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Assessment of online learning in STEM writing intensive physics classes in a community college during COVID-19

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Conference

2020 Fall ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Meeting

Location

Virtual (hosted by Stevens Institute of Technology)

Publication Date

November 7, 2020

Start Date

November 7, 2020

End Date

November 7, 2020

Page Count

12

DOI

10.18260/1-2--36042

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/36042

Download Count

298

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Paper Authors

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sunil Dehipawala City University of New York, Queensborough Community College

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Sunil Dehipawala received his B.S. degree from University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka and Ph.D from City University of New York. Currently, he is working as a faculty member at Queensborough Community College of CUNY.

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Vazgen Shekoyan

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Dr. Vazgen Shekoyan is a professor of physics and his experiences include pedagogy, CubeSat, etc.

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Dimitrios S. Kokkinos City University of New York, Queensborough Community College

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Dr. Dimitrios Kokkinos is an Associate Professor of Physics at Queensborough Community College of CUNY since 2017. He Completed his Electrical Engineering degrees (BE, ME, PhD) at CUNY and undergraduate in Physics in Europe. He worked in industry for AT&T Bell Labs and Verizon Communications for 23 years as a telecommunications engineer specialized in fiber optical system research and development. He is teaching pre-Engineering Physics courses, conducts research in fiber sensors and mentors student research projects.

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Rex Taibu

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Dr. Rex Taibu has taught studio physics classes for several years. His teaching experience has shaped his research focus. Currently, Dr. Taibu is actively engaged in

1) promoting scientific inquiry attitudes in students through designing, implementing, and assessing innovative inquiry based physics labs.

2) conducting research regarding the role of language in conceptual understanding.

3) exploring cosmic rays (detection, data collection, and analysis).

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George Tremberger Jr

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George Tremberger serves as Lecturer in City University of New York Queensborough Community College Physics Department and his interests include pedagogy and astronomy.

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Tak Cheung

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Tak Cheung, Ph.D., professor of physics, teaches in CUNY Queensborough Community College. He also conducts research and mentors student research projects.

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Abstract

The online delivery of STEM writing intensive physics classes in a community college during COVID-19 has been a challenge in terms of preparation time and reference materials. The City University of New York imposed writing intensive across the curriculum and Queensborough Community College accepts the implementation of the writing intensive component in STEM Physics classes. The adaptation of in-person instruction to online instruction is one of the most obvious approaches. The in-person standard pedagogy of “Ask questions the other person will enjoy answering” has been implemented using the interactive video learning principle, which can be implemented in Blackboard using the Playposit technology; initiated as a NSF SBIR project which then achieved NSF endorsement status as being 300% more effective when compared to regular video learning. The online delivery design includes the transformation of a numeric plug-in example into several scenarios described by words, the changing of input numeric information to illustrate the physics principle driven methodology in a deduction process, and the incorporation of daily experience in COVID-19 lockdown condition as physics examples to illustrate evidence based methodology in an induction process. The assessment includes improvement of self-awareness in terms of the 3-Whys, (namely, why am I learning this? why do people care that I learn this, and why should I care?), lateral thinking in terms of alternative solutions, and the level of prospection. The impact of artificial intelligence software in student learning and possible plagiarism are discussed.

Dehipawala, S., & Shekoyan, V., & Kokkinos, D. S., & Taibu, R., & Tremberger, G., & Cheung, T. (2020, November), Assessment of online learning in STEM writing intensive physics classes in a community college during COVID-19 Paper presented at 2020 Fall ASEE Mid-Atlantic Section Meeting, Virtual (hosted by Stevens Institute of Technology). 10.18260/1-2--36042

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