Stephen Hill Stephen Hill –– Dept. of Physics, University of FloridaDept. of Physics, University of Florida

What is What is JiTTJiTT??Motivation + major disclaimersMotivation + major disclaimersThe mechanics of The mechanics of JiTTJiTTExamplesExamples

••QuestionsQuestions••ResponsesResponses••Lesson planningLesson planning

OutcomesOutcomesSome humorSome humorFuture plansFuture plans

http://http://webphysicswebphysics..iupuiiupui.edu/.edu/jittjitt//jittjitt.html.html

A teaching and learning strategy based on the A teaching and learning strategy based on the interaction between webinteraction between web--based study assignments and based study assignments and an active learner classroom. an active learner classroom.

Students respond electronically to carefully Students respond electronically to carefully constructed webconstructed web--based assignments based assignments (pre(pre--flights)flights) which which are due shortly before class, and the instructor reads are due shortly before class, and the instructor reads the student submissions "justthe student submissions "just--inin--time" to adjust the time" to adjust the classroom lesson to suit the students' needs. classroom lesson to suit the students' needs.

The heart ofThe heart of JiTTJiTT is the "feedback loop" formed by is the "feedback loop" formed by the students' outsidethe students' outside--ofof--class preparation that class preparation that fundamentally affects what happens during the fundamentally affects what happens during the subsequent insubsequent in--class time together. class time together.

What is JustWhat is Just--inin--Time Teaching?Time Teaching?

http://http://webphysicswebphysics..iupuiiupui.edu/.edu/jittjitt//jittjitt.html.html

1.1. To maximize the efficacy of the classroom To maximize the efficacy of the classroom session, where human instructors are present. session, where human instructors are present.

2.2. To structure the outTo structure the out--ofof--class time for maximum class time for maximum learning benefit. learning benefit.

3.3. To create and sustain team spirit. Students and To create and sustain team spirit. Students and instructors work as a team toward the same instructors work as a team toward the same objective, to help all students pass the course objective, to help all students pass the course with the maximum amount of retainable with the maximum amount of retainable knowledge.knowledge.

What are the goals of What are the goals of JiTTJiTT??

http://http://webphysicswebphysics..iupuiiupui.edu/.edu/jittjitt//jittjitt.html.html

What motivated me to try What motivated me to try JiTTJiTT??

RightRightHere!Here!

What motivated me to try What motivated me to try JiTTJiTT??

Speakers included Evelyn Patterson of JiTT fame

Presentation to UF faculty and a web site:Presentation to UF faculty and a web site:http://www.phys.ufl.edu/outreach/edRes.htmlhttp://www.phys.ufl.edu/outreach/edRes.html

A visit to the department by Eric Mazur (Harvard)A visit to the department by Eric Mazur (Harvard)Also Also –– the word on the street….the word on the street….

**Major disclaimers****Major disclaimers**This WAS NOT a Physics Education Research exercise.This WAS NOT a Physics Education Research exercise.

Mainly for fun Mainly for fun –– I thoroughly recommend it!I thoroughly recommend it!While it was my intention, I did not implement While it was my intention, I did not implement

any inany in--class exercises to assess class exercises to assess JiTT JiTT A class of 21 University of Florida Honors students.A class of 21 University of Florida Honors students.

This was Accelerated Sophomore Modern Physics. This was Accelerated Sophomore Modern Physics. What More Could You Ask ForWhat More Could You Ask For

Essentially no intellectual investment.Essentially no intellectual investment.

Gary Gladding (2002)Gary Gladding (2002)

The Mechanics of The Mechanics of JiTTJiTT(My version)(My version)

Course/text:Course/text: Modern Physics, 4Modern Physics, 4thth edition, edition, Paul Tipler and Ralph Llewellyn Paul Tipler and Ralph Llewellyn

Class time:Class time: MM, W, F , W, F –– 9:35 to 10:25 am9:35 to 10:25 am

Grading:Grading: Weekly homeworkWeekly homework 35%35%Daily Daily JiTTJiTT 10%10%Best 2 out of 3 inBest 2 out of 3 in--class examsclass exams 30%30%Final 2 hour examFinal 2 hour exam 25%25%

Direct link to dailyDirect link to daily JiTTJiTT through course home page:through course home page:http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~hill/teaching/2003/3063/index.http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~hill/teaching/2003/3063/index.htmhtm

