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Flip the Lecture, Flip the Lab, the Problem Based Lab

FadBy

Dr. Harold A. Geller@AstroBioProf

Associate ProfessorObservatory Director

George Mason UniversityNASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador

Abstract• Two (~20 students) interdisciplinary courses for non-science majors

– Astrobiology and Energy and the Environment• A flipped approach in lecture

– Readings done by students before class– Review material with personal response system questions– Address thoughtful questions in groups

• A flipped approach in lab– Students perform traditional lab exercises on their own– Turn in lab write ups for grading– A problem based learning (PBL) approach to the lab– Students focus on a semester-long project culminating in a written

paper and an oral presentation– Will lead to an edited publication of input from the students as well as

papers by the faculty and graduate teaching assistant– Meeting participants will be subjected to the same teaching style that is

utilized in the PBL based lab2

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Physics Concepts in Astrobiology

• Newton’s Laws of Motion• Universal Law of Gravitation• Kepler’s Law of Planetary Motion• Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity

– E = m c2

– travel time and fuel considerations• Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity• 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics

– Energy Concepts [potential, kinetic, etc.]• Electricity and electronics• Computers and their physical limits• Conservation of Momentum

Physics Concepts in Energy and Environment

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• Fundamental concepts of energy– Nuclear Fission; Nuclear Fusion

• Measurements and units of energy• Energy sources

– Solar energy; Hydroelectric power; Wind power; Ocean thermal energy conversion; Geothermal power; Tidal energy; Wave energy; Nuclear energy

• Nuclear weapons• Thermodynamics

– Energy conservation• Modes of transportation• The atmosphere

– Ozone layer– Greenhouse Gas Effect

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“Lecture” Mechanics• “Flipped lecture” approach• Astrobiology in a small class (~20) environment• Reading assigned before class• Personal response system used to quiz

– Formative assessment• Break up into groups of 3 or 4• Assign a leader, a recorder, and 1 or two others• Give 3-5 thoughtful questions requiring critical

thinking and scientific reasoning• Share out results

Learning Management System

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Use of a Wiki

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Problem Based Learning Labs

• Lab meetings flipped too– Traditional labs assigned to do on own– Collect home lab assignments– Problem Based Learning added to labs

• Design an interstellar trip to the stars• Questions addressed and shared out

– In person with students during lab period• Overarching goal of PBL labs

– Design Multigenerational Ship to the Stars– Establish USA Energy Policy for Next 20 years

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Acknowledgements• The students of HNRT 228 Astrobiology

– Spring 2014; Fall 2014; Spring 2015; Fall 2015• The students of HNRT 228 Energy and the

Environment– Spring 2014; Spring 2015; Spring 2016

• Graduate Teaching Assistant– Prabal Saxena (Spring/Fall 2014 and Spring 2015)

• Richard Oh; Sowmya Ranga; Sonia Thakur– Mentorship students Thomas Jefferson High

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Astrobiology Textbook

• Life in the Universe– Bennett– Shostak

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Renewable Energy Textbook

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• First edition 2013• Robert Ehrlich

• Second edition 2017• Robert Ehrlich• Harold Geller

Published June 2015

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Post-Mordem Notes• Interdisciplinary science courses in

Honors College to end – Spring 2016 last semester for courses– Laboratory space was biggest issue

• Ehrlich (retired) and Geller (not retired) under contract to produce 2nd edition of Renewable Energy textbook– Manuscript due September 2016

• 2nd edition expected in spring 201713