OPTYCs PER Events
RBAIs 2026
Facilitators: Karim Diff, Brian Lee
Over the past academic year, the PER Interest Group has brought together two-year college physics and astronomy faculty and PER researchers to discuss research-based assessment instruments (RBAIs), how they are administered, how to interpret and make use of the data they provide, and how to share the data with the broader physics education community.
In this final session of the year, we invited participants to share how they have used RBAIs.
iSTAR 2026
Facilitators: Krista Wood, Kathleen Koenig
The Inquiry in Scientific Thinking, Analytics, and Reasoning (iSTAR) is an assessment designed to measure students’ scientific reasoning skills, with a focus on control of variables, data analytics, and causal decision-making skills.
In this session, we explored the importance of scientific reasoning skills, why iSTAR was developed, and shared the development process behind iSTAR. In addition, we reviewed key findings from iSTAR implementation and practical strategies for using the iSTAR.
Participants had time to plan how iSTAR can be integrated into their own courses to better support students’ development of scientific reasoning skills.
DIRECT 2026
Facilitator: Paula Engelhardt
DIRECT is a conceptual diagnostic assessment covering DC resistive electric circuits. In this presentation, we briefly discussed the development of DIRECT and the baseline results that were obtained. Participants learned what DIRECT can and cannot measure, its limitations, and how best to use it. Additionally, participants received information about where to get access to DIRECT and ways of administering it to their students.
CLASS 2026
Facilitator: Leon Hsu
The purpose of the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is to “measure students’ self-reported beliefs about physics and their physics courses and how closely these beliefs about physics align with experts’ beliefs” (from physport.org). To take the survey, which can be completed in less than 15 minutes, students indicate their opinions (rating from strongly agree to strongly disagree) regarding 42 statements about physics and learning physics. In this session, we shared what the CLASS can tell you, similar assessments of students’ attitudes and beliefs, and tips for giving and scoring the CLASS in your class.
EMCS 2026
Facilitators: Chandralekha Singh, Mary Brundage
The Energy and Momentum Conceptual Survey (EMCS) is a multiple-choice survey that contains a variety of energy and momentum concepts including potential and kinetic energies, work energy theorem, mechanical energy conservation, impulse-momentum theorem, and momentum conservation in both one and two dimensions. Prior studies suggest that many concepts on the survey are challenging for introductory physics students and the average student scores after traditional instruction are low. We elaborated on these findings and discussed strategies to improve student understanding of these concepts.
Using the Concise Data Processing Assessment (CDPA)
Facilitator: James Day
The Concise Data Processing Assessment (CDPA) is a ten-question, multiple-choice diagnostic designed to measure students’ abilities with measurement, uncertainty, and data handling—skills essential in any physics or astronomy lab. Validated through expert review and student interviews, the CDPA probes how students interpret uncertainty, connect numbers to models and graphs, and make sense of real data. This session provided an overview of the CDPA’s purpose, what it can and cannot reveal about student learning, practical tips for implementation and interpretation, and time for discussion on using it to inform instruction.
Using the Minnesota Assessment of Problem Solving (MAPS)
Facilitator: Jennifer Docktor
The Minnesota Assessment of Problem Solving (MAPS) rubric was developed as a tool to score students’ written solutions to physics problems. This presentation included an introduction to the five general problem-solving processes assessed by the rubric and criteria for attaining a score in each, as well as examples for how to apply the rubric to students’ written solutions.
Using the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM)
Facilitators: Tom O'Kuma, Dwain Desbien, Brian Lee
The Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) was created to assess a student’s understanding of common electricity and magnetism concepts that are covered in introductory physics. In this presentation, we shared how the CSEM was created, and how it has been used in their introductory physics courses. The results from a variety of institutions and how those results were used by faculty were shared.
Using Mechanics Assessments: FCI, FMCE, and MBT
Facilitators: Jeffrey Marx, Brian Lee
The FCI, FMCE, and MBT are some of the oldest recognized concept inventories in Physics Education Research. Their impact stretches back to late 1900’s and their legacy includes continuing to shape contemporary research questions. In this presentation, we covered the history of these instruments, their domains and applicability, the advantages of each, and explore some valuable critiques. Additionally, we discussed how to use (and not to use) these instruments to inform decisions about one’s day-to-day teaching.
Introduction to Research-Based Assessment Instruments
Facilitators: Jayson Nissen, Sherry Savrda
During the 2025-2026 academic year, we offer a series of presentation-discussion-workshops to share some of the many research-based assessment instruments (RBAIs) used in the physics education community. We briefly showed the PhysPort platform, and our facilitator, Jayson Nissen, spoke on the LASSO platform.
