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diff -u modules/gerd/concept/description.tex:1.16 modules/gerd/concept/description.tex:1.17
--- modules/gerd/concept/description.tex:1.16 Thu Jul 15 17:13:11 2004
+++ modules/gerd/concept/description.tex Fri Jul 16 15:57:37 2004
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@
\end{itemize}
One cannot really blame learners for short-circuiting physics "learning" this way, since the cognitive and metacognitive skills, which physicists value so highly, are hardly ever made explicit, neither in instruction, nor in formative or summative assessment~\cite{lin,reif,mazur96}; in fact, they are mostly altogether "hidden"~\cite{redish} from all aspects of a course, and students are affirmed in their novice expectations~\cite{hammer} of what it is to "do physics." The challenge is to move students away from treating physics as a set of unrelated factoids and formulas, as well as away from focussing on memorizing and using formulas without interpretation or sense-making~\cite{hammer}, and toward both "thinking like a physicist" and gaining conceptual understanding.
-\begin{quote}
+
"Conceptual understanding" in this project is defined as insight,
as reflected in thoughtful and effective use of knowledge and skills in varied situations,
into abstract key ideas,
which are generalized from particular instances.
-\end{quote}
+
\subsection{The Problem with Problems - Hypotheses}\label{hypo}
-To quote Lin~\cite{lin}: "The primary determinants of student performance are the specific tasks for which teachers explicitly hold student responsible (e.g. problem sets and exams), rather than the general goals of the teacher (e.g. conveying an appreciation of the power of physics in a broad context)." Mazur~\cite{mazur96} asks "So why do we keep testing our students with conventional problems?"
+To quote Lin~\cite{lin}: "The primary determinants of student performance are the specific tasks for which teachers explicitly hold students responsible (e.g. problem sets and exams), rather than the general goals of the teacher (e.g. conveying an appreciation of the power of physics in a broad context)." Mazur~\cite{mazur96} asks "So why do we keep testing our students with conventional problems?"
The answer, only too often, is scalability, and that in more than one dimension: non-conventional problems are harder to write, and even harder to grade.
@@ -109,14 +109,14 @@
This project focusses on how to move beyond conventional homework problems while operating within the realistic limitations of large-enrollment courses.
-Particularly in large-enrollment courses, timely feedback is often impossible without the use of computerized homework systems (e.g.~\cite{thoennessen,kashy00}). Unfortunately, an all too frequent approach to using such systems is to simply replicated conventional textbook problems in the online realm, where they are conveniently graded by the computer.
+Particularly in large-enrollment courses, timely feedback is often impossible without the use of computerized homework systems (e.g.~\cite{thoennessen,kashy00}). Unfortunately, an all too frequent approach to using such systems is to simply replicate conventional textbook problems in the online realm, where they are conveniently graded by the computer.
The project assumes that "the problem with problems" (a phrase borrowed from~\cite{mazur96}) is that
\begin{quote}
{\bf Hypothesis 1a:} Conventional calculation-oriented problems affirm non-expertlike epistemologies and encourage non-expertlike problem-solving strategies
\end{quote}
-Using computerized systems does impose limitations on which kind of problems can be made available, but does not limit one just these most basic types. A further assumption is that by the reverse token
+Using computerized systems does impose limitations on which kind of problems can be made available, but does not limit educators to just these most basic types. A further assumption is that by the reverse token
\begin{quote}
{\bf Hypothesis 1b:} There are types of online formative assessment computer-evaluated problems which make learners confront their non-expertlike epistemologies and encourage expertlike problem-solving strategies\end{quote}
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
An additional problem with conventional problems may be their mathematical nature. Hewitt in the preface to his textbook "Conceptual Physics"~\cite{hewitt} argues that the mathematical language of physics often deters the average non-science students, a notion which concurs with Tobias' concept of "math anxiety"\cite{tobias}, which is a particular issue for students in the "second tier"\cite{tobiasST} of science courses. For them, the use of mathematics in physics courses can present a hurdle, and a lack of skills or confidence to perform basic algebraic manipulations ("$V=RI\ \Rightarrow\ R=V/I"$), or even problems operating their pocket calculators, can hinder students' learning progress in physics at a very basic level.
-Yet, the majority of students appears to be able to correctly substitute variables and execute calculations, and quite content with the "plug-and-chug" approach. In fact, it appears to be true that their "concept anxiety" is more prominent than any "math anxiety."
