P-dog's blog: boring but important

Astronomy and physics education research and comments, field-tested think-pair-share (peer instruction) clicker questions, flashcard questions, in-class activities (lecture-tutorials), current events questions, backwards faded scaffolding laboratories, Hake gains, field-tested multiple-choice and essay exam questions, indices of discrimination, presentation slides, photos, ephemerae, astronomy in the marketplace, unrelated random sketches and minutiae.

20120430

Astronomy midterm question: new stars from type II/type Ia supernova remnants?

Astronomy 210 Midterm 2, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

[Version 1]
[20 points.] An astronomy question on an online discussion board(*) was asked and answered:

owen m: [How c]an another [star] form after a [type II] supernova?
Stom: [W]hen a star...goes [type II] supernova, it blasts a...lot of unused hydrogen out into space...and when there is enough hydrogen pulled together and the gravity gets strong enough the new star burst[s] [into] life...

Discuss why this answer is correct, and how you know this. Explain using the properties and evolution of stars.

*Source: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090914144056AA43heK.

Solution and grading rubric:

p = 20/20:
Correct. Understands that type II supernova remnants are hydrogen rich, discussing hydrogen line spectra evidence and/or that the outer layers of a supergiant are uninvolved in core/shell fusion, and thus are primarily hydrogen, from which a subsequent star can form, and/or may discuss new star formation triggered by type II supernova shockwaves.
r = 16/20:
Nearly correct (explanation weak, unclear or only nearly complete); includes extraneous/tangential information; or has minor errors.
t = 12/20:
Contains right ideas, but discussion is unclear/incomplete or contains major errors. Does not directly address why discussion board answer is correct, but at least demonstrates understanding of type II supernova process.
v = 8/20:
Limited relevant discussion of supporting evidence of at least some merit, but in an inconsistent or unclear manner. Discussion based on type Ia supernova or other types of stars/supernovae, or focuses on star formation only instead of also discussing hydrogen contribution from type II supernovae.
x = 4/20:
Implementation/application of ideas, but credit given for effort rather than merit. May describe/restate discussion board answer without substantive explanation involving properties and evolution of stars as to why it is correct.
y = 2/20:
Irrelevant discussion/effectively blank.
z = 0/20:
Blank.

Grading distribution:
Section 30676
Exam code: midterm02sA4r
p: 10 students
r: 5 students
t: 12 students
v: 7 students
x: 4 students
y: 0 students
z: 0 students

A sample "p" response (from student 2448):

[Version 2]
[20 points.] An astronomy question on an online discussion board(*) was asked and answered:

owen m: [How c]an another [star] form after a [type Ia] supernova?
Stom: [W]hen a star...goes [type Ia] supernova, it blasts a...lot of unused hydrogen out into space...and when there is enough hydrogen pulled together and the gravity gets strong enough the new star burst[s] [into] life...

Discuss why this answer is incorrect, and how you know this. Explain using the properties and evolution of stars.

*Source: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090914144056AA43heK.

Solution and grading rubric:

p = 20/20:
Correct. Understands that type Ia supernova remnants are hydrogen poor, discussing hydrogen line spectra evidence and/or that the carbon-oxygen white dwarf steals hydrogen from a companion star, and fuses these to heavier elements when exploding, leaving very little (if any) hydrogen from which a subsequent star can form.
r = 16/20:
Nearly correct (explanation weak, unclear or only nearly complete); includes extraneous/tangential information; or has minor errors.
t = 12/20:
Contains right ideas, but discussion is unclear/incomplete or contains major errors. Does not directly address why discussion board answer is incorrect, but at least demonstrates understanding of type Ia supernova process.
v = 8/20:
Limited relevant discussion of supporting evidence of at least some merit, but in an inconsistent or unclear manner. Discussion based on type Ia supernova or other types of stars/supernovae, or focuses on star formation only instead of also discussing hydrogen contribution from type II supernovae.
x = 4/20:
Implementation/application of ideas, but credit given for effort rather than merit. ay describe/restate discussion board answer without substantive explanation involving properties and evolution of stars as to why it is incorrect.
y = 2/20:
Irrelevant discussion/effectively blank.
z = 0/20:
Blank.

Grading distribution:
Section 30674
Exam code: midterm02n4Rg
p: 8 students
r: 0 students
t: 11 students
v: 11 students
x: 3 students
y: 0 students
z: 0 students

A sample "p" response (from student 7538):

20120429

Education research: RSMS and student learning outcomes (fall semester 2011)

Student achievement of course learning outcomes are assessed by administering a Research Skills Mastery Survey (RSMS), a five-point Likert scale questionnaire (Patrick M. Len, in development) to Astronomy 210L students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA. This is an optional adjunct laboratory to a one-semester introductory astronomy lecture using a backwards faded scaffolding curriculum (Slater, Slater, and Lyons, 2010), and is taken primarily by students to satisfy their general education science laboratory transfer requirement.

The RSMS is administered online during the last week of instruction, to be completed before the final laboratory poster session.

The RSMS results from this semester are compiled below. Values for the mean and standard deviations are given next to the modal response category for each question. Also listed is the percentage of students who have self-assessed themselves as having successfully mastering a research skill (responding "fairly well" or "very well") as opposed to not mastering a research skill (responding "not at all" or "slightly," or "somewhat").

Cuesta College
Research Skills Mastery Survey (RSMS) 
Astronomy 210L fall semester 2011 sections 70186, 70178, 70200
N = 45

The questions below are designed to characterize your achievement of each of the 
learning outcomes by filling in a bubble on the rating scale provided to the 
right of each statement.     