Textbooks 2025
Facilitator: Sherry Savrda
What does research have to say about what makes an effective textbook? What is the impact of textbook choice on student success? What factors make it more likely that students will actually use a textbook? In this PER-Interest Group session on textbooks, we reviewed some of what research has shown about textbooks and how they are used, followed by a discussion among the participants.
Learning Assistant Programs
Facilitators: Mel Sabella, Jim Rabchuk
A Learning Assistant (LA) is a near-peer student who works in the classroom to aid in the learning process. LAs differ from teaching assistants; TAs generally assist the teacher (grading, preparing materials) while LAs assist the learner (guided inquiry, working through challenging ideas. Classes with LAs have been shown to improve conceptual understanding and course pass rates. The number of LA programs at two-year colleges (TYCs) is growing. Participants in this interactive session learned about LA programs, and heard from TYC faculty who have incorporated LAs into their teaching toolkit.
UIUC TEAM UP Scholars
This event was not recorded.
This was an information event about an REU opportunity for summer 2025.
Supporting Physics Education with Gameplay
Facilitator: W. Brian Lane
Gaming provides an opportunity to immerse students in collaborative problem-solving using their knowledge and reinforcing their identities. In this session, we discussed different experiences with introducing gameplay in physics education: gamifying the classroom, physics-related boardgames, physics-related video/mobile games. Our speaker will share his work in progress on a STEM education tabletop roleplaying game and open the floor for feedback and solicit interest in collaboration.
Incorporating Quantum into Intro Courses
Facilitators: Karim Diff, James Freericks
James Freericks from Georgetown university shared ideas on how to introduce elements of quantum physics in an introductory or a modern physics course.
Assessments and Equity 2024
Facilitator: Rachel Henderson
As educators, we would like to prepare our students for 21st century physics careers. Overall, to ensure all students will become successful scientists, physics departments need to be able to provide evidence to make sure that we are reaching these goals. The field of Physics Education Research has made major contributions to various educational practices and materials to reform instruction in order to recruit and retain more students. However, while many research-based instructional strategies in physics have continued to advance, reform in undergraduate physics assessment tools has had limited space in these conversations.
In this talk, Rachel motivated the need for the next generation of physics assessment tools and presented a few projects that the physics education research lab at Michigan State University has been working on. In particular, she discussed their efforts to build a more diverse set of tools to use within classrooms in order to better understand students’ learning as well as how to best support them throughout their time in higher education.
Astronomy Education Research 2024
Facilitator: Sherry Savrda
Do you teach introductory astronomy? What are your favorite activities for engaging students and helping them understand astronomical concepts? The OPTYCs PER-Interest Group hosted an interactive sharing session where participants were encouraged to bring their favorite activities to share. The session also included a brief overview of some recent Astronomy Education Research (AER).
Engineering Education Research & Transfer Students 2024
This session by the PER Interest Group was a discussion of engineering education, focusing on factors affecting the persistence and retention of underserved communities of vertical transfer students in engineering. The discussion also addressed how students develop coping mechanisms to be successful and how institutional policies can be developed to support them.
Facilitators: Sindia Rivera-Jimenez, Kimberly Stubbs
Research about Physicists with Disabilities 2024
Facilitators: Liam McDermott, Erin Scanlon, Jacquelyn Chini
In this session three prominent PER investigators shared some of their findings on disabilities in physics. Each facilitator gave a brief presentation on findings related to neurodivergence and identity, disabling barriers experienced by students, and frameworks that shed light on doing physics as a person with one or more disabilities. The presentations was followed by audience discussions and questions.
PER for/by TYCs 2024
Facilitators: Mel Sabella, Andrew Morrison
Discipline Based Education Research (DBER), such as Physics Education Research (PER), can include powerful tools to inform us on how best to support students in our classes. Studies from DBER are varied, leveraging quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method approaches. They can be overarching or more focused. While DBER is conducted at a wide variety of institutions, published results often focus on studies conducted at R1 institutions that engage particular populations of students. Different types of institutions have different missions, values and objectives and how these institutions engage in DBER work will vary based on community and institution needs and strengths.
In this session, we engaged in a community dialogue around how DBER could be conducted and used at institutions such as Two Year Colleges (TYCs) and comprehensive regional universities. In addition, we discussed our individual, institution, and community goals for work in DBER and how the community could support these goals. As a community we reflected on and articulated values and missions, and used this to guide how we want to engage in DBER individually and as a community.
