Preliminary Inventory of the John S. Risley Papers on Physics, 1961-2002

Collection Number MC 334

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Collection Information
Abstract:

Includes research notes, correspondence, conference proceedings, photographs, and travel records relating to Dr. Risley's invovment with atomic collisions research, the International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions, and the development of Physics academic software, and physics educational software.

Professor John S. Risley conducts research on the utilization and effectiveness of computer technology to teach physics. Physics education research shows that interactive, hands-on collaborative student environments produce signific ant student learning. Computers enhance this approach. The primary thrusts in this effort include evaluating educational software programs, deciding which tools to use, structuring substantive student activities, implementing student/teacher tasks and eva luating the impact. These activities are now being carried out in the new SCALE-UP classroom at NCSU. External efforts include publishing peer-reviews physics educational software, as editor of Physics Academic Software in cooperation with the American Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers. In addition, his group is involved with disseminating in formation about new materials in the physics journals, conducting teacher workshops, and collaborating at professional meetings. Professor Risley is the director of WebAssign, an online homework, quizzing, and testing assessment system that delivers, collects, and grades and records student's assignments. This wide-reaching facility incorporates textbook problems, many different answer types and classroom management tools. It represents a new way of accessing student performance and helps student learn basic physics concepts.

Contact Information:
Special Collections Research Center
NCSU Libraries
Campus Box 7111
Raleigh, North Carolina
27695-7111 USA
Phone: (919) 515-2273
Fax: (919) 513-1787
URL: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/specialcollections/
Web Contact Form
Processed by
Unprocessed
Encoded by
Steven Mandeville-Gamble, 2006 April 27

Descriptive Summary

Repository

North Carolina State University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center

Creator

Risley, John S.

Title

John S. Risley Papers on Physics, 1961-2002

Call Number

MC 334

Extent

51 linear feet, 31 cartons + 2 oversized envelopes

Location

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff.

Language of Material

English

Information for Users

Restrictions to Access

This collection has restricted access. Please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff for more information.
Acquisitions Information

Gift of John S. Risley.
Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], John S. Risley Papers on Physics, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Copyright Notice

The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Proccessing Information

Processed by Unprocessed

Encoded by Steven Mandeville-Gamble, 2006 April 27

Historical Note


Professor John S. Risley conducts research on the utilization and effectiveness of computer technology to teach physics. Physics education research shows that interactive, hands-on collaborative student environments produce signific ant student learning. Computers enhance this approach. The primary thrusts in this effort include evaluating educational software programs, deciding which tools to use, structuring substantive student activities, implementing student/teacher tasks and eva luating the impact. These activities are now being carried out in the new SCALE-UP classroom at NCSU.

External efforts include publishing peer-reviews physics educational software, as editor of Physics Academic Software in cooperation with the American Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers. In addition, his group is involved with disseminating in formation about new materials in the physics journals, conducting teacher workshops, and collaborating at professional meetings.

Professor Risley is the director of WebAssign, an online homework, quizzing, and testing assessment system that delivers, collects, and grades and records student's assignments. This wide-reaching facility incorporates textbook problems, many different answer types and classroom management tools. It represents a new way of accessing student performance and helps student learn basic physics concepts.

Recent Publications

"Using Physlets to Teach Electrostatics," The Physics Teacher 37. Scott W. Bonham, John S. Risley and Wolfgang Christian. (1999). p. 276-280.

Core Concepts in Physics, (CD-ROM). John S. Risley. Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, PA, (1998).

"Secrets of Software Longevity: Then and Now," Computers in Physics 11. John S. Risley and Margaret H. Gjertsen. (Jan/Feb 1997). p. 54-55.

"Ten Years of Tracking Educational Software," Computers in Physics 11. John S. Risley. (Jan/Feb 1997). p. 52-53.

"10th Anniversary CIP Educational Software Directory," Computers in Physics 11. Margaret H. Gjertsen and John S. Risley. (Jan/Feb 1997). p. 56-80.

"Case study of the physics component of an integrated curriculum," Phys. Ed. Res. Supplement to Am. J. of Phys 67. R. Beichner, L. Bernold, E. Burniston, P. Dail, R. Felder, J. Gastineau, M. Gjertsen, & J. Risley. (1999). p. S16-S24. Click here to view this publication.

"Hardware and Software Preferences of Technology-Oriented High School Physics Teachers," The Physics Teacher 33. Robert J. Beichner, Ladye K. Wilkinson, John E. Gastineau, Paula V. Englehardt, Margaret H. Gjertsen, Margret Hazen, LeVonda Ritchie, and John S. Risley. (1995). p. 270.

