Minutes of Physical Sciences Task Force
Meeting
Time: 10:00 am
Participants: Paul Williams, Lala Guerra, James Friedrichsen, Ron Johns, George
Staff, John Cise, Allen Underwood, Saad
Eways, Paul Nacozy, C.D. Rao, Chris Cavalli, Sal Valastro, Mostafa Pirnia, Bob Blodgett, Dale Biggs, Jim
Heath, Dean Becker, Michael McGraw, Hadi Parhikhteh, Thomas Grimshaw, Dennis
Dunn, Leslie Davis, Amy Cunningham, Larry Wigginton,
Qurrat Thakur, Jeff Bechtold
1.)
Approval of Agenda
2.) Approval of Minutes from May 4, 2007
Minutes were approved with the addition
of three faculty attendance added for the May 4, 2007 meeting.
3.) Information items presented:
a.) 12 week
Astronomy Class – Paul Williams announced to everyone that a 12 week Astronomy
class had been added to the Fall 2007 schedule.
He also asked everyone to let students know about the class.
b.) Estaffing - Paul Williams reminded everyone that Estaffing was occurring at the moment.
c.) Physic Tutor Needed at CYP -
Paul Williams announced that a Physics tutor was needed at the CYP Learning Lab. He told everyone in the meeting that if
anyone was interested, to please contact Doug Beran,
Learning Lab Manager at 223-2040.
d.) Evaluation Schedule - Paul Williams announced
that portfolios were due on November 2, 2007 for faculty who have
a portfolio year. He also made it clear
to everyone that the due date will be strictly enforced.
e.) iClickers – At least one setof iClickers
in available at NRG, RVS,RGC, and CYP.
Paul Williams also mentioned that there would a workshop for iClickers Saturday, September 29, 2007 at the Northridge
Campus at 10:00 in room 2228.
f.) Program Review – James Heath
announced that he received notice about a Program Review meeting that was set
for Friday, September 14, 2007.
g.)
Scheduling of Wilderness First
Aid Training - Bob Blodgett announced that a voluntary Wilderness First Aide
Training was being scheduled for Geology Instructors sometime in the middle
of October.
4.) Committee Membership
a.) Evaluation
Committee - Members on the Evaluation Committee for ASTR/PHYS/ENGR
are James Friedrichsen (Chair), Jim Heath, John Cise, Allen
Underwood and Hadi
Parhikhteh. Members
on the Evaluation Committee for GEOL/ESTE are:
Ron Johns,
George Staff, Bob Blodgett, Sal Valastro
and Leslie Davis.
b.) Planning
Committee – Members on the Planning Committee are:
Paul Williams, Ron
Johns, James Friedrichsen, Jeff Bechtold, Allen Underwood, Paul Nacozy,
Larry
Wigginton, Qurrat Thakur, Cindy Carr, John Conners, David
Cuddeback and Richard
Mauldin.
c.) Schedule Committee – Members on the Schedule
Committee are: Paul Williams, James
Friedrichsen, Ron Johns, Paul Nacozy, Chris Cavalli, Jeff Bechtold, Jim
Heath and George
Staff.
5.) Presentation on Assessment
of Learning Outcomes - Ron Johns gave a presentation
and led a thorough discussion on the Assessment of Learning
Outcomes.
6.) Action Items None
7.) New Business None
Minutes of PHYS/AST/ENG Subcommittee
September 7, 2007
Participants
James Friedrichsen, John Cise, Allen
Underwood, Saad Eways, Paul Nacozy, Paul Williams, C.D. Rao, Chris Cavalli, Mostafa Pirnia, Dale Biggs,
Jim Heath, Hadi Parhikhteh, Dean Becker, Michael McGraw, Jeff Bechtold
Announcement of Upcoming Physics
Meetings – Paul
Williams shared information with everyone in the meeting of upcoming Physics
Meetings.
The meetings were as followed: TYC Physics Workshop Project, email address www.Physicsworkshops.org, Texas
Section AAPT, Fall and Spring Meeting, email address www.tsaapt.org and AAPT Winter and Spring Meeting, email
address www.aapt.org.
Astronomy Textbook – James
Heath informed everyone that a decision had not been made on an Astronomy
textbook for Spring 2008. He said he would let Lala
Guerra know which book would be adopted when the decision was made.
Work Session on Assessment of
Learning – A work session was held for the Assessment of Learning. The table below summarizes the results the
plan for assessing exemplary educational objectives of the PHYS courses
included in the core
|
Course |
EEO |
Plan |
Team |
|
PHYS 1401 |
To understand and apply method and appropriate technology to the
study of the natural science |
Test item written to
specification using physics problem solving methods graded by rubric |
Friedrichsen, Cise, McGraw |
|
PHYS 1402 |
To identify and recognize
the differences among competing scientific theories |
Test item written to a
specification addressing particle vs. wave theory of light |
Williams, Biggs, Parhikhteh |
|
PHYS 1405 |
To recognize scientific and quantitative methods and the
differences between these approaches and the other methods of inquiry and to
communicate findings, analyses, and interpretation both orally and in writing. |
Test item written to
specifications addressing the Scientific Method graded by a rubric |
Heath, Cavalli |
|
PHYS 1407 |
To demonstrate knowledge of
the major issues and problems facing modern science, including issues that
touch upon ethics, values, and public policies |
Test item written to
specifications addressing alternative energy sources graded by a rubric |
Williams, Underwood |
|
PHYS 2425 |
To recognize scientific and quantitative methods and the
differences between these approaches and the other methods of inquiry and to
communicate findings, analyses, and interpretation both orally and in writing. |
Formal lab report graded by
a rubric |
Bechtold, Nacozy |
|
PHYS 2426 |
To understand and apply method and appropriate technology to the
study of the natural science |
My notes list two
approaches so I’m not sure which was chosen either a rubric graded lab report
or a test item |
Underwood, Eways |
Minutes of GEOL/ENVR Subcommittee
September 7, 2007
Assessment
for GEOL and ENVR was developed. Focus
of assessment will be scientific method and climate change.