Queensborough Community College
DEPARTMENT:
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
Physics
A. DEPARTMENT SERVICES/ACTIVITIES REPORT IN 2013-14
1.
Department-sponsored services (fall and spring semesters combined)
Area of Service
Departmental research laboratories S-324, S-309 (partial), S-333 (part-time, also computer lab)
Number Served
12
Area of service (for example): a department-run learning laboratory (not laboratories for which students register as part of their courses), the reference desk or reserve area of the
Library, department tutoring program, etc. (Note: Do not report courses or laboratories for which students register.)
2.
Department-sponsored faculty/staff development activities
Type of Activity and Topic
Presentation – invited speaker (Shlomo Engelberg) by department – topic - signal analysis
Date
July
Number Attending
12
Note: Faculty and staff development activities (grants, presentations, exhibitions, performances, publications, instructional improvement activities, laboratory development,
curriculum development, etc.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each activity, please indicate
1. whether department members organized the activities or gave presentations or both
2. the topic and type of activity and name of organizer/presenter, if applicable
3. the date (if not the exact date, indicate the month)
4. the number attending the event
B. COURSE CHANGES IN 2013-14
INSTRUCTIONS: For each course that changed, indicate:
1. whether the course is new, revised, or deleted
2. the course number
3. the course title
4. the semester the change was approved at the Academic Senate
5. for revised courses, in the Comments section, describe the type of change(s)—i.e., course title, description, pre/corequisites, credits, hours, designation
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
New, revised, or
deleted
NA
Course
number
Course title
Semester approved
Year: 2013- 2014
Comments
C. PROGRAM CHANGES IN 2013-14
Program
Program change*
Laser and Fiber Optic
Technology Program
Terminated the program
Effective Date
(Semester and year)
Fall 2013
Comments
Department voted to eliminate the
program Fall 2013. A memo was
sent to the Curriculum Committee.
*Key: (a)=initiated, (b)=closed, (c)=renamed, (d)=modified
INSTRUCTIONS:
 Use the full title of the program, i.e. A.A. in Visual and Performing Arts.
 Indicate whether the program change is initiated, closed, renamed, or modified. (If a new program has been approved by
the CUNY Board (or is expected to be approved by June 2013), use fall 2013 as the effective date.)
 Describe the exact status (i.e., proposal submitted to CUNY Board; approved by CUNY Board; etc.) in the Comments.
D. DEPARTMENT CHANGES IN 2013-14
Type (see menu
below)
Personnel or
organizational change
Equipment
Personnel or
organizational change
Personnel or
organizational
Description of Change
Reason for Change
Date/Semester
Evaluation of Change*
Hired new office assistant
Additional help
required
Fall 2013
Effective. Additional
hours required.
2 new faculty lines
approved
Dr. Marchese elected to
serve as department chair
for the academic year
Increase FT faculty
teaching classes
Chair on Fellowship
leave
Spring 2014
Search will begin next
year
Department maintained
full activities
Fall 2013, Spring
2014
*Please note that, if change has been too recent to evaluate, you may indicate NA.
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Queensborough Community College
Type of change
Personnel or organizational change
Facilities/space
Equipment
Other
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Year: 2013- 2014
MENU
Description
New hires, retirees, resignations, promotions, department name changes, etc.
Renovations or development of office space or new facilities (i.e., computer laboratories)
Acquisition of new or disposition of old equipment
Other changes affecting the department not included above and including interactions with other departments
E. DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT IN 2013-14
1.
Departmental procedures for conducting assessment
The fundamental elements of standard 14 (assessment of student learning) of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education include:
clearly articulated statements of expected student learning outcomes…at all levels (institution, degree/program, course) and for all
programs that aim to foster student learning and development; a documented, organized, and sustained assessment process to evaluate and
improve student learning; evidence that student learning assessment information is shared and discussed with appropriate constituents and
is used to improve teaching and learning.
Describe below the department’s ongoing procedures for assessing student learning and using assessment results to improve
teaching and learning. In your description, please explain how the department fulfills each of the Middle States
fundamental elements above.
