Reminders from 3/30/2017 Training, for Lab 3, Part 3, week of 4/03

1) Recitation: Cell Polarization and Activation & Signal Relay

Useful numbers to know: http://umdberg.pbworks.com/w/page/68373756/Useful%20numbers%20(2013)

(Break; Pass back graded Lab 2, if you have not yet done so....)

2)  Lab 3, Part 3

Link to documents: http://umdberg.pbworks.com/w/page/68933700/NEXUS%20Physics%20Labs%2C%202013-2014

*** If necessary for your sections, you should send students a reminder to come to Lab 3, Part 3 with their histograms finished and their videos 2 and 3 tracked (ready for building <r^2> vs. t plots for all 3 videos in Excel).  [I will send a message next week including the list of technical and data-processing skills we expect students to have mastered before the start of Lab 4.]

General structure:  The 3rd week of this lab is...

• make the <r^2> vs t plots for all three videos (with error bars--usually done by standard deviation--but watch out for small N!);
• extract the diffusion constant, D, from the slope of the best fit line (since <r^2> = 4D * t);
• make an argument for the form of the diffusion constant, D--from the dimensional analysis, from the viewpoint of physical mechanism, and from the data (not always easy, requires reconciling conflicting info--do data LAST; if the data is inconclusive, discuss this (as a frequent science outcome and how scientists respond) with the students);
• poster-/talk-style presentations; and
• finalize report.

a) Lab reports due this week--remind students at the start of lab. 

b) Kim would like to scan the labs!  Please bring these by 1322 when your lab has ended.  Kim'll scan these and get them right back to you.

c) Think through how you would like the class data sharing/discussion to work: i) Groups who have worked on identical solutions can compare first, decide which data to report out and then the class can discuss as a whole; or, ii) you can go directly to sharing out the data to the class as a whole, including all of the data.  Also think through how you want the presentations/poster session to work ("Talk" style or "Poster" style?).  You have some freedom of choice, here, so think through your options and walk in to lab with a plan in mind.  Communicate what you want students to be doing in a clear manner and give them a chance to ask questions. 

As a reminder: "

• Talk" style is an echo of a conference talk.  Each group prepares a whiteboard poster presentation (in lieu of a slideshow) detailing what they did, the modeling they used, and their results and conclusions.  The groups in the room present individually, one group at a time speaking to the class as a whole with the remaining students listening attentively, with all group members helping to explain their group's work (for about 3 minutes) and a time period for Q & A with the class (about 2 minutes).  After one group presents their work and the Q & A is over, the next group presents their work (for about 3 minutes) followed by another Q & A on their work (about 2 minutes), and so on, until every group in the class has presented their work for sharing and critique.  With 6 groups, this will take about 30 minutes.
• "Poster" style is an echo of a conference poster session.  Each group prepares a whiteboard poster detailing what they did, the modeling they used, and their results and conclusions.  The groups in the room present simultaneously, with half of the group members staying by their posters to explain their work and the other half of the group members circulating to look at the other groups' posters and ask questions.  After about 10 minutes, pause the proceedings and switch out the group members (so the circulators return to their posters to do the explaining and the group members who have not yet circulated get a chance to leave their own posters and see the work of other groups).  Let this continue for about 10 minutes.  With 6 groups, this takes about 20 minutes.
  

d) Remember to leave the lab room in a neat, organized shape for the next TA and section of students.  Sort and stack the lab documents and replace the technical documents in the correct pile.  If paper/staples are running low, get more from Omar/Bill.

e) If you have not yet read (or need to re-read) the Intro to Error Propagation, please do so!  It would be AWESOME if students could take the uncertainties they have and propagate them through to an interval of confidence for each D, but there is very unlikely to be enough time.  On the off chance that you have a group or two way ahead, you can ask them to try this (and even give them extra credit points on their report).  (Link: TechnicalDocument_IntroToErrorPropagation.pdf )

Email me if you have any other questions!

~KIM