7^th Annual Fall Meeting

A Joint Meeting of the NCS-AAPT, SACS-AAPT, and SPS

UNC Asheville

November 1-2, 2002

http://opus.phys.unca.edu/aapt_f02

Call For Papers

Abstract and Pre-registration deadline: Oct 14, 2002

Format: 1. Title 2. Presenter(s) 3. Affiliation 4. Address 5. Phone & FAX Numbers 6. e-mail address 7. Abstract (150 words max).

Send to bennett@unca.edu (preferred) or to Chuck Bennett, Dept. of Physics, UNC-Asheville, Asheville, NC 28804. Please specify whether the abstract is for AAPT or SPS.

Meeting Highlights

Edwin Taylor, textbook author and 1998 Oersted Medal recipient, will speak Friday night on “Experiences with On-line Physics Teaching:” Some major universities have created profit-seeking organizations to teach university subjects online. Profit has proven elusive. In contrast, the University of Phoenix, the nation's largest private university thrives, offering degrees online in practical fields such as accounting, marketing, and information technology to adults working full time. What is the future of all this? Alas, your speaker is clueless, but he has done a lot of physics teaching online, with some terrific results and other results not at all terrific. Good stuff: (1) Online learning can be chummy, even intimate, suppressing cues of good looks, wealth, class, age, and ethnicity that often skew personal interactions. (2) Assembling a critical mass of people to study, say, general relativity is easier when the reservoir covers 50 states. Bad stuff: (1) The knowing wink and helpful gesture are invisible to online learners. (2) Starting an online class is more expensive in time and money than starting a conventional class. A recent mostly online class combining local MIT undergraduates with remote MIT alumni/ae has upended the speaker's intuition about online learning.

Mike Ruiz will follow with “Lecture Demonstrations on Light and Sound.”

Saturday Afternoon Workshops

Please see the conference website (http://opus.phys.unca.edu/aapt_f02) for details. The following workshop titles have been submitted so far:

“Visual Python with applications from Matter and Interactions,” Joe Heafner.

“Using Interactive Java-Based Pedagogy in the Classroom,” Melissa Dancy, Mario Belloni and Wolfgang Christian.

“Accessing and Processing Astronomical Images From Satellites and Ground-based Observatories,” John Kolena.

“Newton is Not Just Numbers...See the Laws, Be the Laws with PASCO Probeware,” Richard Briscoe.

“LAAPhysics:  Online, Interactive,  PER-Driven, Tutor-Guided Kinematics Modules,” Jerry Meisner.

“Cutting-edge assessment with WebAssign 4.0,” Aaron Titus.

“Use of Science Teacher Workshops for Instruction about Radioactivity or Get A Half Life,” Dale Dusenbury and James Albright.

Awards

There is a $100 prize for the best undergraduate student paper, a $100 prize for the best graduate student paper, and a prize of $150 towards expenses to present a similar paper at a national meeting suitably noting the support of the NCS-AAPT for the best pedagogical paper. Last spring, Oliver Serang won the $100 prize for the best undergraduate student paper and Thomas Dooling won the $150 prize for the best pedagogical paper. Please keep notes and make recommendations at this meeting to any section officer to aid in their choice.

Vendor Sponsors

Thomson Learning/Harcourt is sponsoring coffee and sweet-rolls on Saturday morning (thanks to Jennifer Bluestone). Also sponsoring (so far) are: UNC Asheville, North Carolina State University, the American Association of Physics Teachers, Spectrum Techniques, TEL-Atomic, and Pasco. Please visit their displays to thank them for their support.

We would be happy to provide space for other vendor displays at no charge other than to contribute to refreshments.

Nominations

Nominations for the positions of the Four-Year College/University Representative and Vice-President are being sought for the election at the Spring 2003 Meeting.

Pre-Registration

Late registration paid at the meeting will be +$2.00. To qualify for early registration, send payment along with a completed Pre-Registration Form to the address shown below.

Pre-Registration Form

Name (Please clearly letter) ………………………….………………………………..

Preferred Mailing Address ………………………….…………………………………

(include extended ZIP Code) ………………………………………………………….

Phone ………………………

E-mail ………………………………………………………………………………….

Registration Information

Member $14.00 (includes lunch) ……………………………

Non-Member $19.00 ………………………………………..

Student $7.00 ………………………………………………

Workshop(s) each $2.00 . . . . . ... …………………….……...(List in order of preference.)

Dues ($5.00 per year or $100 lifetime) ………………………

Total . . . . . . .

Please make checks out to "NCS-AAPT" and mail to: Ruth Maconi, Dept. of Physics, UNC-Asheville, Asheville, NC 28804.

