Judy Donnelly retired in June 2014 from Three Rivers Community College where she was professor of physics and technology for 36 years. With the assistance of an industry advisory committee, she developed the Laser and Fiber Optic Technology associate degree program in 1997. She served as program coordinator and taught the optics, laser technology and fiber optics courses in the program. Donnelly received the Educator Award from SPIE in 2003 and OSA's Esther Hoffman Beller Medal in 2012. She is a Senior Member of both SPIE and OSA and an OSA Fellow. Since 2000, Donnelly has been co-PI on six grants awarded to the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education program to develop curriculum and provide teachers/faculty with professional development in optics/photonics (2000-2006) and problem-based learning (2009-present). She is currently serving on several national/international workforce and education committees and as consultant to the NEBHE PBL Projects.
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In this paper we present a retrospective of the PBL Projects, three National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education (NSF-ATE) projects that developed twenty interdisciplinary multi-media PBL case studies called "Challenges" in the topic areas of optics/photonics, sustainable technology and advanced manufacturing, provided faculty professional development in the use of PBL in the classroom to teachers across the U.S. and abroad, and conducted research on the efficacy of the PBL method. We will describe the resources built into the Challenges to scaffold the development of students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills and the support provided to instructors who wish to create a student-centered classroom by incorporating PBL. Finally, we will discuss plans for next steps and examine strategies for taking PBL to the next level through actual industry-based problem solving experiences.
The purpose of this workshop is to introduce K-12 teachers and those who are interested in providing optics outreach to a make-and-take kaleidoscope activity which will teach students about one of the basic properties of light, reflection. Kaleidoscopes are engaging devices that create amazing images using multiple reflections, and this workshop provides step by step instructions for assembling a kaleidoscope and illustrates how multiple reflections lead to the patterns observed in a kaleidoscope. By using the mirrors within the kaleidoscope and a few basic lessons, students will understand the law of reflection.
The workshop has been developed to align with the newly published Next Generation Science Standards and is appropriate for use at the Elementary Level 4-PS4-2: Waves: Waves and Information (4-PS4-2) or can also be used for Middle School students for MS-PS4-2: Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation. Each participant will receive a kaleidoscope kit to assemble during the workshop.
Can students learn content material, structured problem solving and teamwork all at the same time? Problem Based Learning (PBL) is designed to do just that by engaging students in authentic real-world problems while supporting their problem-solving skills. Developed for use in medical education in the 1970s, PBL is used in business and law education and even police training. Slowly, it's beginning to emerge in engineering and technology education as a student-centered approach to teaching and learning. Studies show that PBL leads to deeper learning and better retention of material. In this workshop, you'll learn more about PBL and how the New England Board of Higher Education's PBL "Challenges" have been implemented in classrooms and extracurricular activities. You will take the part of a student and solve a PBL Challenge, in the process learning how to enhance students' content knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ability to work in teams.
Make glass disappear! Turn a tomato into a plum! See a "solid" wall vanish before your eyes and more. It's all done with optics! These magical inquiry-based lessons in light and vision, also known as Dumpster Optics, may be easily replicated with inexpensive, commonly found supplies. These informative and engaging hands-on activities are some of the favorite demonstrations used for optics outreach and youth education. They are perfect for budget constrained teachers and outreach providers who have little or no funds for formal kits and expensive supplies. Complete instructions, materials and supplier lists will be provided.
Make glass disappear! Turn a tomato into a plum! See a "solid" wall vanish before your eyes and more. It's all done with optics! These magical inquiry-based demonstrations in light and vision may be easily replicated with inexpensive, commonly found supplies. Complete instructions and supplier list will be provided. Based on the PHOTON Explorations, these informative and engaging hands-on activities are some of the favorite demonstrations of optics outreach participants of all ages. PHOTON Explorations were funded by the Advanced Technology Education program of the National Science Foundation.
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