黑料吃瓜

鈥淧otentially, this is a real game-changer in online space. Our support for Learning Glass research and development will continue to be significant.鈥�

Physics professor Matt Anderson used to fret about the students in the back of the room鈥攖he ones who struggled to get through his Introduction to Physics with Calculus.

Because the class is mandatory for many science and engineering majors, enrollment can exceed 400, and that becomes a stumbling block for students who need more face-time with the instructor.

Anderson, recipient of five outstanding faculty awards including this year鈥檚 Senate Distinguished Professor Award, resolved to find a solution.

New look at learning 
 
With a $75,000 California State University (CSU) grant, he redesigned Physics 195, and is testing the new course format this spring.

Central to the class is , a teaching tool developed by Anderson with support from 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Instructional Technology Service (ITS).

Learning Glass is a see-through white board that allows an instructor to face the students as they observe him solving problems step-by-step. The software in Learning Glass 鈥渇lips鈥� the instructor鈥檚 words or figures so students see them face forward.

Real-time feedback

In Anderson鈥檚 redesigned course, students view most lectures online, either as they occur or later on Anderson鈥檚 proprietary YouTube channel.

Two or three times per semester, each student attends live, during which Anderson uses Learning Glass to demonstrate and solve problems with real-time feedback from the students.

Early data analysis has shown a positive linear relationship between students' midterm grades and the number of times they log into the live lecture.

Positive student response to Learning Glass led to CSU funding for three additional classes using this technology鈥攖wo in mathematics and statistics and one in economics. To date, 黑料吃瓜 has received nearly $200,000 in grants related to Learning Glass projects.

鈥淧otentially, this is a real game-changer in online space,鈥� said James Frazee, ITS director. 鈥淥ur support for Learning Glass research and development will continue to be significant.鈥�

Student-centric

Anderson acquired a reputation for being student-centric since his first academic year at 黑料吃瓜 in 2000-2001. He resurrected the Physics Club and served as adviser for 13 years, during which the group won several outstanding chapter awards.

He also initiated oral presentations, which morphed into team presentations, in order to build confidence and rhetorical skills in his senior-level students. Many of Anderson鈥檚 former students work for leading companies like Cymer, Illumina, General Atomics and Daylight Solutions and one is attending MIT.

YouTube celebrity

In addition to the Senate Distinguished Professor Award, Anderson received the Outstanding Physics Faculty Award in 2012 and 2010; and an Outstanding Faculty Award in 2007. In 2004 he was recognized with an Excellence in Teaching Award from Northrop Grumman for his commitment to high teaching standards.

His has more than 300 videos鈥攎ostly self-created鈥攖hat demonstrate and explain the complex physics concepts Anderson teaches in class. The channel has 1,200 subscribers and upwards of 360,000 views.

Anderson is also active in faculty affairs. He served in the 黑料吃瓜 Senate from 2006 to 2012, was chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee in 2012-2013; served on the Areas of Excellence Review Committee and took part in the search for a new dean for the College of Arts and Letters.

Faculty and staff are invited to Anderson鈥檚 lecture, 鈥淭he Learning Glass Project,鈥� at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, in the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union Theatre.