Blended Course Map: Physics 415: Thermal Physics
This blended course map was created by a participant of the Blend@UW Course Design Series. It represents an example of how activities could be designed for one unit of a course to achieve the course and unit outcomes.
Example of a blended course map from Physics 415: Thermal Physics
Name: Mark Eriksson
SCID: College of Letters & Science
Department: Physics
Course Name: Physics 415: Thermal Physics
Course Objectives:
- CO 1 Understand physical principles of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.
- CO 2 Apply thermodynamics to solve problems with a high-level consideration of energy and entropy.
- CO 3 Apply statistical mechanics to make predictions based on a microscopic understanding of a physical system.
- CO 4 Appreciate the breadth of applicability of thermodynamic and statistical approaches to the physical world.
- CO 5 Develop an improved understanding of students' internal metrics for confidence in physical and mathematical predictions of the physical world.
Course Units:
- CU 1 Statistical distributions: describing outcomes probabilistically
- CU 2 Ensembles, differentials, and foundations of thermodynamics
- CU 3 A statistical approach: defining and using temperature
- CU 4 Work and heat: flow, storage, and use of energy
- CU 5 Thermodynamic calculus: Maxwell’s relations
- CU 6 Boltzmann factor: a statistical tool for physics
- CU 7 Partition function: normalization and more
- CU 8 Kinetic theory: learning a lot from particle motion you cannot track
- CU 9 Transport processes
- CU 10 Phase equilibrium and phase transformations
- CU 11 Quantum statistics
- CU 12 Bose and Fermi gases
- CU 13 Solids and lattice vibrations
- CU 14 Magnetism in matter: ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, diamagnetism
Unit Objectives:
- UO 1 Calculate a partition function given a Hamiltonian.
- UO 2 Calculate expected values, like energy, using the partition function as a normalization constant.
- UO 3 Calculate expected values directly by differentiating a partition function.
- UO 4 Demonstrate utility by explaining when to use a partition function.
- UO 5 Use generalized forces to predict physical parameters.
Activity One
Activity: Description: Key definitions
Modality: Online+book
Activity Sequence: Pre-class
Objectives Supported: U7: 1,2,3
Horton Type: Absorb
Bloom's Level: Knowledge
Evidence: Quiz after reading
Time on Task: 20 min
Required Knowledge:
Pedagogical Role: Good quiz design
Activity Two
Activity: Description: Calculate Z for a 2-state system
Modality: Board
Activity Sequence: In-class
Objectives Supported: U7: 1
Horton Type: Absorb
Bloom's Level: Understand
Evidence: Interaction
Time on Task: 10 min
Required Knowledge: Definitions
Pedagogical Role: Ensure clarity on core concepts
Activity Three
Activity: Description: Calculate Z for SHO
Modality: Group work
Activity Sequence: In-class
Objectives Supported: U7: 1
Horton Type: Do
Bloom's Level: Apply
Evidence: Worksheet results
Time on Task: 10 minutes
Required Knowledge: Z = sum over states
Pedagogical Role: Ensure engagement
Social Role: Ensure discussion occurs.
Activity Four
Activity: Description: Calculate expected value using normalization
Modality: Board
Activity Sequence: In-class
Objectives Supported: U7: 2 Horton Type: Absorb
Bloom's Level: Understand
Evidence: Interaction
Time on Task: 5 min
Required Knowledge: P = BF / Z
Pedagogical Role: Ensure clarity on core concepts
Activity Five
Activity: Description: Students decide how many terms they need
Modality: Group work + board
Activity Sequence: In-class
Objectives Supported: U7: 2
Horton Type: Connect
Bloom's Level: Analyze
Evidence: Discussion
Time on Task: 10 min
Required Knowledge: Series convergence
Pedagogical Role: Check understanding through students' analysis.