Physics
Assessment Report
1998 - 1999

In 1998-1999 the Physics and Astronomy Department had one graduating major. As in the previous year no senior level courses except for senior projects were taught on our campus during this time period. About half of the upper level physics courses taken by our majors are offered only at Concordia College or North Dakota State University. Physics majors in the freshman, sophomore and junior classes were informed and reminded of the portfolio requirement. Most of the majors have started collecting items for their portfolio.

The one graduating senior did complete a senior project and did submit a student portfolio. The student also underwent an exit interview carried out by a person (Dr. Bette Midgarden) outside of our department. An informal rating of the student's paper and presentation for the senior project was carried out by the faculty; the performance was judged to be more than satisfactory. The student's portfolio was read by most of the department faculty. The portfolio was found to be satisfactory but raised some questions about information provided to our students in this matter. The record of the exit interview and a copy of the portfolio will be made available to the department's external consultant in the future.

Pre- and post testing of physics majors in the introductory classes was carried out as usual using Thornton's "Motion and Force Concept Inventory". An average improvement of 30% in conceptual understanding was again observed on the posttest.

No changes in curriculum or budgeting are suggested by these findings. Performance on the pre- and post testing is in line with results from other institutions using activity-based instruction and much improved over institutions using traditional lecture-laboratory approaches. The faculty evaluation of senior projects needs to be carried out formally in the future.

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