••31 31 JiTTJiTT assignments out of a possible 39 classesassignments out of a possible 39 classes••Usually assigned by 1Usually assigned by 1 pm on the day of the previous classpm on the day of the previous class••Deadline of 6Deadline of 6 am on the day of classam on the day of class••Read, corrected, graded, and returned to students at 9:35Read, corrected, graded, and returned to students at 9:35 amam••Final lesson plan also adjusted between 6Final lesson plan also adjusted between 6 am and 9:35am and 9:35 amam

Delivered-To: hill@phys.ufl.edu X-Authentication-Warning: compass.phys.ufl.edu: nobody set sender to hill@phys.ufl.edu using -f Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 05:34:54 UT Subject: Preflight Reply-To: hill@phys.ufl.edu To: hill@phys.ufl.edu From: hill@phys.ufl.edu X-Mailer: Soupermail 1.0.8

NAME = XXXXX XXXXXQ1 = The control rods of a nuclear reactor is a way for us to control the k value(neutrons emitted by fission). When the control rods are completely down, neutron capturing prevents the reactor from transferring neutrons across to other fuel rods. This essentially stops the rxn and the energy production. Control rods are also useful becuase they can lower k and therefore lower energy production. Basically, it serves to regulate the fission process. The heavy water in a reactor serves as a moderator. Moderators are used to lower ("moderate") the speed of the neutrons emitted duringthesplitting of uranium atoms, to increase their probability of hitting another uranium atom and cause further splitting. Water is placed around the material to decrease the loss of neutrons from the reactor by regulating loss of energy from neutrons. Deutrium works in the same way, but becuase of its smaller cross section, as compared to hydrogen, it allows the k=1 to be better achieved.Q2 = When positron emitters such as C(11) and F(18) are injected into they body they decay by Beta+ decay giving off a position. The subject is injected with these isotopes and then photon emissions are detected by BGO crystals (PET scans). There are essentially two practical limitations of this technique. The first and more obvious one is that the isotopes must be replenished by nuclear reactions and the avaliablilty of these scans is localized to the proximity of these facilities. Another practice problems is working around the half-life time. If a patient was brough in ischemia, it would take, at the minimum, 2 minutes for surgeons to finds out where the problem lies. On average, lack to oxygen to the brain for more than 2-5 minutes causes brain damage. (interesting fact: lack of oxygen to the brain for only 2-3 seconds causes you to faint.)Q3 = What can i say? I would have never though that I would see Physics and Medicine walk hand and hand into the sunset in this book. And even though they didn't it was very cool to see the applications of what we've learned. -If you would like to me show you parts of my presentation(An Anti-TNF Alpha Approach....) after class, I'd love to do it.Q4help = No SoupermailConf = /soupermail/examples/Preflight.con-------------------------------Remote Host: Remote IP: 208.62.144.195User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)Referer: http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~hill/teaching/2003/3063/JiTT/Preflight.htm

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 240

20

40

60

541 submissions

9pm to midnight − 20%midnight to 7am − 60%

Average timeassignment

postedClasshour

DeadlineN

umbe

r of s

ubm

issio

ns

Local time (24 hour clock)

The Daily CycleThe Daily Cycle

This is what students get backThis is what students get back

First 20 assignments Final 11 assignments89% received 81% received(93% if Ds excluded) (86% if Ds excluded)

Note: 20% of assignments not counted in final grade

Q1 Q1 –– 2 pts2 ptsQ2 Q2 –– 2 pts2 ptsQ3 Q3 –– 2 pts2 ptsQ4 Q4 –– 1 pt1 pt

Some typical web assignmentsSome typical web assignmentsA. In your own words, discuss the resolution to the twin

paradox problem.B. Briefly explain how Millikan eliminated the mass from his

calculation of the charge on an electron.C. What happens to the wave function of a quantum particle

when you detect that particle at a very well defined location? IN particular, what happens to the particle's de Broglie wavelength, i.e. what happens to the wave?

D. Briefly explain why a quantum harmonic oscillator always oscillates, i.e. it has a minimum energy of oscillation, with a finite amplitude of oscillation.

F. What aspect of the semiconductor determines the color of the emitted light, and why LEDs are so efficient.

G. Explain why electrons interact strongly with matter on earth, whereas neutrinos interact very weakly.

H. Why do heavy/large stars evolve rapidly and small/light stars evolve slowly?

Question 3Question 3Below is a space for your thoughts, including general comments about today's assignment (what seemed impossible, what reading didn't make sense, what we should spend class time on, what was "cool", etc.)