Mark the level of achievement that best describes your learning at the 
completion of the course.  

1. Keeping abreast of present-day discoveries and developments in astronomy 
(current events).
(Mastered: 80%, not mastered: 20%)
1. Not at all         1 : *
2. Slightly           2 : **
3. Somewhat           6 : ******
4. Fairly well       25 : *************************  [3.9 +/- 0.9]
5. Very well         10 : **********

2. Developing scientific evidence-based research questions.
(Mastered: 82%, not mastered: 18%)  
1. Not at all         1 : *
2. Slightly           0 : 
3. Somewhat           7 : *******
4. Fairly well       24 : ************************  [4.0 +/- 0.8]
5. Very well         12 : ************

3. Developing procedures to gather evidence in order to answer research 
questions.
(Mastered: 93%, not mastered: 7%)  
1. Not at all         1 : *
2. Slightly           0 : 
3. Somewhat           2 : **
4. Fairly well       21 : *********************  [4.3 +/- 0.8]
5. Very well         20 : ********************

4. Making appropriate evidence-supported conclusions. 
(Mastered: 88%, not mastered: 12%)  
1. Not at all         1 : *
2. Slightly           0 : 
3. Somewhat           4 : ****
4. Fairly well       21 : *********************  [4.2 +/- 0.8]
5. Very well         17 : *****************

5. Explaining research findings in a report, poster, or presentation. 
(Mastered: 81%, not mastered: 19%)  
1. Not at all         1 : *
2. Slightly           0 : 
3. Somewhat           7 : *******
4. Fairly well       22 : **********************  [4.0 +/- 0.8]
5. Very well         12 : ************

6. Evaluating evidence to determine whether or not it appropriately answers 
a research question.
(Mastered: 86%, not mastered: 14%)  
1. Not at all         1 : *
2. Slightly           0 : 
3. Somewhat           5 : *****
4. Fairly well       25 : *************************  [4.1 +/- 0.8]
5. Very well         12 : ************

Of the 6 student research skills in the RSMS, 3 were self-reported as being mastered by at least 85% of students, listed below in order of decreasing success:
3. Developing procedures to gather evidence in order to answer research questions. (93%)
4. Making appropriate evidence-supported conclusions. (88%)
6. Evaluating evidence to determine whether or not it appropriately answers a research question. (86%)

However, three student learning outcomes were self-reported as being not mastered by less than 85% of students, listed below in order of decreasing success:
2. Developing scientific evidence-based research questions. (82%)
5. Explaining research findings in a report, poster, or presentation. (81%)
1. Keeping abreast of present-day discoveries and developments in astronomy (current events). (80%)

Student research skill 1 will be evaluated directly for spring 2012 students by comparing pre- and post-instruction responses to astronomy current event questions (sunrise/sunset times, moon phases, reading comprehension of astronomy-related news articles).

As per the ACCJC (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges), results from this indirect assessment RSMS tool, along with the direct assessment of astronomy current events quiz results will be used for course/program improvement by increasing emphasis on these lowest three learning outcomes in instruction in future semesters.

20120428

Physics quiz question: direction of moving rod

Physics 205B Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 2/e, Problem 20.1

A conducting rod moves at a constant speed through a uniform magnetic field. The top end of the rod is at a higher potential than the bottom end, while the rod is moving:
(A) up ↑.
(B) down ↓.
(C) left ←.
(D) right →.
(E) into the page ⊗.
(F) out of the page ⊙.
(G) (More than one of these choices is possible.)

Correct answer (highlight to unhide): (F)

With the magnetic force pointing up in the plane of this page, and magnetic field lines pointing to the right in the plane of this page, from applying the appropriate right hand rule, velocity of the rod must be coming out of the page.

Section 30882
Exam code: quiz06LR1r
(A) : 4 students
(B) : 0 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 3 students
(F) : 17 students
(G) : 0 students

Success level: 63%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.88

20120427

Physics quiz question: loop pulled across magnetic field threshold

Physics 205B Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 2/e, Example 20.1

A square metal loop (of resistance R) moves at constant velocity. An external magnetic field has uniform magnitude and direction in a certain region, and is zero everywhere outside of this region. The direction of current induced in the square loop is:
(A) clockwise.
(B) counterclockwise.
(C) (No direction, as there is no induced current.)
(D) (Not enough information is given.)

Correct answer (highlight to unhide): (C)

Since the magnetic flux Φ_B through the square metal loop does not change over time, there will be no induced emf and no induced current in the loop. (Alternatively, positive charges in both the left and the right sides of the loop experience upwards forces, but these induced clockwise and counterclockwise currents will effectively cancel out, leaving no net induced current in the loop.)

Section 30882
Exam code: quiz06LR1r
(A) : 12 students
(B) : 10 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 0 students

Success level: 19%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.38

20120426

Tweet: Yahoo! Answers

@fnoschese @almeidaphysics I select "answers" from Y!Answers as prompts for #astro101 midterm essay questions waiferx.blogspot.com/search?q=onlin…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 26, 2012

THIS! RT @Patrick_M_Len I select "answers" from Y!Answers as prompts for #astro101 midterm essay questions waiferx.blogspot.com/search?q=onlin…
— Frank Noschese (@fnoschese) April 26, 2012

Awesome idea! MT @fnoschese: MT @Patrick_M_Len Select "answers" from Y!Answers as midterm essay questions bit.ly/IiRHsp
— Jenn Broekman (@jsb16) April 26, 2012

Physics quiz question: induced emf in inductor

Physics 205B Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 2/e, Problem 20.55

An ideal emf source is connected to an ideal resistor and inductor. The switch is closed at t = 0. Just after t = 0, the __________ side of the inductor is at a higher potential.
(A) left.
(B) right.
(C) (There is a tie.)
(D) (Not enough information is given.)