The department sets specific learning outcomes and general education outcomes for each course. Each instructor assesses
his/her sections ever semester completing an assessment grid. This grid includes specific course outcomes and gen ed
outcomes and connects them with specific tasks. The results from a full year are collected for each course and analyzed to
determine how well outcomes were met and whether or not any action needs to be taken.
2a.
Departmental participation in self-study/program review during 2013-2014, if applicable
Program(s) reviewed: [GIVE FULL TITLE, i.e., A.A.S. in Digital Art and Design]
External Agency or Reviewers: [GIVE NAME OF AGENCY OR NAME OF REVIEWER(S)]
Date of site visit: NA
2b.
Program review follow-up (from 2012-13 to 2013-14)
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
Action item from program review
Timeline for completion
Year: 2013- 2014
Accomplishments during current year
NA
Note: If your department was involved in a program review in the previous academic year, the table above must be filled in.
3a.
Course assessment follow-up (from 2012-13 to 2013-14)
Course(s)
assessed from
previous year
PH-301
Action plan from previous year
Evaluation of Results
Follow-up
Reduce the number of learning
outcomes assessed with an
individual task.
While some tasks where changed to assess few
learning outcomes, others were not. This is in
part due to the nature of physics (later material
builds off of earlier material).
PH-302
Reduce the number of learning
outcomes assessed with an
individual task.
While some tasks where changed to assess few
learning outcomes, others were not. This is in
part due to the nature of physics (later material
builds off of earlier material).
Faculty will continue to evaluate the
applicability of specific assessment tasks.
More emphasis will be placed on the
relevance of the task rather than the number
of outcomes assessed.
Faculty will continue to evaluate the
applicability of specific assessment tasks.
More emphasis will be placed on the
relevance of the task rather than the number
of outcomes assessed.
3b.
Course assessment: current year
Course(s)
assessed (list
individually)
Relevant General
Educational Outcomes
Relevant Curricular Outcomes
Evaluation of Assessment
Results
Action plan
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
PH 110/111
PH 201,
202, 301,
302, 411,
412, 413
2. Use analytical
reasoning to identify
issues or problems and
evaluate evidence in
order to make informed
decisions
3. Reason quantitatively
and mathematically as
required in their fields of
interest and in everyday
life
6. Employ concepts and
methods of the natural
and physical sciences to
make informed
judgments
2. Students will use
analytical reasoning to
identify issues or
problems and evaluate
evidence in order to
make informed
decisions.
•Students will be able to differentiate
between facts, assumptions, and conclusions
in the formulation of a proposed solution or
answer (e.g., Astronomy vs. Astrology)
•Students will be able to demonstrate an
understanding of and use some crucial
astronomical quantities. (such as mass,
force, energy, luminosity, distance)
•Students will be able to describe the
appropriate physical laws. (such as
Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation)
3 •Student will relate some subjects from
physics (e.g., gravity and electromagnetic
radiation) to astronomy.
•Students will use mathematics to solve
simple problems involving physical laws.
(e.g. using Kepler’s third law to calculate
masses)
6 •Students will demonstrate an understanding
of the nature, scope, and evolution of the
Universe, and where the Earth and Solar
system fit in
•Students will be able to demonstrate an
understanding of the notion that physical
laws and processes are universal, that the
world is knowable, and that we are coming
to know it through observations,
experiments, and theory (the nature of
progress in science).
• Students will be able to describe topics
related to the history of astronomy and the
evolution of scientific ideas (science as a
cultural process).
2,3,4,5 “Use algebra, geometry and trigonometry
to describe physical situations and to solve
physical problems” (PH201, 202, 301, 302), and
“Use algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus
to describe physical situations and to solve
physical problems” (PH411 and PH413).
2,3,4,5,9 “Describe and analyze physical situations
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Year: 2013- 2014
There are numerous areas of
student weakness in
conceptual understanding
with PH111 students showing
a much greater weakness
than PH110 students. While
there was some gain in
conceptual understanding
over the semester, the gains
were not sufficient. Students
taking PH111 do not have to
take PH112 in the same
semester and most do not.
