The CPUE mission is threefold. (1) To provide a forum for consideration of topics relevant to undergraduate instruction in physics in two-year colleges, four-year colleges, and universities. (2) In cooperation with the High School, Two-Year College and Graduate Education Committees, to seek ways of improving articulation for students progressing from one level to another. (3)ÊTo aid in keeping the AAPT membership informed of ways in which the teaching of physics at the undergraduate level may be facilitated. Overview of Activity: The CPUE sponsored and co-sponsored several sessions and workshops at the 2007 Winter and Summer Meetings (fulfills Items #1 and #3 of the mission), made a recommendation regarding support for the 2008 Gordon Conference (fulfills Items #1 and #3 of the mission), and developed a proposal to form an Upper Level Undergraduate Curriculum Task Force (fulfills Items #1 and #2 of the mission). The development of the proposal was featured in a fall issue of Interactions in an article written by Steve Davolt.
Committee meetings were held at the Winter Meeting in Seattle (6 of 9 members attended, along with at least 10 friends) and in the Summer Meeting in Greensboro (6 of 9 members attended, along with at least 13 friends). In Seattle, vigorous discussion of the Òdoubling initiativeÓ occurred, both pro and con (fulfills Item #1 of the mission). In Greensboro, there was discussion of an upcoming effort to organize a conference to reconsider the introductory course for the life sciences because of related reform efforts of the life science community, and there was lively discussion of the draft proposal of the proposal to form an Upper Level Undergraduate Curriculum Task Force (fulfills Items #1 and #2 of the mission).
Details: In Greensboro, we sponsored, or co-sponsored the following. Tutorial: ÒCreating Java Simulations for Physics Teaching with Easy Java SimulationsÓ; Workshops: ÒLearning Physics while Practicing ScienceÓ and ÒUsing RTOP to Improve Physics and Physical Science LearningÓ; Sessions: ÒMentoring Students in Undergraduate ResearchÓ, ÒIntegrating Computation into the CurriculumÓ, ÒThe Art and Science of TeachingÓ, ÒIntroductory College Physics Textbooks: Current Role and Future PossibilitiesÓ.
In Baltimore, we sponsored, or co-sponsored the following. Tutorial: ÒCivic Engagement and Service Learning: The SENCER ProjectÓ; Workshops: ÒModeling Mechanics from Free Fall to ChaosÓ, ÒArt of Approximation in Science and EngineeringÓ. Sessions: ÒUG Student Research Ð SPS Poster SessionÓ, ÒUG Student Research Ð SPS Oral SessionÓ, ÒAward-Winning UG Research ProgramsÓ, ÒThe Best of comPADREÓ, ÒStatistical and Thermal Physics in the UG CurriculumÓ, ÒRTOP Implementation to Improve Teaching and LearningÓ, ÒInformation Fluency and Physics CurriculumÓ.
Ongoing Activities The proposal for the Upper Level Undergraduate Curriculum Task Force was not formally approved by a vote of the committee in 2007. The committee has sought feedback from other potentially affected committees continues to revise this proposal and also to explore alternative ways (e.g., ongoing invited panel sessions followed by crackerbarrel sessions) of advancing substantive discussion about the upper level undergraduate curriculum.
Submitted by Ernie Behringer
Last updated 05/21/2009