Correct answer: (B)

Just after the switch is thrown at t = 0, increasing current will flow through the inductor from right-to-left. The resulting induced emf in the inductor will oppose this increasing current, resulting in the right side of the inductor being at a higher potential.

Section 30882
Exam code: quiz06LR1r
(A) : 10 students
(B) : 15 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 0 students

Success level: 56%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.58

20120425

Physics quiz archive: magnetism, induction

Physics 205B Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30882, version 1
Exam code: quiz06LR1r

Section 30882 results
Quiz 6 results (max score = 30):

0- 6 :
7-12 :	** [low = 12]
13-18 :	*****
19-24 :	************* [mean = 22.0 +/- 4.9]
25-30 :	****** [high = 30]

20120424

Livetweets: SCAAPT spring 2012 meeting

American Association of Physics Teachers, Southern California Section
Spring 2012 meeting
http://www.scaapt.org/meetings/2012mtg1spr/program.htm

Scraped archive of publicly visible live tweets, using #scaapt2012 and #scaaptsp12 hashtags.

Winner of #scaaptsp12 order-of-magnitude question: how many years until Earth population is standing room only? 650 years (10^3 years).
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Rica French (Mira Costa College): Sign up for Southern California Regional Teaching Exchange astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshopdetail… May 5, 2012 #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Rica French (Mira Costa College): Plugging Center for Astronomy Education website astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov #astro101 #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Rica French (Mira Costa College): Use "confront-elicit-resolve" teaching strategy to address#astro101 student misconceptions. #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Rica French (Mira Costa College): pre- to post- #astro101 normalized learning gains above 0.60 = "unobtanium." #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Rica French (Mira Costa College): active learning strategies in #astro101 help everyone, but...implementation matters! #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Rica French (Mira Costa College): due to vast number of students, when you teach introductory astronomy, you teach the world. #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Ertan Salik (Cal Poly Pomona) shared poems from Nin Andrews' "Dear Professor, Do You Live In A Vacuum?" books.google.com/books?id=YkBON… #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Michael Anderson (UCSD): students valued points from peer votes for best #physics101 video as much as instructor grade points #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Michael Anderson (UCSD): each student in group of 3-4 must be visible/audible, explain concept and demonstrate in 4-9 min video #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Michael Anderson (UCSD): students engaged by working on videos to present, explain #physics101 concepts #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Vivek Sharma (UCSD): 2012 expected to be momentous year, find Higgs boson w/5*sigma significance, or existence ruled out #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Vivek Sharma (UCSD): Higgs boson been discovered? "Not yet! We want to be careful." CMS, ATLAS each 5*sigma evidence required #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Vivek Sharma (UCSD): Particle accelerator: charges, battery, magnet...you may have had one before replacing w/flat-screen LCD TV #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Vivek Sharma (UCSD): Standard Model has no mechanism for mass unless scalar "Higgs" field postulated #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Vivek Sharma (UCSD): imagine massless quarks, leptons--p, n has mass due to quark confinement energy, but electrons massless #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

This would truly be one tough game of Boggle to play (standard model of elementary particles) upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm… #scaaptsp12 #scichat
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Tim Heumier (Azusa Pacific University) radioactive decay dice: "plot" of activity per time. #scaaptsp12 #moredataneeded twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Tim Heumier (Azusa Pacific University) radioactive decay dice: wooden cubes, one side spray-painted black. #scaaptsp12 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Tim Heumier (Azusa Pacific University) : Mars at superior conjunction as big as full moon misconception: "full of bogosity." #scaaptsp12
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Robert Gill (CSU-SM) co-opted one of my #astro101 student wordles for #scaaptsp12 talk! flickr.com/photos/waiferx… #justsaying no CC-attribution?
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM): common #phys101 student question on clicker (peer-instruction) points. #scaaptsp12 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Wow--Cal State San Marcos bottles its own spring water. #scaaptsp12 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Whoops--check #scaapt2012 hashtags from earlier this morning for #scaaptsp12 posts.
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM): Someone always better than you at giving the "best" lecture, why should that be your goal? #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

"sitting at the back of a lecture is already distance learning" #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM): technology should be driven by pedagogical goals #scaapt2012 #tongueincheek twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM): student whiteboards ("always boot up"), posted to flickr.com #scaapt2012 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Ss were more interested in correcting their work, Ss were more active in the class, awesome! #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

and taking pictures and posting them on flicker for viewing later was better #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

interesting, they found out the old fashioned whiteboards were better than tablets, 1/2 #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM): whiteboards vs. TabletPCs for student presentations #scaapt2012 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM): #phys101 peer-instruction ("clicker") question example. #scaapt2012 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM) used my version of flashcards in their slide (upper left). #scaapt2012 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM): easy vs. hard pedagogical goals. #scaapt2012 twitter.com/Patrick_M_Len/…
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Jeff Phillips (SCAAPT President): Charles De Leone, Ed Price (CSU-SM) "youngest, and most handsomest physics department." #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

PhysTEC is yet another Physics teacher education coalition. .why aren't all this things more centralized? #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

Chris Abel (SoCal Edison): no Cerenkov radiation visible at San Onofre, not typical for U.S. facilities. #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

