Earn 3 free online PD hours from TCNJ through participation in this Google group

[Melissa Chessler]

Dear NJ-PTAG member,

As I'm sure you realize, this year we are unable to hold our usual Spring NJ-PTAG meeting.  We are, however, offering the opportunity for members of the group to earn 3 free physics-specific PD hours by:

- engaging in discussions about online learning with your colleagues and future physics teachers in this Google group, and 

- offering feedback on physics demos that are being designed this week by TCNJ undergrads who are participating in a virtual version of our Summer Teaching Exploration Program for Undergraduate Physics (STEP-UP).  

If you would like to earn 3 free physics-specific PD hours from TCNJ, we ask that you provide a total of at least 6 responses by posting to the Google Group and perhaps participating in a Zoom call as detailed below.  (Zoom call participation may count for up to 3 responses as specified in item #4.)

For the benefit of the undergrads participating in the STEP-UP program, we'd appreciate you completing as many of the items below as you can this week.  We do, however, realize that it's a busy time, so we'll be watching for responses and distributing PD certificates through the end of June. 

To earn 3 PD hours, please complete the following steps:

1) If you have not already done so, post the following information under "Introductions": (If you have already completed this step, your response still counts toward the total.)

Your name

Your school

Grades you teach

Courses you teach

Number of years teaching/teaching physics

Any other bit of background/personal info you'd like to share

2)  Post at least one response under either of the following two topics:

a) What are the best ways to engage middle and/or high school students with physics content in an e-learning format?

b) Please share the physics lesson, lab or demo that you feel was most successful during the past few months of online learning, and describe why you feel it was especially successful.  (If you have already shared this lesson, lab or demo, you may re-post it here with a description of why you feel it was especially successful.)

3) Post at least one response under the following topic:

Discuss strengths, shortcomings, and lessons learned about online instruction during the Covid-19 outbreak.

4) As part of our STEP-UP program, summer students are creating virtual science demonstrations that will be presented during a Zoom meeting on Friday, June 5th (probably live about 12:30-2 pm; invitation will follow).  The demos will then be posted to our Google group.  We ask that you review each of the demos and provide feedback (e.g., what you think works well, suggestions to make the demos more effective, etc.) for ALL 3 demos either by accepting an invitation to participate live on Friday, June 5th and/or by offering comments in the Google group after viewing recordings of the demos that will be posted here.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

I hope to see you in the Google group or on the Zoom call!

Melissa

[Melissa Chessler]

Hi Everyone,

I hope your summer is off to a great start!  I am finally able to post the long-awaited videos of the demos presented by TCNJ students who participated in our early summer STEP-UP program.  We'd really appreciate if you would take a look at the videos and offer your constructive feedback and ideas about the demos and instruction offered by the STEP-UP participants.  

Here is the link to the videos: 

NJ-PTAG Resources

Please post your comments under the topic: Physics Demos by STEP-UP Participants - Summer 2020

If you would like to receive 3 PD hours, please review the message below about the required responses.  Given the delay in posting the videos, we will offer the PD hours to anyone who completes the steps detailed below by the end of July.  If you have already completed everything and need a confirmation of the hours sooner than that, please email me at ches...@tcnj.edu.

Thanks so much,

Melissa Chessler

On Monday, June 1, 2020 at 8:21:21 PM UTC-4, Melissa Chessler wrote:

Dear NJ-PTAG member,

As I'm sure you realize, this year we are unable to hold our usual Spring NJ-PTAG meeting.  We are, however, offering the opportunity for members of the group to earn 3 free physics-specific PD hours by:

- engaging in discussions about online learning with your colleagues and future physics teachers in this Google group, and 

- offering feedback on physics demos that are being designed this week by TCNJ undergrads who are participating in a virtual version of our Summer Teaching Exploration Program for Undergraduate Physics (STEP-UP).  

If you would like to earn 3 free physics-specific PD hours from TCNJ, we ask that you provide a total of at least 6 responses by posting to the Google Group and perhaps participating in a Zoom call as detailed below.  (Zoom call participation may count for up to 3 responses as specified in item #4.)  NOTE:  THE ZOOM CALL HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.  If you did not participate during the call, please see #4 below and provide feedback on the demos by reviewing the videos from the call under the Google Group Topic: Physics Demos by STEP-UP Participants - Summer 2020

To earn 3 PD hours, please complete the following steps:

1) If you have not already done so, post the following information under "Introductions": (If you have already completed this step, your response still counts toward the total.)

Your name

Your school

Grades you teach

Courses you teach

Number of years teaching/teaching physics

Any other bit of background/personal info you'd like to share

2)  Post at least one response under either of the following two topics:

a) What are the best ways to engage middle and/or high school students with physics content in an e-learning format?

b) Please share the physics lesson, lab or demo that you feel was most successful during the past few months of online learning, and describe why you feel it was especially successful.  (If you have already shared this lesson, lab or demo, you may re-post it here with a description of why you feel it was especially successful.)

3) Post at least one response under the following topic:

Discuss strengths, shortcomings, and lessons learned about online instruction during the Covid-19 outbreak.

4) As part of our STEP-UP program, summer students are creating virtual science demonstrations that will be presented during a Zoom meeting on Friday, June 5th (probably live about 12:30-2 pm; invitation will follow).  The demos will then be posted to our Google group (Topic: Physics Demos by STEP-UP Participants - Summer 2020).  We ask that you review each of the demos and provide feedback (e.g., what you think works well, suggestions to make the demos more effective, etc.) for ALL 3 demos either by accepting an invitation to participate live on Friday, June 5th and/or by offering comments in the Google group after viewing recordings of the demos that will be posted here.

[Melissa Chessler]

Updated link to videos: https://physics.tcnj.edu/nj-ptag/