Traditional introductory physics laboratory curriculums focus on proving laws of physics such as laws of motion, conservation principles by using laboratory manuals containing step by step instructions. However, such curricula have been changing after American Association of Physics Teacher (AAPT) modified its previously recommended goals in 2014 by adding more emphasis on laboratory skills and removing the content focused goal. Department of Physics at University of Colorado Denver stated developing and implementing skill focused laboratories in the summer of 2020. In this presentation, I will present the preliminary results obtained by implementing such laboratories remotely during challenging pandemic period. I have some good news and some bad news. I hope you will join the presentation to learn more about it.

We have designed and implemented an activity-based instruction model that includes several instructional modules with activity-based sessions followed by application sessions. During the activity sessions, we aim to help students construct physics conceptual models by doing activities with minimal teacher guidance. The goal of the application session is to connect ideas, concepts, and conceptual models to consolidate student learning of physics and help students to apply their learning to novel situations involving several disciplinary contexts and to solve complex problems. Through this approach, we aim to help develop undergraduate students’ intellectual and practical skills on the foundation of conceptual understanding of physics knowledge. We use a problem-solving template designed by a research group at the University of Minnesota to improve undergraduate students’ problem-solving competency. To assess the effectiveness of this instructional approach we use physics education research-based standard tools such as the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE) and the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS). Likewise, we use a validated problem-solving rubric to assess students’ problem-solving competency. This learning model is founded on the premise of constructivist learning theory aiming to help students construct knowledge primarily through hands-on activities. However, over the last few semesters, we taught the courses in remote (online) instructional mode, potentially limiting students’ access to the tools and equipment necessary for hands-on learning. In this presentation, I will describe the areas of adjustments made to the learning model to keep the learning philosophy and framework intact to adapt to a remote learning modality. Additionally, through a comparative study, I will report the impacts of the modality change on student learning of knowledge and skill, learning approaches, and attitude towards physics.

Grade is a measure of evaluation of student-work and it affects but not limited to status of scholarship, further education and job and so process of assigning grades to students with accuracy and fairness is a challenge to instructors. Instructors could have set different rules for formative assessment, formative assignment, late assignment, extra credit assignment and participation in lecture/lab. Considering the views presented by Joe Feldman in his book (Grading for Equity), I will talk three pillars of equitable grading (accuracy, bias-resistance, and intrinsic motivation) and also share some of my limited practices on it.

I have my own stories behind the successful program, NASO Women in Science Award (WISA) that initiated in 2017 A.D. The lack of encouragement and recognition of women in STEM field had been major catalysts for the girls and women to pursue their education and career in STEM fields. My paper presents, how and why WISA was initiated, its success story as well as the voices of some of the winners so far. The importance of the platforms for women in STEM for recognition and their involvement in the community will also be discussed along with the increasing popularity of this program in national and international arena among the Nepalese women.
Key words: #women #STEM #womeninSTEM #recognition #NASO

The Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach is an intentional approach to learning and teaching physics that has two major goals: to systematically engage students in the activities that mirror scientific practice while they are constructing and applying new knowledge and to help them grow as learners and be empowered during that process. The former means that everything that happens in the classroom and at home related to students learning of physics mirrors the activities in which practicing scientists engage. The latter means that the decisions that the instructor makes while planning, enacting, and assessing the instruction support student intellectual and emotional growth. In my talk I will discuss how the ISLE approach addresses these goals in practice and share the research findings collected in the studies of ISLE students and ISLE teachers.

Science literacy and attitude towards science are very important for any citizen to make
informed decisions in personal as well as public life. This is even more important for political
leaders making laws and allocating budget in public sectors. This study assess the status of
science literacy among law makers in Gandaki Pradesh.The study has shown that there is a
lack of science literacy among the law makers, the attitude towards science is found to be, in
general, positive. However this attitude was not re?ected in their science literacy. The study
shows a serious gap between political programs and well informed evidence based science.

Experiments play a major role in understanding physics concepts. In this talk, we will discuss the logic of at-home experiments with the scientific method as the central question and the basic physics principles in mind. Students can perform the experiments at home, and develop a better understanding while having fun!