@RuttigerSD You know that person in front row tweeting during your presentation? I want you to be that person. #scaapt2012 #livetweet
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Chris Abel (SoCal Edison) personally respects people against nuclear power, just want them to be informed about their opinions #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Chris Abel (SoCal Edison) 30' tsunami wall, withstand 19'-22' worse case, all-time historical max. tsunami was 2' at San Onofre. #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Chris Abel (SoCal Edison): 19% of Southern California electricity from San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

proposal help HS teachers build their own HS clusters and they get some CPU time, we get increased computer skills. #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

This talk is mainly for high volume data analysis.. interesting, but not so useful for me in HS physics.#SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

The talks here just reitterate how every physics teacher should participate in #globalphysicsdepartment #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

@RuttigerSD This is what live-tweeting is all about. All the cool instructors are doing it. #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

making a graph that conveys what you want to convey is an art form #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

John Price (CSU-DH): "Physics is hard to do _without_ the aid of computers," includes disseminating results as well. #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

how to build your own computer cluster andwhy you want to #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

Greg Severn (USD): "Failure is overrated." #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Greg Severn (USD): Einstein/de-Haas experiment "isn't the most famous experiment that didn't work," cf. Stern-Gerlach #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

Greg Severn (USD) explaining foibles of Einstein/de-Haas experiment torquing iron rod with external magnetic field #scaapt2012
— Patrick M. Len (@Patrick_M_Len) April 21, 2012

What does it mean to do an experiment well? #SCAAPTsp12
— Chija Bauer (@bauerphysics) April 21, 2012

20120423

Astronomy current events question: KIC 05807616 "cell-division" planets

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Lisa Grosmann, "The Planets That Formed by Cell Division," April 2, 2012
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21659-astrophile-the-planets-that-formed-by-cell-division.html?full=true

Two planets that may have split from a single planet orbiting the star KIC 05807616 were discovered from:
(A) variations in reflected light as they orbit their star.
(B) heat released while engulfed by the star's outer layers.
(C) brown dwarf radio emissions.
(D) gravitational tidal forces separating their cores.
(E) magnetic field disturbances.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 13 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 4 students
(D) : 0 students
(E) : 3 students

Astronomy current events question: elephant face on Mars

Alan Boyle, "See the Elephant Face on Mars," April 7, 2012
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/07/11064275-see-the-elephant-face-on-mars?lite

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recently obtained images of an elephant face on Mars, which:
(A) appeared to be a human face in earlier images.
(B) was created by ancient lava flows.
(C) turned out to be an April's Fools joke.
(D) became visible after the end of the martian winter.
(E) is caused by slow-growing lichen or algae.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 38 students
(C) : 4 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 0 students

Astronomy current events question: dwarf galaxy dark matter

Francis Reddy, "Fermi Observations of Dwarf Galaxies Provide New Insights on Dark Matter," April 2, 2012
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/news/dark-matter-insights.html

Analysis of observations of nearby dwarf galaxies by NASA's Fermi gamma-ray space telescope has determined that dark matter:
(A) cannot be the antimatter twin of luminous matter.
(B) comprises more than 50% of the universe's composition.
(C) is created inside supermassive black holes.
(D) is not composed of weakly-interacting massive particles (WIMPs).
(E) may not actually exist.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 10 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 13 students
(E) : 0 students

Astronomy current events question: Kepler space telescope mission extension

Mark Wall, "NASA Extends Planet-Hunting Kepler Mission Through 2016," April 4, 2012
http://www.idw-online.de/en/news469865

NASA's Kepler space telescope, which has discovered more than 2,300 potential extrasolar planets since 2009, recently:
(A) shut down after a space debris impact.
(B) underwent repairs while docked with the International Space Station.
(C) entered and burned up in Earth's atmosphere.
(D) began searching for potential Earth-impacting asteroids.
(E) had its mission extended to find more extrasolar planets.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 0 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 7 students
(E) : 38 students

Astronomy quiz question: Milky Way rotation curves

Astronomy 210 Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Stars further out orbit at the same speed as stars nearer the center of the Milky Way is evidence of:
(A) dark matter.
(B) the central supermassive black hole.
(C) the expansion of the universe.
(D) unequal amounts of matter and antimatter.

Correct answer (highlight to unhide): (A)

The orbital speeds of stars are nearly the same for all distances from the center of the Milky Way, instead of decreasing with increasing distance. This is due to the mass of the Milky Way not being concentrated at the very center (despite a supermassive black hole there), but being diffusely distributed above and below the disk of the Milky Way. Because this amount of mass is not visible in a manner such as luminous stars and gas, this unseen mass is termed "dark matter."

Section 30676
Exam code: quiz06suE7
(A) : 9 students
(B) : 6 students
(C) : 15 students
(D) : 5 students

"Success level": 31% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.64

Overheard: whiteboard penmanship

Physics 205B, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

(Overheard after the end of algebra-based introductory physics lecture on Faraday's law/Lenz's law.)

Student: "I have to ask, did you ever take a course in whiteboard writing?"

Instructor: (Beat.) "Uh, what do you mean by 'whiteboard writing?'"

Student: "You know, learning how to write neatly on a whiteboard. You have better handwriting on the whiteboards than me, or teachers in my other courses."

20120422

Astronomy quiz question: interstellar hydrogen hyperfine lines

Astronomy 210 Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Radio waves emitted from cold hydrogen gas clouds provides evidence of:
(A) spiral arms extending across the entire Milky Way disk.
(B) the central supermassive black hole.
(C) dark matter.
(D) unequal amounts of matter and antimatter.