“Energy dependence on the quantum number l would only arise in situations with a non-inverse-square central force. What sort of situations would those be?”

“Sect 8.2 was extremely confusing, because it made reference several times to section 6-7, which is nonexistant.”

“Could we go over exactly how the warmer atoms in the magnetic trap actually escape through the leak and how it further cools down the system, as a result?”

Endless list of examples – here’s a fairly random sampling…

Question 3Question 3Below is a space for your thoughts, including general comments about today's assignment (what seemed impossible, what reading didn't make sense, what we should spend class time on, what was "cool", etc.)

“They don't say much about OLEDs -- why are they cheaper to fabricate?”

“How can the strong and weak interactions have finite ranges? Do they literally go to exactly zero outside the range or is it just approximate?”

“Double beta decay not discussed in the book.”

“If isolated neutrons have such short lifetimes, why do neutron stars form?”

Endless list of examples – here’s a fairly random sampling…

Reason to rejoiceReason to rejoice“The double slit experiment with one electron at a time still causing interference is fascinating. It is one of the reasons I became interested in physics.”

“So THAT is why. This is why I love physics... it takes everything I was told in chemistry classes and EXPLAINS it! ”

“I'm still stunned that I am now in a class that gives me the ability to solve for things like those weird orbitals I saw in chemistry. Many thanks.”

“The parts about lepton conservation number would have been very confusing without having done ch.13 first, i'm glad we did.”

You may discover a genius…You may discover a genius…“Since a boson in a certain state "attracts" other bosons to that state, shouldn't an avalanch effect occur where one sees a large number of particles fall into a single state? What if the process never stops?”

“Fig. 6-23 shows a wave packet incident on a step potential. A portion of the wave is reflected away from the step back to where it came from while the majority is transmitted through the step. Doesn't this mean the wave is concentrated in two main places at once, each moving away from the other? If the particle is detected in one "hill" and the wavefunction collapses, does the other "hill" immediately know, even if it is separated by a large space?”

Or not…Or not…“I am bother that on the previous preflight I did not recieve a seven. I am confident in my understanding of what was asked and feel that I answered the question from a more creative point.”

“I was unable to answer these questions in the time given becausemy book is temporarily not in my possesion. I am writing this in hope of a point. I am sorry for the strangeness of this submision.”

“lots and lots in this chapter.. are we basically to know all about the new particles and all their new characterisitics for this exam?/ its a lot.”

“I think the part on supernovas is really interesting. The one thing i want to ask is that if any of this will be on the final.”

40 60 80 1000

1

2

3

D1.9

C3.6

B5.8

B+6.5

A6.8

Final grade distributionMean 73%

# of

stud

ents

Final percentage0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0

2

4

6

B B

2Bs

CDD

B,B+

All As intop twobins.Also 3 B+and 1 B

Jitt score distributionMean 5.8

# of

stud

ents

Average score (out of 7)

So, how did they fare?So, how did they fare?

••One cannot read too much into these statistics One cannot read too much into these statistics ••Grading of daily homeworks was very generousGrading of daily homeworks was very generous••Participation was the key Participation was the key –– both inboth in--class, and in daily homeworksclass, and in daily homeworks

••Lower scoring students tended to miss more classes and exercisesLower scoring students tended to miss more classes and exercises

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 70

2

4

6

BB BB A AA

B,B+ 2B+s

CDD

4A,B+,BRaw Jitt score distribution

Mean 5.2

# of

stud

ents

Average score (out of 7)40 60 80 100

0

1

2

3

D1.9

C3.6

B5.8

B+6.5

A6.8

Final grade distributionMean 73%

# of

stud

ents

Final percentage

So, how did they fare?So, how did they fare?

••One cannot read too much into these statistics One cannot read too much into these statistics ••Grading of daily homeworks was very generousGrading of daily homeworks was very generous••Participation was the key Participation was the key –– both inboth in--class, and in daily homeworksclass, and in daily homeworks

••Lower scoring students tended to miss more classes and exercisesLower scoring students tended to miss more classes and exercises

Noticeable outcomesNoticeable outcomesYou get to know the students extremely wellYou get to know the students extremely well

••Few inhibitions in their onFew inhibitions in their on--line submissionsline submissions••You can actually see how they are thinkingYou can actually see how they are thinking

They do actually read the text book! They do actually read the text book! Less pressure on class timeLess pressure on class time

Vastly improved lesson planningVastly improved lesson planningYou get feedback on precisely what they wantYou get feedback on precisely what they wantPerfectly OK to become distracted by discussionPerfectly OK to become distracted by discussion

Increased student participation in classIncreased student participation in classFrequent group discussion, participation in demos, etc.Frequent group discussion, participation in demos, etc.

