(Under revision; last updated 07/10/2007)
| INDEPENDENT STUDY (CASTLE - Capacitor Aided System for Teaching and Learning Electricity) | 1 s.h. | Fall/Spring |
This informal optional course allows students to address specialized interests or needs. This particular independent study course is restricted to Physics Teacher Education majors at the junior or senior level. Contact program coordinator for details.
Name: Carl J. Wenning, Coordinator
Physics Teacher Education Program
Office Location: Moulton Hall, Room 322
Office Hours: drop in or by appointment
Telephones: (309) 438-2957 (office); 454-4164 (home); 830-4085 (cell)
E-mail address: wenning@phy.ilstu.edu
Because this course is an independent study, students will complete work on an "arrange" basis working with at least one other student. Students should arrange a mutually agreeable time with one another and with the instructor of record. The course activities will take place in Moulton 307-B unless another room is arranged.
Student teams should plan to meet for not less than one hour per week throughout the semester to work their way through all readings, activities, and worksheets associated with the Modeling form of CASTLE. During these work times students will complete six units of the Modeling version of CASTLE. All students are expected to work in teams of two (or three but only if absolutely necessary due to an odd number of registrants enrolling in the course). Teams will then develop and stick with a regular plan of work, and keep the instructor of record up to date on material needs. Teams are expected to work cooperatively to complete all activities and worksheets. All students must complete all readings, all regular and "optional" activities, and all worksheets.
While teams will work cooperatively to complete activities and worksheets, they may seek assistance from the instructor of record as necessary. In addition to readings, activities, and worksheets, students will be required individually to complete five unit quizzes and a comprehensive final examination covering the whole of the CASTLE curriculum.
Please note that you will be working only on Units 1-5 of CASTLE. These are the Modeling-adapted versions. Units up through number 10 are available through the PASCO web site.
To keep you on track so that work gets completed in a timely fashion (and to avoid the last minute rush), it is suggested that you adapt your work schedule to allow you to turn in the various units according to the following time line:
All work is due by the conclusion of finals week.
The goals of this independent study course are to help the teacher candidate:
Please note that a PowerPoint introduction to CASTLE is available.
The readings, activity guidelines, and worksheets in this independent study course will come from a 90-page packet available at cost through the instructor of record. Students are not required to purchase any additional materials for this course.
Students must individually create a portfolio in which they include all required activities and worksheet assignments. Work associated with activities and worksheets are expected to be complete, thorough, and free of error. This portfolio must consist of the three-ring binder with appropriate identifying information on the outside cover and dividers between each of the units. It should contain a clearly designated unit-by-unit reflection of "teaching notes" - things you should keep in mind should you ever teach this curriculum. The reflections need not be more than a paragraph or two, but can be longer than that if it satisfies your need to document this experience.
The final course grade will be determined on the basis of the number of satisfactorily completed and scored units submitted by 4 P.M. on the Friday of finals week. NO INCOMPLETE GRADES OR TIME EXTENSIONS WILL BE GRANTED. Grades will be assigned on the following basis:
Students are expected to be honest in all academic work. A student's name on any in academic exercise shall be regarded as assurance that the work is the result of the student's own efforts. Offenses involving academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following: cheating, computer dishonesty, plagiarism, grade falsification, and collusion. For more information about this important topic, visit the Student Dispute Resolution Web site.
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