Correct answer: (A)

Radio waves are relatively unaffected by interstellar gas and dust, and enable the locations of cold hydrogen gas clouds in most of the Milky Way to be mapped.

Section 30674
Exam code: quiz06niLl
(A) : 16 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 4 students

"Success level": 53% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.44

20120421

Astronomy quiz question: halo vs. disk star absorption lines

Astronomy 210 Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

[Version 1]
Halo stars with fewer absorption lines than disk stars provides evidence:
(A) that the Milky Way became thinner and flatter as it evolved.
(B) that halo stars are younger than disk stars.
(C) of the Milky Way's spiral arm structure.
(D) of unequal amounts of matter and antimatter.

Correct answer: (A)

Halo stars with fewer absorption lines contain less metals and are thus older than younger stars in the disk, which have more absorption lines, which contain more metals inherited from previous generation stars.

Section 30674
Exam code: quiz06niLl
(A) : 11 students
(B) : 17 students
(C) : 4 students
(D) : 0 students

"Success level": 38% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.22

[Version 2]
Halo stars with fewer absorption lines than disk stars provides evidence:
(A) that the Milky Way became thinner and flatter as it evolved.
(B) that halo stars are younger than disk stars.
(C) of dark matter in the halo.
(D) of unequal amounts of matter and antimatter.

Correct answer: (A)

Section 30676
Exam code: quiz06suE7
(A) : 15 students
(B) : 14 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 5 students

"Success level": 48% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.53

20120420

Astronomy quiz question: only portion of Milky Way visible

Astronomy 210 Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Only a small portion of the Milky Way disk is visible to the naked eye because of:
(A) the finite speed of light.
(B) dark matter.
(C) interstellar gas and dust.
(D) expanding space.

Correct answer: (C)

Section 30674
Exam code: quiz06niLl
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 28 students
(D) : 1 student

"Success level": 86% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.33

Section 30676
Exam code: quiz06suE7
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 26 students
(D) : 3 students

"Success level": 76% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.56

20120419

Astronomy quiz archive: Milky Way, cosmology

Astronomy 210 Quiz 6, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30674, version 1
Exam code: quiz06niLl

Section 30674

0- 8.0 :
8.5-16.0 :	*** [low = 10.5]
16.5-24.0 :	*************
24.5-32.0 :	************* [mean = 24.4 +/- 6.5]
32.5-40.0 :	**** [high = 36.5]

Section 30676, version 1
Exam code: quiz06suE7

Section 30676

0- 8.0 :	**** [low = 7.0]
8.5-16.0 :	******
16.5-24.0 :	************** [mean = 19.8 +/- 8.1]
24.5-32.0 :	*********
32.5-40.0 :	** [high = 40.0]

20120416

Astronomy current events question: HIP 11952's "ancient" planets

Markus Pössel, "A Planetary System from the Early Universe," March 27, 2012
http://www.idw-online.de/en/news469865

A group of European astronomers have discovered "ancient" planets orbiting the star HIP 11952, which is unusual because:
(A) these planets are made of dark matter.
(B) HIP 11952 is an old, metal-poor star.
(C) these planets should have already vaporized.
(D) these planets are older than HIP 11952.
(E) HIP 11952 already exploded as a type II supernova.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 students
(B) : 12 students
(C) : 6 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 4 students

Astronomy current events question: Hubble Space Telescope "hidden treasures"

Oil Usher, "Join the 2012 Hubble's Hidden Treasures Competition," March 27, 2012
http://www.spacetelescope.org/announcements/ann1203/

NASA and the European Space Agency are inviting the general public to __________ the Hubble Space Telescope for the chance to win an iPod Touch.
(A) find and process the best unseen archived images from.
(B) enter an international lottery to support.
(C) vote on new mission proposals for.
(D) count galaxies in images taken by.
(E) donate money to continue operating.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 32 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 8 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 3 students

Astronomy current events question: billions of inhabitable planets?

Clara Moskowitz, "Billions of Alien Habitable Planets, Right Here in Our Galaxy," March 28, 2012
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46880631/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T4yr5-nLw0V

An estimated tens of billions of habitable planets may exist in the Milky Way, based on observations by the European Southern Observatory in Chile of:
(A) dark matter clouds.
(B) extraterrestrial radio transmissions.
(C) reflections from exoplanets with oceans.
(D) slowly rotating medium-mass main-sequence stars.
(E) super-Earths orbiting red dwarfs.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 16 students

Astronomy current events question: "inside-out" type II supernova

Janet Anderson and Megan Watzke, "A Star Explodes, Turns Inside-Out," March 29, 2012
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/casa2012.html

Recent images by the NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory space telescope reveal that a massive star's type II supernova explosion was turned "inside-out" because:
(A) of matter-antimatter reactions.
(B) the finite speed of light.
(C) of a central supermassive black hole.
(D) heavy core elements are outermost.
(E) fusion is still continuing.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 7 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 23 students
(E) : 8 students

20120409

Physics quiz archive: capacitors, circuits (2)

Physics 205B Quiz 5, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30882, version 1
Exam code: quiz05Vo7x

Section 30882 results
Quiz 5 results (max score = 30):

0- 6 :	*** [low = 6]
7-12 :	*******
13-18 :	******** [mean = 16.2 +/- 6.7]
19-24 :	*****
25-30 :	*** [high = 30]

20120408

Physics quiz question: capacitors in series

Physics 205B Quiz 5, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 2/e, Problem 18.49(c)

An ideal 25 V emf source is connected to two ideal capacitors, as shown at right. After the capacitors are fully charged, the __________ capacitor has a greater charge.
(A) 10 nF.
(B) 18 nF.
(C) (There is a tie.)
(D) (Not enough information is given.)