Accommodations/Directions

Hotel	Rate	Distance From UNCA	Directions From UNCA To Hotel	Directions From Hotel To UNCA
Holiday Inn Sunspree One Holiday Inn Dr. Asheville, NC 28806 1-800-733-3211 www.sunspree.com	$55.50 plus tax	5 miles	Exit UNCA onto W.T. Weaver Blvd turning right, go to dead end and turn right onto Broadway, go under overpass and then immediately go South on 19/23, take 19/23 to I-240 West, go to Exit 3B, take second right which is Holiday Inn Drive, carefully follow “Holiday Inn Drive” signs. The driveway is located between a company called “Mr. Transmission” and a company called “Jackson Boot.”	Turn right out of hotel, take second right (look for “Downtown” sign), you will be going North on 19/23 (get in left lane), take UNCA exit-turning right at bottom of ramp (Broadway)-go to second light and turn left on W.T. Weaver Blvd-turn left into UNCA at turn-about-entrance-turn left and go to first parking lot on right, Robinson Hall, follow signs to lobby
Spring Hill Suites-Marriott 2 Buckstone Place Asheville, NC 28805 828-253-4666 www.springhillsuites.com	$55.50 plus tax	4 miles	Exit UNCA onto W.T. Weaver Blvd turning right, go to dead end and turn right onto Broadway, go under overpass and then immediately go South on 19/23, take 19/23 to I-240 East, take I-240 East to Exit 6 (Tunnel Rd/US 70), get in left lane on exit ramp, turn left on Tunnel Rd and go .4 miles, turn left on Buckstone Place, look for hotel sign (hotel is located next to Carabba’s Italian Grill Restaurant)	Exit Buckstone Place, turn right on Tunnel Rd (US 70), go West on I-240, take 19/23 North Exit 4A (Weaverville Sign), from 19/23 take UNCA Exit (251) Exit, turn right at bottom of ramp onto Broadway, go to second light and turn left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, turn left into UNCA at turn-about-entrance-turn left and go to first parking lot on right, Robinson Hall, follow signs to lobby
Wingate Inn 11 Rocky Ridge Road Asheville, NC 28806 828-665-4242 www.wingateinns.com	$55.50 plus tax	8 miles	Exit UNCA onto W.T. Weaver Blvd turning right, go to dead end and turn right onto Broadway, go under overpass and then immediately go South on 19/23, take 19/23 to I-240 West, merge unto I-26 East exit towards Asheville Airport, take Exit 2 (NC-191/Blue Ridge Parkway), go straight approx. 1/3 mile into hotel parking lot (behind Holiday Inn)	From Rocky Ridge Rd, turn left on Brevard Rd, take I-26 West, take I-240 East, take 19/23 North Exit 4A (Weaverville Sign), from 19/23 take UNCA Exit (251) Exit, turn right at bottom of ramp onto Broadway, go to second light and turn left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, turn left into UNCA at turn-about-entrance-turn left and go to first parking lot on right, Robinson Hall, follow signs to lobby

(Over)

Fairfield Inn-Marriott 31 Airport Drive Asheville, NC 28732 828-684-1144 www.fairfieldinn.com	$55.50 plus tax	16 miles	Exit UNCA onto W.T. Weaver Blvd turning right, go to dead end and turn right onto Broadway, go under overpass and then immediately go South on 19/23, take 19/23 to I-240 West, merge I-26 East, take Exit 9 (NC-280), turn right on Airport Rd, turn left at first traffic light (Airport Park Rd)	From Airport Park Rd, turn right on Airport Rd, go West on I-26, take I-240 exit towards Asheville/UNC Asheville, merge I-240 East, take 19/23 North Exit 4A (Weaverville Sign), from 19/23 take UNCA Exit (251) Exit, turn right at bottom of ramp onto Broadway, go to second light and turn left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, turn left into UNCA at turn-about-entrance-turn left and go to first parking lot on right, Robinson Hall, follow signs to lobby
Best Western-Asheville Biltmore 22 Woodfin Street Asheville, NC 28801 www.bestwestern.com	$55.50 plus tax	2 miles	Exit UNCA turning left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, go to dead end and turn right on Merrimon Ave, go about 1.1 miles and turn left on Woodfin Street, turn left into hotel	Go right out of parking lot through two traffic lights, turn left on Merrimon Ave, go about 1.1 miles and turn left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, turn right into UNCA at turn-about-entrance-turn left and go to first parking lot on right, Robinson Hall, follow signs to lobby
Residence Inn 701 Biltmore Avenue Asheville, NC 28803 828-281-3361 www.residenceinn.com	$89.50 plus tax	4 miles	Exit UNCA turning left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, go to dead end and turn right on Merrimon Ave, Merrimon Avenue turns into Biltmore Ave	Take Biltmore Ave, which turns into Merrimon Ave, turn left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, turn right into UNCA at turn-about-entrance-turn left and go to first parking lot on right, Robinson Hall, follow signs to lobby
Renaissance-Asheville 31 Woodfin Street Asheville, NC 28801 828-252-8211 www.renaissancehotels.com	$139.00 plus tax	2 miles	Exit UNCA turning left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, go to dead end and turn right on Merrimon Ave, go about 1.1 miles and turn left on Woodfin Street, turn right into hotel	Turn left on Woodfin Street, turn right on Merrimon Ave, go about 1.1 miles and turn left onto W.T. Weaver Blvd, turn right into UNCA at turn-about-entrance-turn left and go to first parking lot on right, Robinson Hall, follow signs to lobby

• Mention AAPT UNCA Physics Meeting and reserve by Oct 1, 2002 for the discounted rates shown above.
• Please see http://opus.phys.unca.edu/aapt_f02 website or call Ruth Maconi at 828-251-6442 for complete directions to area and hotels.

Asheville is a popular area during leaf season so make your reservations early and come enjoy the beauty!