Columbus, Ohio
June 24, 2017
June 24, 2017
June 28, 2017
Engineering Physics & Physics
Diversity
11
10.18260/1-2--28400
https://peer.asee.org/28400
452
Robert A. Ross is a Professor of Physics in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. His research interests include semiconductor devices and physics pedagogy. Ross received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics from Wayne State University in Detroit.
E. Prasad Venugopal is an Associate Professor of Physics in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. His research interests include physics education research and science and technology studies. Venugopal received his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA.
Meghann Murray has a position and conducts research in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at University of Detroit Mercy. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry from UDM and is certified to teach high school chemistry and physics. She has taught in programs such as the Detroit Area Pre-college and Engineering program. She has been a judge and mentor with the Science and Engineering Fair of Metropolitan Detroit, FIRST Lego League, and FRC Robotics. She is currently the Chair of the Younger Chemists Committee and Treasurer of the Detroit Local Section of the American Chemical Society.
Lecturer in Physics at the University of Detroit Mercy since 2008, following 30 years in automotive product development at Ford and GM.
Over twenty years ago the second-semester general physics laboratory courses at the University of XX adopted an active-learning curriculum based on the work of McDermott’s group at the University of Washington. Aspects of this research based curriculum have been adopted at a number of institutions.
For about 15 years we have used the Determining and Interpreting Resistive Electric Circuit Concepts Test (DIRECT)[1] as a standardized summative assessment tool. This tool assesses students’ understanding of various concepts related to dc electric circuits. We have individual results for female and male students’ in both algebra-based and calculus-based lecture course sequences. The assessment is given at the end of the second-semester general physics laboratory courses.
We will present the results of the ongoing assessment and compare responses of female and male students. In addition, we will present some item response curves.[2] Item response curves are one type of psychometric indicator of the validity of a question.
[1] P.V. Engelhardt and R. Beichner, “Students’ understanding of direct current resistive electrical circuits,” Am. J. Phys. 72 (1) 98-115 (2004). [2] G.A. Morris et.al., “Testing the test: Item response curves and test quality,” Am. J. Phys. 74 (5) 449-453 (2006).
Ross, R. A., & Venugopal, E. P., & Murray, M. N., & Hillebrand, G. P., & Gonderinger, M. (2017, June), Gender Effects in a General Physics Laboratory Assessment Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--28400
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