Electromagnetism at 140 km

Abstract

ABSTRACT La Trobe University has a small but strong physics research presence on the Melbourne campus and is developing a coherent offering of undergraduate physics subjects to support a similarly small band of high-achieving students in physics and nano-technology. On the Bendigo campus, physics had become, in the main, a service subject to the Engineering program, with a very small number of science students looking for further options in the areas of physics and physical chemistry that involve minimal disruption to their geographic location. Through the multi-campus teaching project, we are exploring ways to articulate second year physics programs so that student cohorts and discipline and teaching expertise is brought together. In this paper we discuss the methods used to offer second year electromagnetism concurrently to a class of 30 students in Melbourne and 5 students at Bendigo. The re-design is a collaborative, action research project involving stakeholders from across the University and incorporating IT, student support, regional support , academic language and literacy and other groups to create an engaging subject without breaking the good-will bank.