+Yet, the majority of students appears to be able to correctly substitute variables and execute calculations, and is quite content with the "plug-and-chug" approach. In fact, it appears to be true that their "concept anxiety" is more prominent than any "math anxiety."
Moving beyond initial barriers, the problem with mathematics as part of a formative assessment appears to be not one of {\it operation}, but one of {\it translation}. Students see formulas in a purely operational sense~\cite{torigoe,breitenberger}, while lacking the ability to translate between the formulas and the situations~\cite{clement}, which is also illustrated in the expert and novice quotes at the beginning of Sect.~\ref{intro}.
@@ -148,19 +148,36 @@
\subsection{Broader Impact/Diversity}
Currently, every semester approximately 350,000 students are taking introductory undergraduate physics courses similar to the ones under investigation in this project~\cite{aapt}. For many of these students, it is both their first and their last formal exposure to physics. Students will go into a large spectrum of careers, with or without an understanding of the basic concepts of the physical world.
-This project has the potential of broader impact, since like many of the other efforts in Physics Education, it is closely connected to the trenches of physics teaching. Results from this study will be applicable in courses across the nation, especially large-enrollment courses. Both the tool (LON-CAPA, Sect.~\ref{loncapa}) and any developed, implemented, and adapted materials (Sect.~\ref{matdev}) will be readily available to physics faculty. Faculty members at the over thirty currently participating LON-CAPA institutions will be able to profit from this project already during its progress.
+This project has the potential of broader impact, since like many of the other efforts in Physics Education, it is carried out within a regular college venue. Results from this study will be applicable especially in large-enrollment courses, where for logistical reasons online homework is frequently the only feasible formative assessment mechanism. Both the tool (LON-CAPA, Sect.~\ref{loncapa}) and any developed, implemented, and adapted materials (Sect.~\ref{matdev}) will be readily available to physics faculty. Faculty members at the over thirty currently participating LON-CAPA institutions will be able to profit from this project already during its progress.
\section{Background and Environment}
\subsection{PI Education and Appointments}
Dr.~Kortemeyer received his Diplom (ÒM.Sc.Ó) in physics in 1993 from the Universit\"at Hannover, Germany (Advisor Prof. P. U. Sauer), and his Ph.D. in physics from Michigan State University in 1997 (Advisor Prof. W. Bauer), both with thesis work in theoretical nuclear physics.He has been working at Michigan State University since 1997. His first appointment has been as an Academic Specialist in the Division of Science and Mathematics Education (DSME), where he has been leading instructional technology development projects for the College of Natural Science, and is the director of the Learning{\it Online} Network with Computer-Assisted Personalized Approach (LON-CAPA) project, see Sect.~\ref{loncapa}. He also taught introductory physics in a completely online mode, as well as co-taught in a more traditional on-campus setting.
-Starting August 2004, Dr.~Kortemeyer will be working in a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Physics Education. His appointment will be split 75/25\% between the Lyman Briggs School of Science (LBS) and DSME. He will also be holding an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. His teaching responsibilities will include the introductory calculus-based physics sequence (lecture and lab) in LBS, as well as seminars in special topics. His research will be focused on postsecondary science teaching and learning, with a special emphasis on the use of technology.\subsection{Michigan State University}Michigan State University is one of the earliest land-grant institutions in the United States. MSU is committed to providing equal educational opportunity to all qualified applicants; at the undergraduate level, the university offers comprehensive programs in the liberal arts and sciences, and provides opportunities for students of varying interests, abilities, backgrounds, and expectations. The total enrollment is approximately 44,000, 35,000 of which are undergraduates. 54\% of the student population are women, 8.1\% African American, 5.1\% Asian/Pacific Islander, 2.8\% Chicano/Other Hispanic, and 0.6\% Native American. Of the freshman class, the average high school GPA is 3.58.\subsection{Lyman Briggs School of Science}The Lyman Briggs School (LBS) at MSU is a residential learning community devoted to studying the natural sciences and their impact on society. All under one roof, LBS encompasses physics, chemistry, biology, and computer laboratories; classrooms; faculty, administrative, and academic support staff offices; student residences; a dining hall; and a convenience store. With approximately 1500 students, LBS offers the benefits of a small, liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Within LBS, 59\% of the student population are women, 15\% ethnic minority including 1\% Hispanic, 3\% African American, and 9\% Asian/Pacific.\subsection{Division of Science and Mathematics Education}The Division of Science and Mathematics Education (DSME) was founded at MSU in 1989, and is co-administered by the College of Natural Science and the College of Education. Academic specialists and faculty members with partial appointments in various departments and other colleges, graduate and undergraduate students, and professional and clerical staff work together in DSME to conduct a variety of research projects, as well as to offer courses, degree programs, and other activities in support of its mission.
