Tag Archives: Physics

Rutgers University Press Partnership

by Annie McQuaid

We are pleased to announce that WebAssign has established a partnership with Rutgers University Press to provide a best-in-breed solution for the homework and assessment needs of an innovative new introductory physics textbook. Rutgers University Press’ new Physics, the First Science textbook questions will be delivered through WebAssign’s robust application to distribute, collect, grade, and record assignments quickly, accurately, and automatically over the Internet, while reinforcing student learning through practice and instant feedback.

physicsthefirstscience

“The accessible, down-to-earth approach presented in Physics, the First Science is complemented perfectly by the individualized online homework and grading tools WebAssign offers,” said Elizabeth Scarpelli, marketing and sales director for Rutgers University Press. “Professors can now easily transition to the textbook using the familiar WebAssign services without the additional work required to prepare homework practice exercises and solutions for their students.”

According to Peter Lindenfield, author of Physics, the First Science, “We are thrilled that WebAssign now supports our book. We have found that having our questions on WebAssign gives us great flexibility and strongly enhances student response.” WebAssign will specifically allow instructors to create assignments using questions from the textbook; deploy assignments with unmatched flexibility; and calculate and display student grades with a powerful GradeBook.

Since its founding in 1936 as a nonprofit publisher, Rutgers University Press has been dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge to scholars, students, and the general reading public. Working with authors throughout the world, it seeks books that meet high editorial standards, facilitate the exchange of ideas, enhance teaching, and make scholarship accessible to a wide range of readers.  We are excited to be working with Rutgers University Press in a partnership capacity moving forward.

Physics Experiment – Helium Balloon in a Car

by Matthew Kohlmyer

In physics, labs and lecture demonstrations are great teaching tools, but sometimes there are experiments that may not be easy to duplicate in a classroom.  In these cases, a short demonstration video can fill the need.  These days there are a huge number of demo videos that can be easily found on YouTube or other video hosting sites.  At WebAssign, we enjoy finding interesting videos that instructors may find useful in their own teaching.

Here is very nice demonstration (made by a student!) of the buoyant force and the differential in air pressure created by acceleration.  Watch for the comparison between the helium balloon and an air-filled balloon starting at around 5:35.

For more on enhancing your physics class with video, check out WebAssign’s Physics Direct Measurement Video content, developed by physics instructor Peter Bohacek.

Have you or your students produced a video demonstrating a principle of physics? If so, we want to see them!  Send in your recorded physics experiments today.

Calling All Physics Instructors!

by Matthew Kohlmyer

We are looking for a few good physics instructors!

As a stakeholder in physics education for over 15 years, WebAssign is always looking for new and innovative ways to use interactive technology to support physics learning. We’re currently looking for class testers for an exciting new set of physics instructional material.

Direct Measurement Video physics questions, designed by physics instructor Peter Bohacek, have embedded video clips that show interesting real-world systems and events that engage students, such as fireworks, collisions, and roller coasters, some filmed with high-speed video.

Grids, rulers, frame-counters and other overlays allow students to make measurements directly from the video. Students then use these measured values to solve problems and answer questions in WebAssign, allowing them to make strong connections between real-world situations and the physics they learn in class. Many of the questions also require students to use correct measurement technique and uncertainty propagation.

For a sample set of questions, please visit http://www.webassign.net/info/demo_assignment.html?deployment=2688.

For fall 2012, we are looking for high school and college instructors who are interested in testing these Direct Measurement Videos in their current WebAssign courses, at no additional charge! Testers will be asked during the semester to provide us with comments and feedback on this great supplemental resource. If you would like to participate, please contact us today!

New Content Available in WebAssign!

by Annie McQuaid

We are always working to add new content to our current question offering.  The following textbooks are now available in WebAssign for classroom use.

Astronomy
Mathematics
Physical Science
Physics

Feature Contest Top 5 Spotlight: Peter Bohacek

by Annie McQuaid
We continue our in-depth look at the Top 5 Feature ideas from the Make Your Voice Heard contest with WebAssign user Peter Bohacek’s idea of adding features to WebAssign to create a clicker system for smart phones.
Peter Bohacek teaches high school physics and Advanced Placement physics. He is an electrical engineer by training and worked in the industry for 15 years before becoming a teacher. He made the switch to  education about 10 years ago and hasn’t looked back.
“I enjoy the students, my co-workers, and the subject,” Bohacek said. “I’m fascinated by the possibilities for using technology to improve teaching and excited that you’ve selected the idea of incorporating features that would allow WebAssign to be used as a student response system. I’m a big fan of WebAssign, and I think this feature would make it even better.”
Please read more of our interview with Peter below!

How long have you used WebAssign?

I’ve been using WebAssign for 6 years. We started with AP physics and have expanded so that all 450 physics and chemistry students at our school use WebAssign.  Each year, I increase the amount of student work done on WebAssign. We do most of our homework, tests, and quizzes in WebAssign. I enjoy coding questions; I find it challenging and interesting to figure out new ways to get students to think about physics while using WebAssign. I particularly like creating challenging conceptual questions, such as ranking questions, that have some randomized component so that students can work together without sharing answers. This year, I’m adding labs. My students use iPads in lab for the lab instructions and to record data. Then they can to their data analysis as homework.

What WebAssign features do you use most or find the most useful?

The WebAssign project I’m most excited by is the series of questions I’m making that feature embedded video. Students can make direct measurements from these videos and use this data to answer conceptual questions, solve open-ended problems, or do lab analysis. I think there is tremendous potential for more ways to use WebAssign to help students learn.

How would your new feature suggestion impact your classroom?

Many teachers use student response systems (aka “clickers”) in class. My idea is that a few features could be added to WebAssign so teachers could post WebAssign questions for use with smart phones or any other device with a web-browser. For example, teachers could have an assignment where they can open and close individual questions for student submission during class. Once a question is closed for submission, teachers could view student responses on that question to inform how the discussion should proceed.
One way I’d use this feature would be to post a question at the beginning of class. For example, I’d post a ranking question that uses a concept from the last class, or from the homework. I’d close the question for submission 5 minutes after class starts (less time if it is an easy question). We’d use student responses on that question to begin our new discussion.

There are other student response systems available, but using WebAssign would have several advantages. For example, we can  use any question from our textbook, or easily code our own. Also, teachers who use both WebAssign and a student response system have to maintain two class lists and two sets of grades, one for in-class and one on WebAssign. Using WebAssign as a student response system would simplify our grading by having all grades and rosters in WebAssign.  Smart phones (or other web-capable devices like tablets) have far more capability than clickers and many of our students carry these devices already.

Vote for this idea or others on UserVoice now!