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STUDENT LED SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE STUDENT SUCCESS IN CLASSICAL MECHANICS

Abstract

The goal of this research is to explore the effectiveness of supplemental instruction in a classical physics class. The class involves physics projects associated with real classical physics problems which were based on writing the equations of motion for analytically solvable conditions. The projects are based on extensions of the analytical solutions to include terms in the equations that made the problems unsolvable analytically. Numerical solutions were to be obtained and compared with the analytically examined solutions and study the effects of the modifications. To accomplish this, the students would write or modify MATLAB programs in order to compare the numeric and analytic solutions. My task was to lead my peers in supplemental instruction (SI) sessions to help with the physics of the various projects and with their MATLAB coding while answering questions in the form of hints. I would finish my coding projects early to get it checked over by the professor and then hold SI sessions to give feedback to my peers. Personally, I have seen a greater understanding in the students in regards to the MATLAB coding projects and the classical physics problems. The SI sessions seemed to improve student understanding in classical physics. Financial support from UWG SEEP program is acknowledged.

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