+Starting August 2004, Dr.~Kortemeyer will be working in a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Physics Education. His appointment will be split 75/25\% between the Lyman Briggs School of Science (LBS) and DSME. He will also be holding an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. His teaching responsibilities will include the introductory calculus-based physics sequence (lecture and lab) in LBS, as well as seminars in special topics. His research will be focused on postsecondary science teaching and learning, with a special emphasis on the use of technology.\subsection{Institutional Environment}Michigan State University is one of the earliest land-grant institutions in the US, and committed to providing equal educational opportunity to all qualified applicants; at the undergraduate level, the university offers comprehensive programs in the liberal arts and sciences, and provides opportunities for students of varying interests, abilities, backgrounds, and expectations. The total enrollment is approximately 44,000, 35,000 of which are undergraduates. 54\% of the student population are women, 8.1\% African American, 5.1\% Asian/Pacific Islander, 2.8\% Chicano/Other Hispanic, and 0.6\% Native American. Of the freshman class, the average high school GPA is 3.58.\subsubsection{Lyman Briggs School of Science}The Lyman Briggs School of Science (LBS) at MSU is a residential learning community devoted to studying the natural sciences and their impact on society. All under one roof, LBS encompasses physics, chemistry, biology, and computer laboratories; classrooms; faculty, administrative, and academic support staff offices; and student residences. With approximately 1500 students, LBS offers the benefits of a small, liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Within LBS, 59\% of the student population are women, 15\% ethnic minority including 1\% Hispanic, 3\% African American, and 9\% Asian/Pacific.\subsubsection{Division of Science and Mathematics Education}The Division of Science and Mathematics Education (DSME) was founded at MSU in 1989, and is co-administered by the College of Natural Science and the College of Education. Academic specialists and faculty members with partial appointments in various departments and other colleges, graduate and undergraduate students, and professional and clerical staff work together in DSME to conduct a variety of research projects, as well as to offer courses, degree programs, and other activities in support of its mission.
+\subsubsection{Synergy between Project and Institutional Goals}
+The mission statement of the Lyman-Briggs School of Science includes the statement
+\begin{quote}
+Curious about the natural world around them, LBS's highly motivated students and faculty work together to learn what is known and explore what is new.
+\end{quote}
+The mission statement of the Division of Science and Mathematics Education is to
+\begin{quote}
+improve science and mathematics education, from kindergarten through the undergraduate years, through the professional development of preservice and inservice teachers and faculty members.
+\end{quote}
+These ambitious goals clearly infer going beyond a surface-recapitulation of disconnected factoids, toward a deep appreciation of natural phenomena and their inter-connectedness. Research and teaching are closely intertwined in this project, with the goal of improving the learning and teaching
+of the natural sciences, even as the study itself is being carried out.
\subsection{Model System: The Learning{\it Online} Network with CAPA}\label{loncapa}The Learning{\it Online} Network with Computer-Assisted Personalized Approach ({\tt http://www.lon-capa.org/}) is a distributed learning content management, course management, and assessment system, and also the model system of the current NSF-ITR grant, see Sect.~\ref{results}.
LON-CAPA's core development group is located at MSU, and in addition to faculty members, has a staff of three fulltime programmers, two user support staff, one technician, one graduate student, and one project coordinator. The LON-CAPA group also offers training and support for adopters of the system.
-LON-CAPA is open-source (GNU General Public License) freeware, there are no licensing costs associated. Both aspects are important for the success of a research project like the one proposed here. The open-source nature of the system allows researchers to modify and adapt the system in order to address the needs of their project, and the freeware character allows easier dissemination of results, in particular adaptation and implementation at other universities.\subsubsection{Shared Distributed Content Repository}LON-CAPA is designed around the concept of easy sharing and re-use of learning resources.
