Physics in Undergraduate Education Committee Report

In addition to our efforts in sponsoring workshops and sessions at the two National Meetings, the Committee on Physics in Undergraduate Education has identified some crucial topics we would like to discuss and address. We plan to identify the highest priority concerns, and focus on contributing to improving undergraduate physics education by identifying best practices and facilitating their dissemination through our web site, AAPT publications, and workshops and sessions at National Meetings. These topics include:

• Branching off conclusions from the SPIN-UP Task Force Update the AAPT brochure, ÒGuide to Undergraduate ProgramsÓ including SPIN-UP conclusions. Organizing future sessions at AAPT Meetings about best practices identified in the AAPT report such as student mentoring, undergraduate research, recruiting and retaining majors, and others. Both tasks will be undertaken as soon as the final SPIN-UP report is published.
• Examining the match between undergraduate curriculum, GRE test scores, and skills needed for successful graduate work
• Improving representation and retention of women and minorities in our discipline
• Effectively training TAÕs for undergraduate courses
• Improving the effectiveness of teaching large classes
• Preventing/discouraging drop-outs of physics majors
• Improving teaching of difficult topics in undergraduate physics such as optics, electricity and magnetism, and computational physics

Some of these topics have obvious overlap with other AAPT area committees. We will work closely with them to include the thinking of their members and avoid duplication of effort.

Steve Turley, Chair

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Last updated 08/11/2003