Here are the workshops offered at the Tandem Meeting 2025, listed by title. Descriptions are below.

1. Beyond the naked eye: Exploring physics with sensors (Ramani Kharidehal, Elena Kuchina, Francesca Viale)
2. How to introduce quantum ideas into an introductory physics course (Jim Freericks)
3. Integrating computational activities into TYC physics courses: Part 1 (Andy Morrison)
4. Integrating computational activities into TYC physics courses: Part 2 (Andy Morrison)
5. Introductory labs to promote scientific reasoning (Krista Wood)
6. Let's get NASA data from space into your classroom (Anna DeJong)
7. Physics as a foreign language: Using Parallel Pedagogy (Dean Stocker)
8. Physics assessments for modern times: The power of portfolios (Raeghan Graessle, Will Heidorn, Laura Romanovich)
9. Practices to Support Student Success (Tran Phung, Chelsea Tiffany, Kristine Washburn)
10. Star spectra science: Using balloons and buttons to model spectroscopy (Tony Musumba, Ron Schlaack, Francesca Viale)
11. Strategies to Improve Student Discussions: Modeling discourse management (Dwain Desbien, Angela McClure)
12. Supporting students with disabilities: A practical guide (Alex Bohn, Kris Lui, Tony Musumba, Dean Stocker)

Beyond the naked eye: Exploring physics with sensors

In the workshop, demos will be presented with ideas for our labs using sensors to take measurements, like Pasco or like  the sensors that are in our Smartphones. Participants would be able to work on the activities bringing home some ideas for their classes.

Facilitators:

• Ramani Kharidehal (Northern Virginia Community College, VA)
• Elena Kuchina (Virginia Peninsula Community College, VA)
• Francesca Viale (Northern Virginia Community College, VA)

---

How to introduce quantum ideas into an introductory physics course 

I will discuss and provide materials that can be used to introduce quantum ideas into an introductory classroom. The possible topics for one week of instruction include the following: (1) How do we measure individual quanta?; (2) Why is quantum mechanics treated differently from classical mechanics? (3) What is superposition and the quantum mystery? and (4) Why is entanglement so cool?  For some topics I will show where materials can be gathered and the critical ideas that need to be presented to achieve the learning goals, in other topics, I will show complete curricula that are available and can be implemented or adapted for your own use. All materials require just high school level math, although some will use simple ideas from calculus. The focus is on the critical ideas needed for quantum thinking and how to teach these ideas to achieve specific learning goals rather than more typical "plug and chug" or historical based approaches which don't convey the same meaning.

Facilitator: Jim Freericks (Georgetown University, DC)

---

Integrating computational activities into TYC physics courses - Part 1

Brought to you by the fine folks from the Partnership for Integration of Computation into Undergraduate Physics (PICUP), www.gopicup.org - This workshop will include demonstrations and discussions about various aspects of integrating computational activities into physics courses. Participants will see how to start implementing computational physics into the introductory courses taught most often at two-year colleges. By participating in this workshop participants will become plugged into a growing and supportive community of like-minded physics educators dedicated to improving the physics curriculum. The support system includes a repository of developed computational materials as well as dedicated online and community support. Participants do not need to register for Part 2 in order to participate in this workshop.

Facilitator: Andy Morrison

---

Integrating computational activities into TYC physics courses - Part 2

This follow-up workshop will extend the ideas presented in the previous workshop and focus on using Web VPython in the introductory physics courses. Participants will learn strategies for implementing the use of Web Vpython in their classes and explore the resources that the PICUP community has developed for use in their classes. No prior experience with teaching computational physics is needed for this workshop. Participants do not need to register for Part 1 in order to participate in this workshop.

Facilitator: Andy Morrison

---

Introductory labs to promote scientific reasoning

In this workshop, participants will engage with several lab activities that emphasize key skills, including designing and conducting controlled experiments, analyzing data, modeling, and synthesizing results to construct meaningful evidence-based claims. Participants will be provided access to these lab materials

Facilitator: Krista Wood (University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College, OH)

---

Let's get NASA data from space into your classroom 

What do you know about NASA’s outreach and data availability?  Want to bring more real-world data and research into your classroom and lab?  NASA can help, and we want to know the best way to do it.  This workshop will be an open discussion between NASA scientists and educators about how to get NASA data and mission science into your classroom and labs. Feedback from this workshop will be incorporated into Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC) Mission activities.