Class attendance up (6am deadline a mistake)Class attendance up (6am deadline a mistake)Classes are even more enjoyableClasses are even more enjoyable

EvaluationsEvaluationsRemarkably, no comments about the daily homeworkRemarkably, no comments about the daily homework

−− either positive or negative.either positive or negative.“Dr. Hill makes the class fun. Even on many hours of sleep deprivation, I still can stay awake in this course.”

Most likely reflects a natural improvement in the course Most likely reflects a natural improvement in the course over the 3 year period.over the 3 year period.

Interestingly, exam score averages increased in a very Interestingly, exam score averages increased in a very similar manner over the 3 years (62%, 64%, 66%).similar manner over the 3 years (62%, 64%, 66%).

JiTTJiTT→→

Now for the funny part…Now for the funny part…“I did find that alpha radiation is not very penetrating, and therefore is not a good method of killing someone through walls. I do not know of any instances when alpha particles are used to kill people through walls.”

“The X-rays section was interesting - I am curious how long these early scientific researchers lived after being exposed to so much radiation and X-rays.”

“I noticed that the eleven years from the time of Bohr to de Broglie was roughly the duration and recuperation of the First World Warfrom 1914 to 1919. I then suspect that the relation would have been made quicker if the war had not occured. Yet again we understand Plato's veiw of government.”

“The statistical look at uncertainty was interesting.”

“You mean I can't know everything?! ;-) I guess I can live with that.”

And my personal favorites…And my personal favorites…“NAME = Captain Picard of the S.S. Enterprise. Well not really, but can you guess who this is?

Wow. Maybe it's the voices in my head, but I think learning about stars blowing up is awesome. What's your opinion about the size of the universe? Do you think that mass is localized (relative to the universe), but outside that there is "nothingness?“ -This is Ankur :)”

“Why is there something rather than nothing? What is the meaning of life? Is there really free will or is it just an illusion created by millions of neurons firing in sync? Nature vs. Nurture? The chicken or the egg? How does Keanu Reeves keep getting work while still managing to use only one facial expression?”

Both on the last assignment of the semester.Both on the last assignment of the semester.These guys truly went out with a bang!These guys truly went out with a bang!

Summary and ConclusionsSummary and ConclusionsThis was a very preliminary attempt at This was a very preliminary attempt at JiTTJiTTLike the first time you fly down a water slideLike the first time you fly down a water slideExtremely positive experienceExtremely positive experience

Thoroughly recommendedThoroughly recommendedI will definitely do it againI will definitely do it again

Future plansFuture plansPHY 2048: 550 students, Intro. Mechanics, fall 2004PHY 2048: 550 students, Intro. Mechanics, fall 2004

••Use publisher’s onUse publisher’s on--line resources, together with student line resources, together with student response system (SRS response system (SRS -- remotes) in large lecture hallremotes) in large lecture hall••Already experimented with SRS (my 3Already experimented with SRS (my 3rdrd run at PHY 2048)run at PHY 2048)

PHY 2061: 50 honors students, Intro E&M, spring 2005PHY 2061: 50 honors students, Intro E&M, spring 2005••A leaner version of the current modelA leaner version of the current model

40 60 800

1

2

Mainly B

C

D AllB+ All A

Exam score distributionMean 66%

# of

stud

ents

Average exam score (%)30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

CDD

A,B A,B

+ A,A

,A,B

+,B

A,A

Homework distributionMean 83%

# of

stud

ents

Average score (%)

Some typical web assignmentsSome typical web assignmentsF. Briefly explain why a quantum harmonic oscillator always

oscillates, i.e. it has a minimum energy of oscillation, with a finite amplitude of oscillation.

G. What aspect of the semiconductor determines the color of the emitted light, and why LEDs are so efficient.

H. Explain why electrons interact strongly with matter on earth, whereas neutrinos interact very weakly.

I. Why do heavy/large stars evolve rapidly and small/light stars evolve slowly?