hunter Close
A reflection on the 2016 semester: how things went and what take-away lessons can people share for future semesters. Discussion included a mix of both introductory physics and computational physics.
October 24, 2016, DOI: 10.1119/PICUP.Webinar.2016-10-24
Presenter: Michelle Kuchera
A small group discussion of how people have been influenced by their attendance at the 2016 Faculty Development Workshop (FDW), and how/what faculty have implemented based on their attendance of the FDW.