-In LON-CAPA, the underlying distributed content repository spans all servers in a given cluster. Navigation through selected resources is provided by an internal sequencing tool, which allows assembling, re-using, and re-purposing content at different levels of granularity (pages, lessons, modules, chapters, etc). LON-CAPA provides highly customizable access control on resources, and has a built-in key mechanism to charge for content access. The shared content pool of LON-CAPA currently contains over 60,000 learning resources, including more than 18,000 personalized homework problems. Any content material contributed to the pool is immediately available and ready-to-use within the system at all participating sites, thus facilitating dissemination of curricular development efforts. Disciplines include astronomy, biology, business, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, family and child ecology, geology, human food and nutrition, human medicine, mathematics, medical technology, physics, and psychology. A large fraction of these resources are also available through the gateway to the National Science Digital Library (NSDL). In addition to faculty-provided content, the problem supplements to a number of commercial textbooks are available in LON-CAPA format.The network provides constant assessment of the resource quality through objective and subjective dynamic metadata. Selection of a learning resource by instructors at other institutions while constructing a learning module does both establish a de-facto peer-review mechanism and provide additional context information for each resource. In addition, access statistics are being kept, and learners can put evaluation information on each resources.\subsubsection{Formative and Summative Assessment Capabilities}LON-CAPA started in 1992 as a system to give personalized homework to students in introductory physics courses. ÒPersonalized" means that each student sees a different version of the same computer-generated problem: different numbers, choices, graphs, images, simulation parameters, etc, Fig.~\ref{twoproblems}.
+LON-CAPA is open-source (GNU General Public License) freeware, there are no licensing costs associated. Both aspects are important for the success of this project: the open-source nature of the system allows researchers to modify and adapt the system in order to address research needs, and the freeware character allows easier dissemination of results, in particular adaptation and implementation at other universities.\subsubsection{Shared Distributed Content Repository}LON-CAPA is designed around the concept of easy sharing and re-use of learning resources.
+In LON-CAPA, the underlying distributed multimedia content repository spans across all of the currently over 30 participating institutions, and currently contains over 60,000 learning content resources, including more than 18,000 personalized homework problems. Disciplines include astronomy, biology, business, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, family and child ecology, geology, human food and nutrition, human medicine, mathematics, medical technology, physics, and psychology. Any content material contributed to the pool is immediately available and ready-to-use within the system at all participating sites, thus facilitating dissemination of curricular development efforts (Sect.~\ref{matdev}). A large fraction of these resources are also available through the gateway to the National Science Digital Library (NSDL).
+
+Navigation through selected resources is provided by an internal sequencing tool, which allows assembling, re-using, and re-purposing content at different levels of granularity (pages, lessons, modules, chapters, etc) --- each content assembly becomes a new resource in the system.
+The network provides constant assessment of the resource quality through objective and subjective dynamic metadata. Selection of a learning resource by instructors at other institutions while constructing a learning module does both establish a de-facto peer-review mechanism and provide additional context information for each resource. In addition, access statistics are being kept, and learners can put evaluation information on each resources.
+
+In addition to faculty-provided content, the problem supplements to a number of commercial textbooks are available in LON-CAPA format.
+LON-CAPA provides highly customizable access control for such resources, and has a built-in key mechanism to charge for content access. \subsubsection{Formative and Summative Assessment Capabilities}LON-CAPA started in 1992 as a system to give personalized homework to students in introductory physics courses. ÒPersonalized" means that each student sees a different version of the same computer-generated problem: different numbers, choices, graphs, images, simulation parameters, etc, Fig.~\ref{twoproblems}.
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=6.5in]{atwood}
\caption{Web-rendering of the same LON-CAPA problem for two different students.\label{twoproblems}
@@ -199,27 +216,17 @@
In addition to having whiteboards and wireless laptop computers for students to work with in flexible group settings, the facility will have integrated observation equipment to video- and audio-record student interactions. All recorded information is immediately digitized and made available for transcription and analysis using the Transana~\cite{transana} software system.
-\subsection{Courses}
+\subsection{Courses}\label{coursesdesc}
The project will be carried out in the two-semester LBS course sequence LBS 271/272,"Calculus-Based Introductory Physics I/II. These second-year non-major three-credit courses have a Calculus pre-requisite, and traditionally an enrollment of over 200 students.
Starting Fall 2004, the course will be taught with less total lecturing time, where the third classroom hour will be used for peer-teaching~\cite{mazur} and more frequent quizzes in place of the midterm exams.
-Two separate, but associated one-credit laboratory courses (LBS 271L/272L) are required, which most but not all students choose to take simultaneously. Faculty and teaching assistants are frequently assuming shared responsibilities between the lecture and laboratory courses, with a combined staff of two faculty members and six undergraduate student assistants. The latter are responsible for particular recitation and laboratory sections, and will be involved in this research project (see Sect.~\ref{undergrad}). Within the duration of this project, the lecture and laboratory courses might be combined to provide greater coherence between these two venues.
