I am a post-doctoral researcher in the Physics Department of the University of Colorado at Boulder, working with the Physics Education Research group.
Department of Physics
University of Colorado
UCB 390
Boulder, CO 80309-0390
E-mail: Charles.Baily "at" Colorado.EDU
Ph.D. - Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (2011)
*Area of specialization: Physics Education ResearchM.S. - Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (2002)
B.A. - Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (1995)
I am currently involved with the transformation of our upper-division Electricity & Magnetism courses at the University of Colorado, using principles from physics education research. My graduate studies focused on the changes in students' epistemic and ontological perspectives as they make the transition from learning classical physics to learning quantum physics; and the impact on student thinking of varying instructional approaches with respect to interpretative themes in modern physics courses. I am also interested in the historical development of quantum mechanics and its various physical interpretations.
Dissertation Webpage - Spring 2011
Abstract: A common learning goal for modern physics instructors is for students to recognize a difference between the experimental uncertainty of classical physics and the fundamental uncertainty of quantum mechanics. Our studies suggest this notoriously difficult task may be frustrated by the intuitively realist perspectives of introductory students, and a lack of ontological flexibility in their conceptions of light and matter. We have developed a framework for understanding and characterizing student perspectives on the physical interpretation of quantum mechanics, and demonstrate the differential impact on student thinking of the myriad ways instructors approach interpretive themes in their introductory courses. Like expert physicists, students interpret quantum phenomena differently, and these interpretations are significantly influenced by their overall stances on questions central to the so-called measurement problem: Is the wave function physically real, or simply a mathematical tool? Is the collapse of the wave function an ad hoc rule, or a physical transition not described by any equation? Does an electron, being a form of matter, exist as a localized particle at all times? These questions, which are of personal and academic interest to our students, are largely only superficially addressed in our introductory courses, often for fear of opening a Pandora’s Box of student questions, none of which have easy answers. We show how a transformed modern physics curriculum (recently implemented at the University of Colorado) can positively impact student perspectives on indeterminacy and wave-particle duality, by making questions of classical and quantum reality a central theme of our course, but also by making the beliefs of our students, and not just those of scientists, an explicit topic of discussion.
Course Materials:A short (4 pg.) paper describing these course transformations is available: "Interpretive Themes in Quantum Physics: Curriculum Development and Outcomes".
The modern physics course materials associated with this dissertation project are availabe for sharing via file transfer by contacting Charles.Baily "at" Colorado.EDU.
The archive for the original course materials from which this work was based is located here.
- "Interpretive Themes in Quantum Physics: Curriculum Development and Outcomes"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, PERC Proceedings 2011, AIP Press (2011). pdf
- "Refined Characterization of Student Perspectives on Quantum Physics"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research 6, 020113 (2010) pdf, supplemental material
- "Interpretation in Quantum Physics as Hidden Curriculum"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, PERC Proceedings 2010, AIP Press (2010). pdf
- "Teaching and Understanding of Quantum Interpretations in Modern Physics Courses"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research 6, 010101 (2010) pdf, supplemental material
- "Quantum Interpretations in Modern Physics Instruction"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, PERC Proceedings 2009, AIP Press (2009). pdf
- "Development of Quantum Perspectives in Modern Physics"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research 5, 010106 (2009) pdf
- "Atomic Modeling in the Early 20th Century: 1904-1913"
Charles Baily, Presented at the 24th Regional Conference on the History and Philosophy of Science, Boulder, CO (10/12/08). pdf
- "Student Perspectives in Quantum Physics"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, PERC Proceedings 2008, AIP Press (2008). pdf
- "Interpretive Themes in Quantum Physics"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, Contributed Poster, Physics Education Research Conference 2011, and AAPT National Meeting 2011. pdf
- "Making a Science of Science Education - Transforming undergraduate physics classes using research in physics education"
Charles Baily, Invited Talk, University of California, Merced (2/25/11). slides
- "Interpretation in Quantum Physics as Hidden Curriculum"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, Contributed Poster, Physics Education Research Conference 2010, and AAPT National Meeting 2010. pdf, handout
- "Understanding and Teaching Quantum Interpretations in Modern Physics Courses"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, Contributed Poster, Physics Education Research Conference 2009, and AAPT National Meeting 2009. poster
- "Atomic Modeling in the Early 20th Century: 1904-1913"
Charles Baily, Presented at the 24th Regional Conference on the History and Philosophy of Science, Boulder, CO (10/12/08). slides
- "Student Perspectives in Quantum Physics"
Charles Baily and Noah D. Finkelstein, Contributed Poster, Physics Education Research Conference 2008, and AAPT National Meeting 2008. poster
Most recent Faculty Course Questionaire results: Fall 2010
# Course taught at Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO
TERM COURSE TITLE ROLE SP 2011 PHGN 300# Modern Physics Instructor FA 2010 PHYS 2130 Modern Physics Instructor SM 2010 PHYS 1110 Mechanics (Calculus-based) TA FA 2009 PHYS 2170 Modern Physics Grader SP 2009 PHYS 1120 Electricity & Magnetism (Calculus-based w/Tutorials) TA FA 2008 PHYS 1110 Mechanics (Calculus-based w/Tutorials) TA SP 2008 PHYS 1120 Electricity & Magnetism (Calculus-based w/Tutorials) TA SP 2008 PHYS 3220 Quantum Mechanics I Grader FA 2007 PHYS 1110 Mechanics (Calculus-based w/Tutorials) TA FA 2007 PHYS 4230 Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics Grader FA 2004 PHYS 1140 Experimental Physics TA FA 2004 PHYS 3210 Classical Mechanics and Mathematical Methods Grader FA 2003 PHYS 1010* Physics for Non-Scientists Instructor SM 2001 PHYS 1120 Electricity & Magnetism (Calculus-based) TA SM 2001 PHYS 1110 Mechanics (Calculus-based) TA SP 2001 PHYS 1120 Electricity & Magnetism (Calculus-based) TA
*Cross-listed course taught at University of Colorado, Denver/Metropolitan State College of Denver