John S. Risley Papers on Physics 1961-2007

Summary
Contents
Names/subjects
Using these materials
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Creator
Risley, John S., 1942-2013
Size
66 linear feet (43 cartons, 2 oversized envelopes, 1 flatbox)
Call number
MC 00334
Access to materials

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

Includes research and course notes, correspondence, assignments, assignment keys, calendars/diaries, slides to include photos of class, student questionnaires (blank), flyers conference proceedings, photographs, and travel records relating to Dr. Risley's involvement with atomic collisions research, the International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions. Also the Physics academic software and user manuals, Physics educational software, correspondence and information about L.H. Thomas Lecture Series and documents related to Derieux lectureship endowment and lecture series.

Professor John S. Risley (born 1942) conducted research on the utilization and effectiveness of computer technology to teach physics. Physics education research showed that interactive, hands-on collaborative student environments produce signific ant student learning. Computers enhance this approach. The primary thrusts in this effort included evaluating educational software programs, deciding which tools to use, structuring substantive student activities, implementing student/teacher tasks and evaluating the impact. These activities were then carried out in the new SCALE-UP classroom at NC State University. External efforts included 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 was involved with disseminating in formation about new materials in the physics journals, conducting teacher workshops, and collaborating at professional meetings. Professor Risley was 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 incorporated textbook problems, many different answer types and classroom management tools. It represented a new way of accessing student performance and helps student learn basic physics concepts. Professor Risley passed away in Raleigh on 5 April 2013.

Language

English

Biographical/historical note

Professor John S. Risley (born 1942) conducted 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 NC State University.

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 was 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.

Professor Risley's publications include the following:

"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).

Professor Risley passed away in Raleigh on 5 April 2013.

Scope/content

Includes research and course notes, correspondence, assignments, assignment keys, calendars/diaries, slides to include photos of class, student questionnaires (blank), flyers conference proceedings, photographs, and travel records relating to Dr. Risley's involvement with atomic collisions research, the International Conference on the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions. Also the Physics academic software and user manuals, Physics educational software, correspondence and information about L.H. Thomas Lecture Series and documents related to Derieux lectureship endowment and lecture series.

Arrangement

Collection is unprocessed.

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University 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.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], John S. Risley Papers on Physics, MC 00334, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Source of acquisition

Gift of John S. Risley (accession no. 2003.0006 and 2011.0253)

Processing information

Processed by Unprocessed

Encoded by Steven Mandeville-Gamble, 2006 April 27

Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Research 1971-1986

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.

33 folders

Carton 1
Atomic Collisions Research 1961-1982

Articles by Risley, descriptions of equipment used, proposals, and data/research/notes from individual experiments.

43 folders

Carton 2
Atomic Collisions Research 1971-1981

Articles by contemporaries, descriptions of equipment used, and data/research/notes from individual experiments.

30 folders

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.

Carton 4
ICPEAC 1982-1989]

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).

42 folders

Carton 5
ICPEAC Proceedings 1971-1979

Bound copies of the paper abstracts and proceedings of ICPEAC.

17 vols./pubs.

Carton 6
ICPEAC Proceedings 1981-1989

Bound copies of the paper abstracts and proceedings of ICPEAC.

13 vols./pubs.

Carton 7
ICPEAC Proceedings 1985-1995

Bound copies of the paper abstracts and proceedings of ICPEAC.

14 vols./pubs.

Carton 8
ICPEAC Misc. 1973-1990

Includes meeting planning, correspondence, speakers, logos, committee meeting minutes, charters, speakers, and material concerning the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.

10 folders; 1 binder

Carton 9
Travel 1970-1981

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.

44 folders

Carton 10
Travel 1981-1985

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.

41 folders

Carton 11
Travel 1986-1987

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.

40 folders

Carton 12
Travel 1987-1991

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.

41 folders

Carton 13
Travel 1991-1996

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.

64 folders

Carton 14
Travel 1996-2001

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.