+Two separate, but associated one-credit laboratory courses (LBS 271L/272L) are required, which most but not all students choose to take simultaneously. Faculty and teaching assistants are frequently assuming shared responsibilities between the lecture and lab courses, with a combined staff of two faculty members and six undergraduate student assistants. The latter are responsible for particular recitation and lab sections, and will be involved in this research project (see Sect.~\ref{undergrad}). Within the duration of this project, the lecture and lab courses might be combined to provide greater coherence between these two venues.
Students in these courses are currently solving approximately 200 online homework problems each semester, most of which currently are of the conventional type.
-\subsection{Synergy between Project and Institutional Goals}
-The mission statement of the Lyman-Briggs School of Science includes the statement
-\begin{quote}
-Curious about the natural world around them, LBS's highly motivated students and faculty work together to learn what is known and explore what is new.
-\end{quote}
-The mission statement of the Division of Science and Mathematics Education is
-\begin{quote}
-to improve science and mathematics education, from kindergarten through the undergraduate years, through the professional development of preservice and inservice teachers and faculty members.
-\end{quote}
-These ambitious goals clearly infer going beyond a surface-recapitulation of disconnected factoids, toward a deep appreciation of natural phenomena and their inter-connectedness. Research and teaching are closely intertwined in this project, with the goal of improving the learning and teaching
-of the natural sciences, even as the study itself is being carried out. Since outcomes of this study will inform faculty members, it aligns with the goals of the Division of Science and Mathematics Education.
+
\section{Classification of Online Formative Assessment Problems}\label{class}
-Redish~\cite{redish} distinguishes eight types of exam and homework questions, an adapted version of which will form the general classification scheme for Hypothesis 1b:
+Redish~\cite{redish} distinguishes eight types of exam and homework questions, an adapted version of which will form the general classification scheme (Table~\ref{classification}) for Hypothesis 1b:
\begin{description}
\item[Multiple-choice and short-answer questions] The most basic and most easily computer-evaluated type of question, representing the conventional (typical back-of-chapter textbook) problem.
@@ -254,7 +261,6 @@
\item[Essay questions] These are "explain why" questions. A certain scenario is presented, and students are asked to explain why it turns out the way it does. Students are not asked to recall a certain law --- it is given to them. Instead, they are asked to discuss its validity.
\end{description}
-Table~\ref{classification} summarizes the classification scheme which will be used in this project.
\begin{table}
\small
\begin{tabular}{|p{2cm}|p{1.5cm}|p{0.9cm}|p{0.9cm}|p{0.9cm}|p{1.5cm}|p{1.2cm}|p{1.2cm}|p{1.1cm}|p{0.9cm}|}
@@ -269,9 +275,9 @@
\caption{Classification scheme for question types, adapted from Redish~\cite{redish}, see Sect.~\ref{class}. The symbols denote different components of the project, i.e., "A" - additional analysis tool development (Sect.~\ref{analysisnew}); "G" - additional scalable grading tool development (Sect.~\ref{platform}); "M" - additional materials development (Sect.~\ref{matdev}); "S" - this question type will be included in the study of its impact (sections~\ref{hypo} and \ref{analysis}).\label{classification}}
\end{table}
\section{Preliminary Project Components}
-Several aspects of the research project can be started in the first year, while others will require additional functionality in the LON-CAPA platform, and the preparation of additional homework problems of certain types.
+Several aspects of the research project can be started in the first year, while others will require additional materials development or platform functionality.
-In Table~\ref{classification}, problem types which are marked "S" with no additional symbols have both sufficient functionality support in the LON-CAPA system, and a sufficient library of problems of this type to conduct the study. If a problem type is marked "M," the library of problems of this type is still small, and additional problems need to be developed. If a problem type is marked "A," it means that the study would profit from the development of additional analysis tools, if it is marked "G," it means that while the platform in its current version can support it, the solution does not scale well with the number of students due to the effort required for manual grading.
+In Table~\ref{classification}, problem types which are marked "S" with no additional symbols have both sufficient functionality support in the LON-CAPA system, and a sufficient library of problems of this type to conduct the study. Problem types marked "M" need additional material to provide a representative sample (Sect.~\ref{matdev}), those marked "G" additional grading tools (Sect.~\ref{platform}), and those marked "A" additional analysis tools (Sect.~\ref{analysisnew}).
