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1. Student learning outcomes with hybrid computer simulations and hands-on labs

   https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2020.pr.Sagear  

   Sagear, Sheila; Allen, Emily; Duffy, Andrew; Jariwala, Manher (September 2020, 2020 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings)

   Bennett, M; Wolf, S.; Frank, B. W. (Ed.)

   Computer simulations for physics labs may be combined with hands-on lab equipment to boost student understanding and make labs more accessible. Hybrid labs of HTML5-based computer simulations and hands-on lab equipment for topics in mechanics were investigated in a large, algebra-based, studio physics course for life science students at a private, research-intensive institution. Computer simulations were combined with hands-on equipment and compared to traditional hands-on labs using an A/B testing protocol. Learning outcomes were measured for the specific topic of momentum conservation by comparing student scores on post-lab exercises, related quiz and exam questions, and a subset of questions on the Energy and Momentum Conceptual Survey (EMCS) administered before and after instruction for both groups. We find that students who completed a hands-on lab vs. a hybrid lab showed no difference in performance on momentum assessments. 

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2. Exploring diverse students' negotiation of lab roles through positioning

   https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2022.pr.Akubo  

   Akubo, Mark; Sundstrom, Meagan; Holmes, N. G. (September 2022, 2022 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings)

   Frank, Brian W.; Jones, Dyan L.; Ryan, Qing X. (Ed.)

   Prior work has found inequities in what experimental roles students take on during instructional labs. Research also suggests that this role division might arise implicitly and that prompting explicit role negotiation might improve equity in lab group work. To understand these various ways students negotiate roles in their lab groups, we use the lens of positioning to analyze two different video episodes of a gender-and-race-diverse group of three students. In one episode, students implicitly take on roles through subtle negotiations and in the second episode, one student explicitly assigns roles. We find that the positioning dynamics in both episodes lead to inequitable learning experiences within the group. This inequity, moreover, occurs along gender and racial lines, prompting future work relating students' intersectional identities to their positioning dynamics in small groups. 

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3. Equity in college physics student learning: A critical quantitative intersectionality investigation

   https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21584  

   Van Dusen, Ben; Nissen, Jayson (June 2019, Journal of Research in Science Teaching)

   We investigated the intersectional nature of race/racism and gender/sexism in broad scale inequities in physics student learning using a critical quantitative intersectionality. To provide transparency and create a nuanced picture of learning, we problematized the measurement of equity by using two competing operationalizations of equity: Equity of Individuality and Equality of Learning. These two models led to conflicting conclusions. The analyses used hierarchical linear models to examine student’s conceptual learning as measured by gains in scores on research-based assessments administered as pretests and posttests. The data came from the Learning About STEM Student Outcomes’ (LASSO) national database and included data from 13,857 students in 187 first-semester college physics courses. Findings showed differences in student gains across gender and race. Large gender differences existed for White and Hispanic students but not for Asian, Black, and Pacific Islander students. The models predicted larger gains for students in collaborative learning than in lecture-based courses. The Equity of Individuality operationalization indicated that collaborative instruction improved equity because all groups learned more with collaborative learning. The Equality of Learning operationalization indicated that collaborative instruction did not improve equity because differences between groups were unaffected. We discuss the implications of these mixed findings and identify areas for future research using critical quantitative perspectives in education research.We investigated the intersectional nature of race/racism and gender/sexism in broad scale inequities in physics student learning using a critical quantitative intersectionality. To provide transparency and create a nuanced picture of learning, we problematized the measurement of equity by using two competing operationalizations of equity: Equity of Individuality and Equality of Learning. These two models led to conflicting conclusions. The analyses used hierarchical linear models to examine student’s conceptual learning as measured by gains in scores on research-based assessments administered as pretests and posttests. The data came from the Learning About STEM Student Outcomes’ (LASSO) national database and included data from 13,857 students in 187 first-semester college physics courses. Findings showed differences in student gains across gender and race. Large gender differences existed for White and Hispanic students but not for Asian, Black, and Pacific Islander students. The models predicted larger gains for students in collaborative learning than in lecture-based courses. The Equity of Individuality operationalization indicated that collaborative instruction improved equity because all groups learned more with collaborative learning. The Equality of Learning operationalization indicated that collaborative instruction did not improve equity because differences between groups were unaffected. We discuss the implications of these mixed findings and identify areas for future research using critical quantitative perspectives in education research. Keywords: gender, race, physics, hierarchical linear model, equity, equality, critical quantitative intersectionality, higher education, learning 

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4. Remote Learners, Home Makers: How Digital Fabrication Was Taught Online During a Pandemic

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445450  

   Benabdallah, Gabrielle; Bourgault, Sam; Peek, Nadya; Jacobs, Jennifer (May 2021, Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems)

   null (Ed.)

   Digital fabrication courses that relied on physical makerspaces were severely disrupted by COVID-19. As universities shut down in Spring 2020, instructors developed new models for digital fabrication at a distance. Through interviews with faculty and students and examination of course materials, we recount the experiences of eight remote digital fabrication courses. We found that learning with hobbyist equipment and online social networks could emulate using industrial equipment in shared workshops. Furthermore, at-home digital fabrication offered unique learning opportunities including more iteration, machine tuning, and maintenance. These opportunities depended on new forms of labor and varied based on student living situations. Our findings have implications for remote and in-person digital fabrication instruction. They indicate how access to tools was important, but not as critical as providing opportunities for iteration; they show how remote fabrication exacerbated student inequities; and they suggest strategies for evaluating trade-offs in remote fabrication models with respect to learning objectives. 

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5. Comparison of the Effectiveness of In-Person and Remote Labs for Undergraduate Physics Students at an HBC

   Efe., F. (June 2023, American Society for Engineering Education, 2023. https://peer.asee.org/43284)

   Following the outbreak of COVID-19, conducting lab classes emerged as a major challenge. Just switching to remote only mode with virtual experiments and simulations was very limiting for both the instructors and the students. At an historically black university, an approach that integrated the hands-on experiments enriched by simulation resources with virtual follow up was adopted. The key advantages of this approach were access to equipment, flexibility on when and how experiments are conducted, and the curiosity driven engagement fostered. Though this approach lacks the in-person one-on-one engagement and use of specialized equipment in the lab, it established a different and, in some aspect, deeper student engagement. Development of troubleshooting skills and the confidence in setting experiments are a few key observations. In this study, we present a comparison of the efficacy of such remote integrated modes of conducting Physics experiments with in-person in laboratory teaching of undergraduate students, who are enrolled in the Introduction to Physics Experiment course participated at Morgan State University. We conclude that these two approaches are complementary to one another. 

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