Correct answer: (C)

The two capacitors are in series with each other, such that there is the same amount of charge Q stored in either capacitor.

Section 30882
Exam code: quiz05Vo7x
(A) : 12 students
(B) : 9 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 0 students

Success level: 19%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.50

20120407

Physics quiz quesiton: light bulb power dissipation in circuit

Physics 205B Quiz 5, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 2/e, Problem 18.65(e)

An ideal 12 V emf source is connected to two 1.6 Ω resistors, a 7.0 Ω resistor, and two ideal voltmeters, as shown at right. Which light bulb is brighter?
(A) Bulb 1.
(B) Bulb 2.
(C) (There is a tie, but both bulbs are completely dead.)
(D) (There is a tie, with both bulbs lit.)

Correct answer: (D)

The two light bulbs are in series with each other, such that there is the same amount of current I passing through both. (The voltmeters are ideal and have infinite resistance, such that no current will be diverted away from bulb 2). Thus the power dissipated by the bulbs will be the same:

P = I²*R.

Section 30882
Exam code: quiz05Vo7x
(A) : 12 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 12 students

Success level: 46%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.58

20120406

Physics quiz question: charging capacitors

Physics 205B Quiz 5, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 2/e, Problem 18.83

A resistor and an uncharged capacitor are connected either to a 12 V ideal emf, or a 6.0 V ideal emf. After the switches are closed at t = 0, the capacitor attached to the __________ will take a longer time to reach 95% of its final value.
(A) 12 V ideal emf.
(B) 6.0 V ideal emf.
(C) (There is a tie.)
(D) (Not enough information is given.)

Correct answer: (C)

The voltage across a charging capacitor as a function of time is given by;

ΔV(t) = ε*(1 - exp(-t/τ).

Since both circuits have the same resistance R and capacitance C, they will have the same time constant τ = R*C, and have the same relative time dependence, reaching 95% of their respective final ε values in the same time.

Section 30882
Exam code: quiz05Vo7x
(A) : 10 students
(B) : 7 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 0 students

Success level: 35%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.24

20120405

Physics quiz question: US vs. European electricity

Physics 205B Quiz 5, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 2/e, Comprehensive Problem 18.113(d)

A 1000 W room heater from Europe that plugs into a 240 V outlet is brought home by a Physics 205B student. The heater is then (somehow) plugged into a 120 V outlet, where it will draw __________ current and use __________ power compared to Europe.
(A) less; less.
(B) less; the same.
(C) less; more.
(D) the same; less.
(E) the same; more.
(F) more; less.
(G) more; the same.
(H) more; more.

Correct answer: (A)

The resistance R of the heater should remain (approximately) constant regardless of where it is plugged in, such that the current used by the heater in the U.S.:

I_U.S. = (120 V)/R,

should be less than the current in Europe:

I_Europe = (240 V)/R.

The power used by the heater in the U.S.:

P_U.S. = (120 V)²/R,

will also be less than the power used in Europe:

P_Europe = (240 V)²/R.

Section 30882
Exam code: quiz05Vo7x
(A) : 10 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 0 students
(F) : 1 student
(G) : 7 students
(H) : 1 student

Success level: 39%
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.38

20120404

Online reading assignment question: keep, quit, start

Physics 205B Keep-Quit-Start Reading Assignment, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

120403-keepwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/6897527014/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for "keep" resolutions generated by responses from Physics 205B students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA, spring semester 2012 (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5104756/Untitled).

120403-quitwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/7043622709/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for "quit" resolutions generated by responses from Physics 205B students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA, spring semester 2012 (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5104755/Untitled).

120403-startwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/6897526898/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for "start" resolutions generated by responses from Physics 205B students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA, spring semester 2012 (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5104754/Untitled).

Students were asked to answer a "keep-quit-start" online reflection (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com) on their studying strategies/pitfalls (Mubayiwa, 2009).

Enter a word or brief phrase that describes what you intend to keep doing to study for this class. Explain your answer to the above question (what you intend to keep doing to study for this class).

Enter a word or brief phrase that describes what you intend to quit doing to study for this class. Explain your answer to the above question (what you intend to quit doing to study for this class).

Enter a word or brief phrase that describes what you intend to start doing to study for this class. Explain your answer to the above question (what you intend to start doing to study for this class).

[Word tags have been edited to consolidate related common subjects; student explanations are verbatim.]