72 folders

Carton 15
Grants 1972-1980

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.

29 folders

Carton 16
Grants 1980-1985

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.

20 folders

Carton 17
Grants 1990-1995

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.

12 folders

Carton 18
TASL & PCEP Notebook 1987-1998

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*).

13 folders; 1 large notebook

Carton 19
Pictures; TASL Software Directory 1968-1995

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.

16 vols./pubs.; 4 boxes of slides, etc.

Carton 20
PAS [Physics Academic Software] Submissions 1991-1997

Includes manuals, correspondence, and software submitted to PAS for possible publication. Subjects cover a variety of physics education related areas. (A-D)

36 folders

Carton 21
PAS Submissions 1991-1997

Includes manuals, correspondence, and software submitted to PAS for possible publication. Subjects cover a variety of physics education related areas. (E-M)

49 folders

Carton 22
PAS Submissions 1991-1998

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)

51 folders

Carton 23
Reprints 1971-1994

Reprints of articles written by J.S. Risley on a variety of topics.

14 folders

Carton 24
Physics Dept. & Talks 1974-1995

Information relating to NC State University 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).

24 folders

Carton 25
Courses Taught 1974-1997

Notes, syllabi, assignments, etc. concerning classes given by Risley as a physics professor at NC State University.

19 folders

Carton 26
Theses Notes 1980-1986

Theses and projects submitted to Risley by students at NC State University.

16 folders

Carton 27
Papers & Notes 1986-1995

Notes and articles written by Risley on a variety of physics related projects. These include educational software, H bombardment, and VUV standards.

30 folders

Carton 28
Letters 1967-1982

Letters to and from Risley, concerning his involvement in various physics projects.

15 folders

Carton 29
Letters 1983-1988

Letters to and from Risley, concerning his involvement in various physics projects.

9 folders

Carton 30
Letters 1988-1999

Letters to and from Risley, concerning his involvement in various physics projects.

10 folders

Carton 31
Univ. of Washington Notes 1962-1967

Notes from classes Risley attended while a student at the University of Washington. Includes Physics, Math, and other courses.

12 binders

Carton 32
Thesis Orig.; Research Notebooks; Yacht Club 1962-1993

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 NC State University, and information on the University of Washington Yacht Club.

20 notebooks, eight folders; 12 pamphlets

Carton 33
Personal Collection 1967-2002

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.

23 vols./pubs.; 3 folders; 3 boxes; 1 binder, etc.

Carton 34
Photographs, posters, CDs , certificates 1986-1999
Flat box 35
Visual aids/charts for project on computer education. 1985
Large envelope 1
Visual aids/charts for several physics projects and old signs from NCSU Physics Dept. undated
Large envelope 2
Physics software user manuals and webassign user manuals 1991-2002 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 36
User manuals for physics and academic software 1996-1998 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 37
Physics academic software user manuals 1997-2001 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 38
Correspondence and information about L.H. Thomas Lecture Series 1980-2003 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 39
Course notes, assignments, assignment keys, student questionnaires (blank), flyers and documents related to Derieux lectureship endowment and lecture series 2002-2004 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 40
Reports and manuals created by the Atomic Collision Lab, Physics Dept. NCSU 1980-2007 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 41
Course notes and course assignments, assignment keys, calendars/diaries, slides to include photos of class 1978-1994 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 42
Course notes and course assignments, assignment keys, student questionnaires (blank), flyers & documents related to Derieux Lectureship Endowment and Lecture Series, and correspondance and information about L.H. Thomas Lecture Series 1980-2003 1980-2003 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 43
User manuals for Physics Academic Software 1992-1995 (Accession 2011.0253)
Carton 44
Group portraits of the PCEP Teacher Institute 1993-1995
Album 45
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

Access to the collection

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

For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.

Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Phone: (919) 515-2273

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], John S. Risley Papers on Physics, MC 00334, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University 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.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.