Physics-Colloquium by Dr. M. Alemani

Our head of the introductory laboratory course for physics Dr. Micol Alemani will hold a colloquium about "Becoming a physicist in a laboratory course" on 4^th of June, at quater past four p.m in our lecture hall 2.28.0.108.
Don´t miss out on this great opportunity!

Her Abstract
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    As society and industries become more complex, the demand for critical, creative thinkers with problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills is rising. Universities educate science PhD students with these abilities, but the question remains if those skills could be fostered earlier. Lab courses play a key role by allowing students to practice essential skills like problem-solving, decision-making, and handling uncertainty needed for scientific inquiry. However, traditional formats for these courses—where students replicate lecture results by following step-by-step instructions with pre-assembled equipment— fall short of their educational potential. Recent research works highlight their limitations in effectively deepening students' understanding of physics concepts, fostering experimental skills and expert-like views and attitudes.
    In this talk, I will present how we implemented a transformation of the introductory laboratory course for physics majors at the University of Potsdam guided by research. The reformed course promotes students’ acquisition of experimental skills and expert-like attitudes. The ultimate goal is to have students gain experimental independence to be prepared for future professional and societal challenges. I will detail our didactic approach, the course learning goals and describe various lab activities developed to reach those goals.
    During the talk, I will discuss the educational advantages and my experience (including the challenges) with this approach.