Student responses
Section 30882

Keep word tags:

flashcard questions
I find it really helpful to print our the flashcard questions and bring them to class. They are sometimes a lot of pages, but they help me understand the material and be more participatory in class.
Correctly answeredl flashcards are a great place to get a broad general understanding of the topic.
Going through flashcard questions and homework problems, then asking questions during office hours has helped me succeed thus far.
evaluating the flashcard questions with a partner is the best way to debate the concepts and find out what i need to read or ask pdog about to understand

go to class
i need to keep going to class because i understand the material a lot more
lectures are very helpful although i red to take better notes
I intend to keep showing to lectures because it I will be able to understand the concepts much easier if they are discussed with the class. I will also be able to ask for help and by going to lecture, I will be able to ask others for help as well.
I gain alot more insight when pdog goes over the material and explains it in the terms that he expects on the exams
I need to keep going to class and take good notes. I want to continue taking notes on slides, hw problems and flash card questions.
I have never missed a single lecture because I really benefit from them. They are exciting to attend and the material is well laid out. I plan on continuing to keep attending all future lectures.
Going to class helps me understand how to do the homework and quiz problems
i intend to keep attending class

homework
i intend to continue to redo all of the homework assigned before each quiz and midterm to study the material.
Going over key problems on the hw and ensure that hw is being understood
keep reading the chapters, and do the homework.
homework helps me know what im not understanding so i can get help next lecture and keep up with the material

notes
Taking notes allows me to have samples of how to set up problems

perseverance
no pain, no gain

practice exams
The quizes really help when studying for the exams.
Study all the past quizzes and midterms. Go over slides. Pay attention in Class.

studying
Study more

winning
by studying. and winning.
EYES ON THE PRICE

Quit word tags:

competing classes
I have tons of hw from other classes and work in general which means limited amounts of studying for a particular subject. So I need to use more of that time for physics

distractions
ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM DISTRACTIONS

flashcard question guessing
That means you are guessing on just about everything.

lack of sleeping
i need my sleep to function. i need to be more efficient in these last 6 weeks and get my work done a week early so i can find the time to sleep before class.

low quiz scores
I am going to stop getting bad scores on the quizzes.

not reading
I intend to stop not reading most of the assigned material because there are important definitions I will need to fully comprehend.

procrastinating
I dont do things till the last minute.
i need to stop leaving all of my studying for the night before the test and start studying a week before so i can slowly learn all of the material
i have not been doing as much as i should be
I always wait until the week before the midterm to do all/most of the homework questions. It helps to do them even though they are late, but I am not able to follow the instructions as easily and end up having to work harder to get the problems.
I intend to quit procrastinating on homework.
I do things last minute
i need to stop waiting so late to start studying before quizzes and exams
Need to stop putting off hw assignments.
I keep putting off the homework and then forgetting about it
putting my bio/chem hw before physics work
I end up pushing all the homework to the very last minute.
I intend to quit procrastinating until the last minute to study for quizzes etc.

secondguessing
i always second guess myself and get the question wrong.

skip homework
I need to quit skipping homework assignments that I think I understand. I shouldnt only focus on the sections that confuse me. I need practice.
I have not been doing all the homework to the fullest extend and that is making me not understand the material as well.

sucking
by studying and winnning

work
my plate is soooo full this semester and all my free time (for homework, studying, etc.) i am working

Start word tags:

asking
I intend to start asking questions when I have them and to go to office hours more.

collaborating
2 IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN 1
my grade could change if I participate in a study group.

confidence
yeah.
be confident in my first answer if i know for sure if its right.

doing
getting into office hours more and mastering flashcard questions!

flashcard questions ("peer instruction," "think-pair-share")
for conceptual purposes, i spend more time trying to get the math part of the material, which really helps with the conceptual although getting familiar with the wording in the flashcards helps

homework
i need to start doing ALL of the assigned problems BEFORE the night before the test
Easy points
i need to understand the concepts better
Do the homework problems the week they are assigned instead of just doing the surveys for points. I know that the set up will not change, but it helps me when teachers collect the homework in packets every few weeks.
Doing the homework provides a deeper understanding that is required for the midterm and will ensure success on the quizzes.
i dont understand how the questions until i conceptually understand how the equations are being applied. coming back to the hw later on would help alot.
Need to go more in depth on the hw , so that i can understand fully what the processes and steps for each problem
As I said above, I need to start doing all of the homework even if I think i understand the material. I need to practice problems and concepts more so that I can better understand the material.
I forget to the homework sometimes
I'll start actually doing the homework and also printing out the flashcard questions and bring them to class..

overachieving
by over studying. :)

prioritizing
I'm working on updating my schedule to fit in a few physics study groups so I can be more prepared.

reading
I think reading the book will help make things make more sense
I intend to read the material more thoroughly especially for Chapter 18.
i intend to start reading the book on the covered material.

studying
I need to study earlier and more frequently in order to do well in this class.

Online reading assignment question: keep, quit, start (Astronomy 210, spring semester, 2012).

Online reading assignment question: keep, quit, start (Astronomy 210, fall semester, 2011).

Online reading assignment question: keep, quit, start (Physics 205A, fall semester, 2011).

Online reading assignment question: keep, quit, start (Astronomy 210, spring semester, 2011).

Online reading assignment question: keep, quit, start (Astronomy 210, fall semester, 2010).

20120403

Astronomy current events question: Vesta's bright and dark regions

Tariq Malik, "Probe's Photos of Asteroid Vesta Reveal Bright Surprises," March 21, 2012
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46814935/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T3pEzb_Lw0W

Recent images from the NASA Dawn spacecraft of __________ on the surface of asteroid Vesta may have originated from collisions by other asteroids.
(A) dormant volcanoes.
(B) stress fractures and ridges.
(C) bright and dark regions.
(D) polar cap ice.
(E) sulfur-rich lava flows.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 13 students
(C) : 34 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 0 students

Astronomy current events question: Large Binocular Telescope adaptive optics

Camille Carlisle, "Twin-Eyed Telescope Sees Sharp Stars," March 21, 2012
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/home/Bino-Telescope-Sees-Sharp-Stars-143650876.html

The Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona uses many tiny magnets to continually deform its optics in order to:
(A) refocus on rapidly moving objects.
(B) capture three-dimensional image movies.
(C) prevent dust build up.
(D) filter out infrared interference.
(E) counteract atmosphere blurring.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 11 students
(B) : 4 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 9 students
(E) : 25 students