As such they do not spend
enough total time on task. It
is unrealistic to expect a three
hour course to yield the same
level of gains as a five hour
course. This is troublesome
as that the gains in PH110 are
insufficient.
Have PH110
approved as a
pathways 1C course.
On each of the measures 50%
of more of the students
performed at the level of fair
or below. This is not
surprising in that most of the
students in physics 1 classes
where the typical success rate
Discuss with the math
department possible
methods to enhance
students’ ability to
retain and transfer
skills. Modify both
laboratory manuals
Use Lecture-based
Astronomy Tutorials
in the classroom to
help student
overcome weak areas
of understanding and
misconceptions.
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
3. Students will reason
quantitatively and
mathematically as
required in their fields of
interest and in everyday
life.
4. Student will use
information management
and technology skills
effectively for academic
research and lifelong
learning
5. Students will integrate
knowledge and skills in
their program of study.
9. Students will employ
concepts and methods of
the natural and physical
sciences to make
informed judgments.
using graphical representations,”
“Perform experiments and draw meaningful
conclusions from data and present them as part of
a clear, well-organized lab report,”
Year: 2013- 2014
is very low. Although
students pass the requisite
math courses they seem to
have an inability to either
transfer the skills and
knowledge from math to
physics or quickly lose those
skill and knowledge after
they complete their math
courses. As expected PH413
students were the best
mathematically. Weaknesses
in laboratory may be due to a
number of issues; students
not reading the lab manual,
and/or listening to their
instructors or instructors
inability to convince students
of the importance of certain
ideas and skills.
and methods used in
teaching laboratory to
encourage students to
grasp the important
ideas and skills by
making sure the
laboratory is an active
learning environment.
4.
Results of certification examinations, employer and alumni surveys, student surveys, advisory board
recommendations (if applicable, please use the table below) NA
5.
Other assessment activity (if applicable) NA
F. DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1.
Goals/objectives for 2013-2014
(Please indicate [Yes or No] if the objectives were part of the College’s Strategic Plan for 2013-2014.)
Departmental goals/objectives
2013/2014
Increase student participation in
research
Revamp the physics concentration
Strategic
Plan Y/N
Y
Evaluation of achievement
Resulting action plan
Student participation increased from 7
students to 15.
Expand the number of
possible projects
The concentration was not yet revamped
Discussions will be
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
under LS1 and work on a transfer
Y
agreement or joint program with Hunter
to replace the agreement for LFOET
students
beyond making it pathways compatible.
Purchase a Ti:sapphire amplifier
system for research (assorted
applications including imaging,
biophotonics, cell dynamics)
System not purchased – funds not
available. In the past, funds allocated to
the department for the system were
reallocated elsewhere in the college. No
new funds have yet to be made available.
2.
Y
Year: 2013- 2014
continued with Hunter and
new discussions initiated
with York with the goal of
completing two transfer
agreements.
Request funds for FY15
Goals/objectives for 2014-2015
(Explain how these goals/objectives align with the College’s goals and Strategic Plan for 2014-2015)
Departmental goals/objectives 2014-2015
Increase student participation in research
Purchase a Ti:sapphire amplifier system for research in
order to expand the number of students participating in
research. Projects will be in areas of both physics and
biophysics such as studies of protein structure and cell
dynamics. The equipment will expand the physics
department’s collaboration with Biology and open the
possibility of greater collaboration with Chemistry as the
system will allow for studies of chemical reaction
dynamics.
Mission/
Strategic Plan
Research by
students is a
high impact
activity
Research by
students is a
high impact
activity.
Planned method of evaluation
Counting the number of students participating in
research. A secondary measure will be the
number of publications and/or conference
presentations with student authors (or coauthors).
Counting the number of projects, students and
faculty involved in research using the system.
Counting the number of publications and
conference presentations directly related to the
research. Obtaining any grants based on the
research.
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