AI in the Classroom Workshop Apr 2024
Facilitator: Dean Stocker
In this short workshop, Dean Stocker and Ruth Benandre discussed what educators are facing in the classroom, policies that have worked so far, and strategies being employed in introductory physics classes to incorporate AI in a positive way. Time was included for participant interaction, discussion and questions.
Scientific Reasoning in Lab
Facilitator: Sherry Savrda
Do you specifically design labs to teach scientific reasoning and/or critical thinking skills? If so, what do you do? The OPTYCs PER-Interest Group hosted a discussion and sharing session on scientific reasoning and critical thinking in labs. The session started with a brief review of what PER has to say about scientific reasoning and skill-based labs, and a review of the assessment instruments available to measure scientific reasoning. We then opened the discussion to participants to share their favorite activities.
Teaching Fields 2024 PER-Interest Session
Facilitator: Karim Diff
How do you introduce fields (electric, magnetic, gravitational) in your courses? What is your go-to activity to introduce this notoriously challenging topic in your classes?
The OPTYCs PER-Interest Group hosted the first interactive sharing session of 2024 on this topic. We started with a brief review of what PER says about the topic, followed by a discussion of some of the popular choices for interactive simulations such as PhET, The Physics Classroom and Web VPython. Participants shared their favorite activities on the subject.
PER on Labs 2023
Facilitator: Natasha Holmes
As instructors, we often have a range of goals for our physics labs, from demonstrating key physics principles, engaging students with experimental physics practices, to teaching communication, computation, and collaboration skills. How do we prioritize these sometimes competing objectives and how do we design labs to effectively address our goals? In this presentation-discussion, we discussed how research – and experience – informed our instructional decisions for labs.
PER Discussion on Lab Assessments 2023
Facilitator: Anthony Escuadro
In this PER Interest Group's Journal Club discussion, we discussed assessments for introductory physics labs beyond the traditional formal lab report.
PER Discussion on Physics for Life Sciences 2023
Facilitator: Sherry Savrda
Participants discussed teaching physics for life sciences students, sharing activities or labs they have created. We also briefly looked at some of the research related to Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS). This discussion laid the groundwork for a follow-up workshop on Physics Activities for Life Sciences (PALS).
PER Discussion on Labs 2023
Facilitator: Karim Diff
The theme for this year was introductory physics labs. Participants were encouraged to bring examples of their ideas and favorite lab activities at this sharing session.
Data Explorer 2023
Facilitators: Glenda Denicolo, Sam McKagan
In this mini virtual workshop, we demonstrated how to use the Data Explorer tool on PhysPort.org to score, analyze, and interpret your results from research-based assessments such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI), and compare to national data. Participants learned how to use the Data Explorer tool and about resources available from PhysPort.org.
Assessment Tools 2023
Facilitators: Dwain Desbien, Sherry Savrda, David Maloney
In this panel presentation, mechanics and E&M assessment tools were presented.
What is PERC?
Facilitators: Glenda Denicolo, Rebecca Lindell
Each year, the PER community in AAPT gathers to share research insights and discuss ideas and issues at the PER Conference (PERC). With PER's growing interest to involve two-year colleges, this event provided some background into PERC, and ways in which the TYC community can participate.
History of TYC Contributions
Facilitators: Tom O'Kuma, Sherry Savrda, Abigail Daane, Scott Schultz, Karim Diff
This panel discussion gave an overview of various PER work by and for the two-year college community.
Journal Club Dec 2022
December 2, 2022
Facilitator: Sherry Savrda
At this PER Interest Group event, participants discussed the article "Group roles in unstructured labs show inequitable gender divide" by Katherine N. Quinn, Michelle M. Kelley, Kathryn L. McGill, Emily M. Smith, Zachary Whipps, and N.G. Holmes
Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 16, 010129 - Published 26 May 2020.
Journal Club Oct 2022
October 28, 2022
Facilitator: Karim Diff
At this PER Interest Group event, participants discussed the paper "Increased learning in a college physics course with timely use of short multimedia summaries"
Spencer Dunleavy, Greg Kestin, Kristina Callaghan, Logan McCarty, and Louis Deslauriers
Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 18, 010110 – Published 28 January 2022.
Journal Club Sep 2022
September 30, 2022
This event was not recorded.
Facilitator: Glenda Denicolo
This was the inaugural OPTYCs PER Interest Group event.
You may also visit our YouTube channel for recordings of past workshops.