Facilitator: Anna DeJong (Howard Community College, MD)

---

Physics as a foreign language: Using Parallel Pedagogy 

Imagine a foreign language course where you spend the first three weeks learning nouns, then two weeks on verbs, then adjectives and adverbs, and you only start making sentences when the semester is half over. Sounds crazy, right? So why do we teach physics that way? First motion, then forces, then momentum and energy. Why not teach all four of those concepts together starting in the first week, starting with very simple “sentences” and slowly building complexity? That is the foundation for Parallel Pedagogy.

Facilitator: Dean Stocker (University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College, OH)

---

Physics assessments for modern times: The power of portfolios

Want to spark curiosity, lighten your grading load and help every student shine?  Come explore how portfolio assessments can encourage a growth mindset, boost equity, and bring more joy to your physics class.

Facilitators:

• Raeghan Graessle (Harper College, IL)
• Will Heidorn (Iowa Lakes Community College, IA)
• Laura Romanovich (Johnson College, PA)

---

Practices to Support Student Success

Why Representation Matters in Physics: Who does physics/science and implications of that work have a profound effect in the world that we live. But we seldom have these ethical discussions in a physics classroom - because it is awkward and hard (and most of us are not trained sociologists and are conflict adverse). And sometimes, students push back. This workshop highlights a few different techniques that faculty - at various stages of their comfort - have utilized to get students in their physics classroom to think about how physics/science is a societal endeavor. Participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm ideas about how they can connect physics/science and its collective impact in their classroom. 

Facilitators: 

• Tran Phung (Whatcom College, WA)
• Chelsea Tiffany (St. Paul College, MN)
• Kristine Washburn (Everett College, WA)

---

Star spectra science: Using balloons and buttons to model spectroscopy

This activity blends physics, math, and space science as students explore the spectra of stars using a physical model composed of balloons and buttons. It was inspired by "Balloons and Button Spectroscopy: A Hands-On Approach to Light and Matter", an article by Joseph Ribaudo, published in The Physics Teacher. The lesson starts with the task of finding wavelength (in nanometers) and corresponding energy (in eV) for each color in the visible spectrum. Next, students identify energy transitions and corresponding color for energy-level diagrams. In the final phase students sort buttons by color, plotting the number of counts on a histogram. They will then identify peak emission wavelengths for each balloon "star" and calculate an estimated surface temperature for each.

Facilitators:

• Tony Musumba (Riverside City College, CA)
• Ron Schlaack (Delta College, MI)
• Francesca Viale (Northern Virginia Community College, VA)

---

Strategies to Improve Student Discussions: Modeling discourse management

Come learn some techniques to improve and enhance student discussions and interactions in your classroom. This workshop will provide ideas and some immersive experience on how to improve the discourse in your classes. We will allow you to experience the ideas being discussed rather than just hearing or reading about them. So please consider joining Angela and Dwain in this workshop!

Facilitators:

• Dwain Desbien (Estrella Mountain Community College, AZ)
• Angela McClure (Estrella Mountain Community College, AZ)

---

Supporting students with disabilities: A practical guide

We have found that accommodations for students with disabilities can be insufficient to provide them with excellent learning opportunities, or that guidance can be too vague to be useful. In this workshop, we present practical ways to support students with low vision, low hearing, and neurodivergence. Many of these tips and behaviors can help all students in the class as well.

Facilitators:

• Alex Bohn (Northern Virginia Community College, VA)
• Kris Lui (OPTYCs/AAPT, MD)
• Tony Musumba (Riverside City College, CA)
• Dean Stocker (University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College, OH)

 

Schedule for Tandem 2025

This is the tentative itinerary for the TYC Tandem Meeting 2025, hosted by Howard Community College in Columbia, MD.

08:00	Buses depart from AAPT hotel
09:00	Arrive at Howard CC; breakfast; opening remarks
09:50	Break
10:00	Workshop Session 1
11:45	Lunch; poster set-up
12:00	Poster Session 1
12:00	Poster Session 2
13:00	Break
13:10	Workshop Session 2
14:55	Break
15:05	Workshop Session 3
16:50	Evaluations; closing remarks
17:15	Buses depart Howard CC
18:15	Buses arrive at AAPT hotel

July 15, 2023 - Sacramento, CA