Astronomy current events question: galaxy M95 type II supernova

Clara Moskowitz, "Source Star of New Supernova Explosion Believed Found," March 23, 2012
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46835052/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T3pEzb_Lw0V

The recent type II supernova in galaxy M95 was confirmed by __________ to have come from an exploding supergiant.
(A) comparing archived Hubble Space Telescope photos.
(B) using gravitational lensing.
(C) manipulating lookback time.
(D) gamma ray burst recordings.
(E) underground neutrino detectors.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 29 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 11 students
(E) : 0 students

20120402

Online reading assignment question: keep, quit, start

Astronomy 210 Keep-Quit-Start Reading Assignment, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

120401-keepwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/7035728559/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for "keep" resolutions generated by responses from Astronomy 210 students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA, spring semester 2012 (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5093505/Untitled).

120401-quitwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/7035728397/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for "quit" resolutions generated by responses from Astronomy 210 students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA, spring semester 2012 (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5093553/Untitled).

120401-startwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/7035728719/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for "start" resolutions generated by responses from Astronomy 210 students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA, spring semester 2012 (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5093551/Untitled).

Students were asked to answer a "keep-quit-start" online reflection (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com) on their studying strategies/pitfalls (Mubayiwa, 2009).

Enter a word or brief phrase that describes what you intend to keep doing to study for this class. Explain your answer to the above question (what you intend to keep doing to study for this class).

Enter a word or brief phrase that describes what you intend to quit doing to study for this class. Explain your answer to the above question (what you intend to quit doing to study for this class).

Enter a word or brief phrase that describes what you intend to start doing to study for this class. Explain your answer to the above question (what you intend to start doing to study for this class).

[Word tags have been edited to consolidate related common subjects; student explanations are verbatim.]

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

Keep word tags:

everything
I will keep doing all the assignments and doing the extra credit opportunities to make up for doing average on the tests.

extra credit
need to keep doing extra credit because i am not doing very well on the quizzes.

flashcard questions ("peer instruction," "think-pair-share")
I need to keep reading over and studying the flashcard questions before the quizzes, I find them the best way to study.
I will continue to quiz myself using the flash card questions that are posted online.
Study Flashcard notes since most of the time those are what end up on the test.
Going over flash card questions and the old quizzes helps me refresh my memories of things that will be on the quiz.
Reviewing flashcards is a major reason for my success in this class, I will continue to utilize these until the end of the semester.
The flashcard questions really seem to help, especially the ones we do in class
Flashcard review questions with instructor feedback

focus
Pay attention in class.

go to class
Continuing going to class will enable me to receive credit for I class activities and tests.
By going to class I get to listen to the presentations and participate in the in-class assignments.that helps me remember the subject matter.
Keep coming and participating in class activity's
If I am not present then I can't see what were doin.
Going to class is the most helpful thing ever. Mr. L explains everything so well and his analogies are great!
I try my best to answer the class work correctly because it resembles the questions on tests.
In class activities and lectures help a lot in learning the material
Reading the textbook is boring... Lectures help me understand the material better.
the in class activities help with understanding the material as well as p-dawg explaining most of the information in his lectures. as long as i keep coming to class i know i will succeed
attending the lecture helps me so much because it helps me understand the material. also, it also helps discussing things im having trouble with with classmates.
i intend on continuing to go to class so i can take notes and get all my in class activity points!
Because you lose a lot of points if you dont come to class
Continue going! I have 100% attendance. First time ever for me in any class! I believe going to lecture is crucial for success, haven't missed one yet! Study for tests, watch "how the universe works" on netflix, extra credit and ask questions. Be involved.
i dont really study that much, but i have not missed a class so thats good
I plan to answer questions to the best of my ability. I plan on participating in class work. And most of all try my hardest.

notes
well if i write down everything you say and put in your power points i think i will do well.
more notes more diagrams anyway to help jump start my studying

practice exams
I will also pay attention during class activities

reading
Reading the book helps me to better understand the lectures and quizzes.
i dont always understand the lectures but when i put the book and lecture together i understand more.
I believe that when you read the section you come with some background information about what the class is going to be about and it helps a little.

reading assignments ("just-in-time-teaching," "pre-reading")
Homework is a really easy way to understand what is going on in the class better. Past quizzes are very helpful for future tests.
i missed a couple assignments cause i was super sick and school was the last thing on my mind. the reading assignments are easy points that should be taken advantage of.
I need all the points I can get! And it helps after having lecture it reread the material.
The best way to learn more information for the tests and to get credit for all the work we do in class is to continue doing the reading assignments.
I will continue to do the online homework to maintain a good grade.
I had a very hard time remembering these during the first part of the class but i am getting better.

sanity
I'm assuming those with deteriorated mental states have been unable to pass this class in the past.

studying
I intend to keep studying the book, notes and flash cards.
Studying before test by going over previous test questions.
I need to keep up with the reading and focus on the class.
No matter what you have to study to do well in a class because just learning something once in class isn't going to make it permanently stick in your head.
Try to get good grades on tests/quizes
studying the flashcard questions and resources posted online
I will continue to study to make sure that i will do okay in this class
I've studied for each test and I still haven't received the grade that I want. In order to keep my head above water, I will keep studying.
Staying up on all the classwork and homework has allowed me to grasp a better understanding of the material. It also is a bump for my low test scores which is very beneficial.