Greater Chicagoland PICUP Workshop 2024
Date
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Location
- Lewis University, Main Academic Building, Room AS-158-A
- Address: One University Parkway, Romeoville, IL 60446
- Parking: Visitor Lot D off University Drive North
- Coordinates: 41°36'24.95"N 88°04'49.27"W; 41.606927, -88.080348
Who Should Attend
Any physics educators from around the Chicagoland area (or anywhere else if you're willing to travel!) that want to energize their physics courses! The scope of this workshop is appropriate for physics teachers from high schools, 2-year colleges, and 4-year colleges and universities.
The workshop will include demonstrations and discussions about various aspects of integrating computational activities into physics courses at all levels from introductory to advanced. There will also be guided working time wherein participants will explore tested exercises, and will build an outline that will serve as the beginning of a plan for integrating computational activities into their specific courses. Finally, by participating in this workshop participants will become plugged into a growing and supportive community of like-minded physics educators dedicated to improving the physics curriculum. The support system includes a repository of developed computational materials as well as dedicated online and personal community support.
NOTE: This is the first reconvening of the Chicagoland workshop post-COVID. If you have attended one or both of the previous two workshops (2018 or 2019) you are absolutely welcome and encouraged to return. In addition to the introductory topics, intended for faculty who have little or no experience integrating computational activities into their physics courses, or for prior attendees who would like refreshers, there will be concurrent sessions with advanced and other topics of computational and pedagogical interest.
Registration
Registration is now open--hit that big green button below!
Registration: $25
NOTE: The registration fee will be reimbursed for faculty from Two-Year Colleges by The Organization for Physics at Two-Year Colleges (OPTYCs) upon completion of the workshop. Click here to learn all about OPTYCs.
The Registration deadline is September 17, 2024 Good news, everyone!!! There is now no registration deadline!
Walk-in registrations this Saturday are welcome!
Registration includes lunch!
Poster Session
If you have experience in integrating computational activities into your undergraduate or high school physics courses, and would like to display and discuss your work in this area, there will be a formal poster session during the day on Saturday. Please consider bringing a poster detailing your computational pedagogical efforts.
Workshop Schedule
Schedule for Saturday, September 21
8:30-9:15 Arrival, Registration, and Continental Breakfast
9:15-9:30 Welcome, Introductions, and Workshop Goals
Please sign in: https://forms.gle/
9:30-10:45 Excel and Glowscript: What are the possibilities?
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-12:00 Computational Activities in Mid to Upper Division Courses and the Anaconda Distribution
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-12:45 Workshop Photo
12:45-1:45 Student Panel
1:45-3:45 Small Groups
3:45-4:00 Wrap Up
Spreadsheets
This series of videos shows how to make use of some basic spreadsheet functionality to build computational models, and includes a review of the simple Euler Method for solving a first order differential equation in the context of solving Newton's 2nd Law. The series culminates with an implementation of a model of a Falling Sphere without air resistance. Any spreadsheet program can be used to follow along, and work through the content in these videos.
Building a Control Panel - Excel/LibreOffice
Building a Control Panel - Google Sheets
Basic Iterative Calculations and Building a Kinematic Problem Solver - Excel/LibreOffice
Basic Iterative Calculations and Building a Kinematic Problem Solver - Google Sheets
Falling Sphere without Air Resistance
VPython
Questions/Need help?
If you have any questions, or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact one of the workshop coordinators:
Ryan Hooper, Department of Physics, Lewis University hooperry@lewisu.edu
Joseph Kozminski, Department of Physics, Lewis University kozminjo@lewisu.edu
Kelly Roos, Department of Economics and Finance, Bradley University rooster@bradley.edu
Anthony Escuadro, Physical Science Department, Harold Washington College aescuadro@ccc.edu
Andrew Morrison, Department of Natural Sciences, Joliet Junior College amorriso@jjc.edu