"Educational Software for Teaching Physics-1995 Directory," Computer Applications in Engineering Education 2. Ladye K. Wilkinson, Margaret H. Gjertsen, and John S. Risley. (1994). p. 257-269.

"1995 Directory of Physics Courseware: Simulation Software," Computers in Physics 9. 65. Ladye K. Wilkinson, Margaret H. Gjertsen, and John S. Risley. (Jan/Feb 1995).

Scope and Content Note


Includes research notes, correspondence, conference proceedings, photographs, and travel records relating to Dr. Risley's invovment with atomic collisions research, the International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions, and the development of Physics academic software, and physics educational software.

Organization of the Collection


Collection is unprocessed.

Online Catalog Terms


The following terms have been used to index the guide to the collection in the NCSU Library's online catalog.

Individuals

  • Risley, John S.

Topics

  • Physics--Study and teaching--North Carolina
  • Software engineering

Genre

  • Black and white photographs

Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Research, 1971-1986
    33 folders
    Articles from journals such as Physics Today and Physics Review. They are written by J.S. Risley and the individual folders contain the articles, accompanying graphs/charts, and any related correspondence, press releases, etc.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 1]
  • Atomic Collisions Research, 1961-1982
    43 folders
    Articles by Risley, descriptions of equipment used, proposals, and data/research/notes from individual experiments.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 2]
  • Atomic Collisions Research, 1971-1981
    30 folders
    Articles by contemporaries, descriptions of equipment used, and data/research/notes from individual experiments.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 3]
  • ICPEAC [International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions], 1969-1984
    31 foldersMaterials relating to the VI-XII meetings of ICPEAC. Includes general correspondence, travel grants, finances, and General Committee minutes.     		[MC 334 Carton 4]
  • ICPEAC, 1982-1989]
    42 folders
    Materials relating to the XIII-XVI meetings of ICPEAC. Includes Executive Committee minutes, questionnaire results, finances, support, travel grants, projects, speakers, and correspondence highlighting the conference and Risley's involvement in it (as Secretary).

    		 [MC 334 Carton 5]
  • ICPEAC Proceedings, 1971-1979
    17 vols./pubs.
    Bound copies of the paper abstracts and proceedings of ICPEAC.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 6]
  • ICPEAC Proceedings, 1981-1989
    13 vols./pubs.
    Bound copies of the paper abstracts and proceedings of ICPEAC.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 7]
  • ICPEAC Proceedings, 1985-1995
    14 vols./pubs.
    Bound copies of the paper abstracts and proceedings of ICPEAC.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 8]
  • ICPEAC Misc., 1973-1990
    10 folders; 1 binder
    Includes meeting planning, correspondence, speakers, logos, committee meeting minutes, charters, speakers, and material concerning the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 9]
  • Travel, 1970-1981
    44 folders
    Materials related to the meetings and conferences that Risley attended or participated in. These include ICPEAC, DEAP [Division of Electron and Atomic Physics], ICAP [International Conference on Atomic Physics], trips to the USSR, and many other international groups and conferences.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 10]
  • Travel, 1981-1985
    41 folders
    Materials related to the meetings and conferences that Risley attended or participated in. These include ICPEAC, DEAP, SESAP [Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society], ISIAC [International Seminar on Ion-Atom Collisions], AAPT [American Association of Physics Teachers], trips to the USSR, and many other international groups and conferences.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 11]
  • Travel, 1986-1987
    40 folders
    Materials related to the meetings and conferences that Risley attended or participated in. These include ICPEAC, ISIAC, AAPT, trips to the USSR, and many other international groups and conferences.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 12]
  • Travel, 1987-1991
    41 folders
    Materials related to the meetings and conferences that Risley attended or participated in. These include ICPEAC, ISIAC, AAPT, EduCom, SESAP, NCSTA [North Carolina Science Teachers Association], NSF [National Science Foundation], and many other international groups and conferences.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 13]
  • Travel, 1991-1996
    64 folders
    Materials related to the meetings and conferences that Risley attended or participated in. These include ICPEAC, AAPT, EduCom, NCSTA, NSF, APS [American Physical Society], trips to the USSR, and many other international groups and conferences.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 14]
  • Travel, 1996-2001
    72 folders
    Materials related to the meetings and conferences that Risley attended or participated in. These include ICPEAC, SESAPS, AAPT, EduCom, NCSTA, NSF, APS, and many other international groups and conferences.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 15]
  • Grants, 1972-1980
    29 folders
    Applications, correspondence, and other data for grants made to several agencies, including the NSF and U.S. Department of Energy. Primary focus is VUV light standards.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 16]
  • Grants, 1980-1985
    20 folders
    Applications, correspondence, and other data for grants made to several agencies, including the NSF and U.S. Department of Energy. Topics include VUV light standards and computer tutorials.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 17]
  • Grants, 1990-1995
    12 folders
    Applications, correspondence, and other data for grants made to several agencies, including the NSF and U.S. Department of Energy. Topics include software for engineering students and teacher instruction evaluation.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 18]
  • TASL & PCEP Notebook, 1987-1998
    13 folders; 1 large notebook
    Contents of this box deal with Risley's study on physics education software. This includes his work on the ASEE [American Society for Engineering Education] software project, TASL [The Academic Software Library], and Physics Courseware Evaluation Project. Items include research, correspondence, contracts, publicity, advertisers, sales, production, and a full prospectus for the PCEP (*includes background info on project*).

