Join us for the PER Interest Group's kick-off event for this academic year! The theme for this year will be introductory physics labs.

• What role do labs play in your introductory physics course?
• Are there things you teach in lab other than physics content?
• What are examples of best lab practices?
• What are some of your favorite lab activities?

We encourage you to bring examples of your best ideas and favorite lab activities to this sharing session and find out about other wonderful lab activities from your fellow TYC physics instructors.

We selected two readings recommended (not required) as preparation for this session.

Benjamin Pollard, Robert Hobbs, Rachel Henderson, Marcos D. Caballero, and H. J. Lewandowski "Introductory physics lab instructors’ perspectives on measurement uncertainty" Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 17, 010133 (2021). https://journals.aps.org/prper/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.010133

This paper presents the first step in the development of a research-based assessment explicitly focused on measurement uncertainty that captures the breadth of learning related to the topic in introductory labs. 

Cole Walsh, H.J. Lewandowski, and N.G. Holmes. "Skills-focused lab instruction improves critical thinking skills and experimentation views for all students." Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 18, 010128 (2022).  https://journals.aps.org/prper/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010128

This article describes a study showing that labs that were designed to develop experimentation skills improved students' critical thinking and experimentation skills, and that those benefits we seen across students' gender, race and/or ethnicity.