\subsection{Additional Materials Development}\label{matdev}
For the question types marked "M" in Table~\ref{classification}, the currently existing library of LON-CAPA problems does not provide enough samples to carry out the study. Since development of completely new problems would constitute a project by itself, this component of the current project will heavily draw on existing problem collections, i.e., Redish (\cite{redish}, resource CD), McDermott~\cite{mcdermottprob}, Mazur~\cite{mazur}, and Project Galileo~\cite{galileo}. These research-based problems will be adapted and implemented in the the LON-CAPA system, and new problems only developed where necessary.
@@ -279,7 +285,7 @@
The goal is to have 12 problems representing each type (Table~\ref{classification}) in each semester, as evenly as possible distributed over the 16 weeks of the semester.
\subsection{Additional Platform Development}
-
+The proposal budget includes a half-time computer programmer position in the first four years to assist in the implementation of the following additional platform features:
\subsubsection{Scalable Functionality for Manual Grading of Free-Form Answers}\label{platform}
LON-CAPA already offers grading support for free-form student submission, such as
keyword-highlighting and plagiarism-checks. Additional tools will be developed for the grading of the problem types marked "G" in Table~\ref{classification}: for questions that require student submissions of the type "Explain your reasoning," better coupling between the computer- and manually-evaluated sections will be provided, for the free-form "essay" submissions, better tools to compare student submissions with each other and with exemplary essays.
@@ -462,9 +468,13 @@
\section{Evaluation}
-The LON-CAPA Faculty Advisory Board was formed as part of our NSF ITR grant project. It consists of eight actively teaching faculty and administrators from a number of colleges on campus of MSU, and meets once every month to both evaluate and advise projects connected to LON-CAPA. We propose to continue using this existing structure to evaluate this projectÕs progress and findings. In addition, Dr.~Kortemeyer's Mentoring Committee, which consists of senior faculty members from both LBS and DSME will guide and advise the progress of this project.
-\section{Dissemination}
-We will present papers at conferences such as the LON-CAPA User Conference, Frontiers in Education, and the American Association of Physics Teachers Annual Meeting. We will submit papers to journals such as The Physics Teacher, the American Journal of Physics, Computers and Education, and the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. Finally, any content material adapted and implemented in this project will be immediately available to all participant LON-CAPA institutions, and via the LON-CAPA gateway to the NSF-funded National Science Digital Library.
+The LON-CAPA Faculty Advisory Board was formed as part of our NSF ITR grant project. It consists of eight actively teaching faculty and administrators from a number of colleges on campus of MSU, and meets once every month to both evaluate and advise projects connected to LON-CAPA. We propose to continue using this existing structure to evaluate this projectÕs progress and findings. In addition, Dr.~Kortemeyer's Mentoring Committee, which consists of senior faculty members from both LBS and DSME, will guide and advise the progress of this project.
+\section{Dissemination}\label{dissem}
+We will present papers at conferences such as the LON-CAPA User Conference, IEEE Frontiers in Education, Educause/NLII, Sloan C, the annual meetings of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft and the Gesellschaft f\"ur Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, the European Workshop for Multimedia in Physics Education, the Conference on Computer Based Learning in Science, and the American Association of Physics Teachers Annual Meeting. Dr. Kortemeyer presented at these conferences before. We will submit papers to journals such as The Physics Teacher, the American Journal of Physics, Computers and Education, and the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. Finally, any content material adapted and implemented in this project will be immediately available to all participant LON-CAPA institutions, and via the LON-CAPA gateway to the NSF-funded National Science Digital Library. Any mature additional platform functionality will be made available in the production releases of the open-source freeware LON-CAPA system.
+\section{Professional Development and Mentoring}
+Besides participating in conferences and workshops (Sect.~\ref{dissem}), the proposal includes funds to visit Physics Education Research groups in the US and Germany. Dr.~Kortemeyer already visited the groups at Maryland (Redish and Hammer) and Oldenburg (Hilf), and is hoping to be able to conduct similar visits to for example Harvard (Mazur), Washington (McDermott), Arizona (Hestenes), Minnesota (Heller), Bremen (Schecker), and Kaiserlautern (Jodl).
+
+During the first years of this project, Dr. Kortemeyer will be teaching the lecture and laboratory courses (Sect.~\ref{coursesdesc}) together with Dr. Walter Benenson, a University Distinguished Professor of Physics, who will interact with Dr. Kortemeyer on a daily base.
\section{Project Timeline}
The timeline for the project is outlined in Table~\ref{timeline}.
.
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