    		 [MC 334 Carton 19]
  • Pictures; TASL Software Directory, 1968-1995
    16 vols./pubs.; 4 boxes of slides, etc.
    Various directories & publications, 15 folders of software (including Physics Academic Software), phonebook, small card file, business cards, slides, photographs, business cards, and some small artifacts.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 20]
  • PAS [Physics Academic Software] Submissions, 1991-1997
    36 folders
    Includes manuals, correspondence, and software submitted to PAS for possible publication. Subjects cover a variety of physics education related areas. (A-D)

    		 [MC 334 Carton 21]
  • PAS Submissions, 1991-1997
    49 folders
    Includes manuals, correspondence, and software submitted to PAS for possible publication. Subjects cover a variety of physics education related areas. (E-M)

    		 [MC 334 Carton 22]
  • PAS Submissions, 1991-1998
    51 folders
    Includes manuals, correspondence, and software submitted to PAS for possible publication, as well as a 1993 overview of PAS. Subjects cover a variety of physics education related areas. (O-X)

    		 [MC 334 Carton 23]
  • Reprints, 1971-1994
    14 folders
    Reprints of articles written by J.S. Risley on a variety of topics.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 24]
  • Physics Dept. & Talks, 1974-1995
    24 folders
    Information relating to NCSU Physics Dept. business (incl. hiring an assistant professor, building renovations, etc.) and talks given by Risley on a variety of topics (incl. H atoms, VUV Standards, and courseware).

    		 [MC 334 Carton 25]
  • Courses Taught, 1974-1997
    19 folders
    Notes, syllabi, assignments, etc. concerning classes given by Risley as a physics professor at NCSU.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 26]
  • Theses Notes, 1980-1986
    16 folders
    Theses and projects submitted to Risley by students at NCSU.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 27]
  • Papers & Notes, 1986-1995
    30 folders
    Notes and articles written by Risley on a variety of physics related projects. These include educational software, H bombardment, and VUV standards.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 28]
  • Letters, 1967-1982
    15 folders
    Letters to and from Risley, concerning his involvement in various physics projects.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 29]
  • Letters, 1983-1988
    9 folders
    Letters to and from Risley, concerning his involvement in various physics projects.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 30]
  • Letters, 1988-1999
    10 folders
    Letters to and from Risley, concerning his involvement in various physics projects.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 31]
  • Univ. of Washington Notes, 1962-1967
    12 binders
    Notes from classes Risley attended while a student at the University of Washington. Includes Physics, Math, and other courses.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 32]
  • Thesis Orig.; Research Notebooks; Yacht Club, 1962-1993
    20 notebooks, eight folders; 12 pamphlets
    Notes from classes Risley attended while a student at the University of Washington, Risley's thesis, data from experiments conducted by Risley's students at NCSU, and information on the University of Washington Yacht Club.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 33]
  • Personal Collection, 1967-2002
    23 vols./pubs.; 3 folders; 3 boxes; 1 binder, etc.
    Includes items that belong with previously described boxes. Misc. paperwork, meeting programs and paper abstracts, Physics Courseware newsletters, labels, Computers in Physics Instruction software kit, slides, and articles.

    		 [MC 334 Carton 34]
  • Photographs, 1993-1995
    10 8” x 10” group portraits of the PCEP Teacher Institute

    		 [MC 334 Carton 35]
  • Visual aids/charts for project on computer education., 1985 [MC 334 Large Envelope 1]
  • Visual aids/charts for several physics projects and old signs from NCSU Physics Dept. , undated [MC 334 Large Envelope 2]