from Inquiry, Volume 1, Number 2, Fall 1997, 78-80
© Copyright 1997 Virginia Community College System
Abstract
PHY 101-102 have been
transformed into distance learning courses by putting the lecture
component on video tape and by transforming the laboratory
component into “at home” labs.
For several years, I have taught a conceptual physics course under the course listing of Introductory Physics—PHY 101- 02—at Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus (NVCC). The course was growing in enrollment each year and was being used as a “laboratory science” in the liberal arts, business, education, and medical technology curricula. I had always wanted to expand my physics courses taught on campus, including PHY 101-102, to include a distant learning section. Without released time, however, I was unable to develop the distance learning components for my physics courses.
When the VCCS instituted the professional development funding program, I applied for and received a three-credit VCCS research grant to develop PHY 101 using distance learning. I also got the director of the Extended Learning Institute (ELI) at NVCC to support the production of a series of video tapes, purchase the leasing rights to a series of commercial video tapes, and provide technical assistance in developing the first semester of PHY 101 that included the laboratory as part of the course. I later received a second VCCS research award to develop PHY 102 as a distance learning course; once again I received enthusiastic support from ELI.
My first project was to develop the lecture component of the courses. Since I had experienced in years past developing and teaching a self-paced (known then as a Kellerized course) in natural science, I felt that the development of the lecture portion of Physics 101-102 should not be difficult. By employing a very good series of video tapes made by the author of the text and putting my own details and information in, I made a series of thirteen one-hour video tapes ready for cable broadcasting. I also developed a course guide containing directions, study hints, questions, illustrations, and exams. As a result, I had produced a complete lecture course that would lend itself very well to distanance learning.
PHY 101-102 has been purposely designed to combat the negative stigma that many non-science majors taking physics feel. Since PHY 101-102 uses an excellent text book which emphasizes the physics concepts and de-emphasizes the mathematics and which encourages instructors to employ a multitude of visuals and demonstrations, students soon realize that they can succeed in physics and maybe even have fun, too.
Now that I had developed the lecture part of the courses, I faced the challenge of developing the laboratory sections. The laboratory portion of the course consists of exercises found in any general college physics course at our institution and around the country. Students are introduced to simple algebra and trigonometry as needed. Students find out that they can do physics and can “calculate” physics with their own calculators. The distance learning laboratory had to have the depth and breath that the campus course had but yet had to somehow be distanance learning: that is, the students had to be able to do the lab work without attending campus to do the labs. After considerable thought, I came up with a workable distanance learning physics laboratory program consisting of thirteen physics laboratory exercises for each of the two semesters. Most of the labs are done at home by the students. There is a laboratory kit which each student must purchase, consisting of a half-meter stick, vernier calipers, lab thermometer, spring balances, and a few other pieces of equipment students would not have around the house or find in a hardware store. Most of the other materials used in the lab exercises are things found around the house. I made detailed lab video tapes of all lab exercises the students were to perform, including specific directions and close-ups. The students have detailed data sheets in their lab packages and are shown how to gather the data and where it is to go. In addition, some sample calculations are shown on the tapes to guide the students through the lab. Lab reports are prepared by the students and sent in for grading. From the results of the students’ lab reports, I conclude that distance learning students are learning as much or more than on-campus students.
As I stated previously, most of the labs are home labs. There are, however, two laboratory exercises for each course that require the students to come on campus to perform the labs in the physics lab. These open lab periods usually take place late on Friday afternoon and into the evening and the following Saturday morning. Both lab exercises can be done in the six-hour open lab time held six times a semester. The students prepare ahead of time by viewing a video tape of the lab being done by the instructor. These on-campus laboratories also provide times for the instructor to deal face to face with the students; in fact, they may be the only time that the students come into direct contact with the instructor, unless students wish to come to campus to meet with the instructor.
There are also two other laboratory activities as part of the thirteen laboratory exercises. One from the PHY 101 course includes a visit to an amusement park where the students use a homemade accelerometer, a measuring tape (or their paces), and a stop watch to take measurements either as they ride or watch others ride the different amusement rides. One of the PHY 102 exercises is to have students visit a nuclear power plant, either to visit the visitors’ center for the hour tour or to take a prearranged tour of the complete plant, and then write a report on the activities. Students are also encouraged to “try out some physics” by visiting a bowling alley or a billiards parlor (pool hall) and describing the physics of the collisions. Extra credit is given for such excursions upon having proof of attending. These experiences are unique from any of the experiences of any of the other physics courses at NVCC¾distanance learning or on-campus courses.
The main problem I find with getting the students through the course is just to get them started. Once they have turned in their first assignment, they usually finish the course with a grade of A or B. Presently, all the correspondence is by U.S. mail and voice mail. All work is sent to ELI to be graded by the instructor and returned to the students. A two-to-five day turn around is usually the case and does cause some delay in the student progressing as rapidly as I would like. I plan to incorporate the use of computer electronic mail and the fax machine when the course is revised within the next year since many students now have access to computers, e-mail, and fax machines. Students must come on campus at least four times in addition to the one time for the campus lab to take the topic exams in the testing centers on any of the five campuses.
What I have described is what typical local students would do to complete the course. I have had a student complete one semester while living in Puerto Rico. With the instructor’s approval, laboratory exercises were substituted for the two on-campus labs. Arrangements were made to have the exams administered by a proctor approved by ELI. Since all of the thirteen video tapes are aired over the local cable networks, several students outside of the cable viewing area either have to come in to one of the campus libraries or rent the series of tapes. Many of these students are renting the tapes for home viewing.
Results indicate that the distance learning physics courses meet the need of many students who otherwise would not be able to take a physics course. I have high school students taking the course because their schedules will not allow a physics course to be taken at their high school. I have out-of-state students taking the course due to a course not be available where they live, and I have students in other parts of Virginia taking the course because their local community college does not offer the opportunity for their taking a physics course. Today, the distance learning PHY 101-102 courses enjoy a steady enrollment of over fifty students each semester.
Several goals have been met with these courses. One is to offer students a college physics course that may be done on their own time. Second, this is a physics course with laboratory that meets the degree requirements of several curricula. Third, students who thought that they could not pass physics find that they can “do physics.” Fourth, students are getting the science that is needed to help them better understand their physical universe and the technical nature of our society and culture.
Sherman Frye is in his 30th year with Northern Virginia Community College, teaching physics and natural science. Sherman is active in physics education, presently serving as Vice President of the Two-year College of the Chesapeake Section of the American Association of Physics teachers and also serves as one of five members of the Two year Colleges-21st Century (TYC21) representing the States of Virginia and North Carolina.