Physics & Society — PHYS 1000
Course Details for Fall 2026
University of North Georgia’s College of Science & Mathematics
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Course Instructor
| Dr. Sarah Formica (she/her) | email: sarah.formica@ung.edu |
| Office: Rogers 116A | Hours: MW 1:00–3:00 PM |
| Virtual Office: Zoom link | Hours: T/F (by appointment) |
Office Hours
How to Book a Meeting
Respect for Diversity
I recognize that there is a vast untapped intellectual resource in all groups underrepresented in physics. For this reason, I am committed to making physics more accessible to everyone. It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit.
It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, ability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. The structure of this course — collaborative group work, ungrading, and multiple modes of demonstrating learning — is designed in part to reduce barriers that traditional lab courses can create for students from underrepresented groups.
Physics belongs to everyone. The scientists who will build public trust in science, communicate honestly across communities, and solve the problems ahead of us will come from all backgrounds. This course is designed with that in mind.
Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups.
Course Catalog Description
Introduce students to the significance of physics and astronomy in society. Examples include future energy uses, global climate, life in the universe, advances in medical imaging. Students are also introduced to life in college, careers in physics, the Department’s faculty, and active research in the department. (1 credit hour)
Course Learning Goals
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
1. Explain how physics and astronomy impact society and everyday life.
- Identify and discuss real-world applications of physics and astronomy, such as energy systems, climate science, space exploration, and medical technologies.
- Reflect on how these applications influence society—and how physicists contribute to solving global and local challenges.
- 🧠 Why this matters: It connects your major to the world beyond the classroom and helps you see how physics can shape the future.
2. Explore a range of possible futures for yourself in physics and beyond.
- Imagine and reflect on multiple career paths and life directions through activities like Odyssey Planning and seminar engagement.
- Consider how your personal values, interests, and curiosities align with different futures.
- 🧠 Why this matters: There’s no one “right” path for a physicist—this course helps you design a path that fits you.
3. Prototype and reflect on small, meaningful steps toward your goals.
- Conduct low-stakes experiments—like informational interviews, research talks, or student org involvement—to explore what energizes you.
- Reflect on what you learned and how your thinking evolved.
- 🧠 Why this matters: You learn by doing. Trying small things helps you build a direction rather than waiting for one to appear.
4. Understand the people, work, and research that make up the physics department.
- Get to know faculty and current research projects through seminars and department events.
- Learn about how to get involved in research, clubs, or academic opportunities.
- 🧠 Why this matters: Finding your place in the department helps you feel connected and opens doors to deeper learning experiences.
5. Develop a strong foundation for navigating college and the physics major.
- Build strategies for learning, time management, study habits, and asking for help.
- Reflect on your transition into college and your growth as a learner.
- 🧠 Why this matters: Thriving as a physics major means understanding how to learn—not just what to learn.
6. Communicate your evolving identity as a physics student.
- Tell your story: where you’ve been, what you’re exploring, and what you’re thinking about for the future.
- Demonstrate how you’ve engaged with the course through reflection, action, and personal growth.
- 🧠 Why this matters: Knowing how to talk about your goals, decisions, and journey helps you advocate for yourself and make informed choices.
💬 A Note to Students
You’ll use these learning goals throughout the semester to guide your reflections and self-assessments. At the end of the course, you’ll submit a final reflection that tells the story of how you’ve met these goals—and you’ll propose your final grade based on that learning.
(Un)Grading
The grading system in this course is likely very different from what you are used to. It is often called ungrading or going gradeless because it shifts the focus from letter grades to learning. Research shows that descriptive feedback — rather than grades or scores — leads to greater learning gains. Grades, by contrast, tend to reduce motivation, suppress creativity, promote competition over collaboration, and increase fear of failure. If you are interested, the article Teaching More by Grading Less (or Differently) offers a great overview of this research. These ideas are supported by scholars like Carol Dweck, whose book Mindset introduced the concept of growth mindset, and Daniel Pink, whose book Drive shows that extrinsic rewards and punishments often hinder creativity and deep thinking.
My goal is to foster a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation in all students.
Throughout the semester you will receive written and verbal feedback on your work. You will also have opportunities to assess your own work, respond to feedback, and revise your thinking — all of which has been shown to support deeper and more lasting learning.
Your final grade will be determined by the skills you develop, the learning objectives you demonstrate, and the honest appraisal you make of your own effort and progress. This course has six learning objectives. Your grade proposal should make the case — with specific evidence from your body of work — that you have met these objectives at the level you are proposing.
Final Course Grade
The grade proposal is submitted during the final week of the semester. It is a written document or presentation in which you:
- Propose a final grade and explain why it is fair
- Identify which learning objectives you have met and at what level
- Point to specific evidence from your coursework — such as written work and group work
- Reflect honestly on where you struggled and what you learned from it
You will have the agency to evaluate your learning and propose your final grade.
Use specific evidence from your coursework to demonstrate — not just assert — that you have met each objective. Saying “I completed my Energy Log” or “I did three Odyssey Plans” is not enough. Show me what you learned: explain what a pattern in your energy log revealed about you, walk through how a prototype or decision-making tool shaped a real choice you made, or describe how a seminar speaker’s story changed how you see your own path in physics. Reflect on what surprised or unsettled you and how your thinking changed. The goal is not to list what you did, but to show what you discovered — and how you’re using it to design where you go next.
Your instructor will review your proposal carefully and may respond with questions, feedback, or a counteroffer. A proposal that honestly acknowledges growth areas alongside strengths is more compelling than one that claims everything went perfectly.
Final Presentation Options
(Choose one)
You will propose your final grade through one of the following options, each limited to 20 minutes (for presentations) or 5 pages (for written work):
Zoom Interview: Meet with me via Zoom for a final exit interview. Present an organized case for your proposed grade, supported by evidence. I will offer feedback and we will discuss your grade together.
Recorded Video: Submit a 20-minute recorded presentation to D2L with evidence supporting your proposed grade.
Written Paper: Submit a written proposal (max 5 pages, single-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins) to D2L that presents your case using evidence from your work.
In all cases, your proposed grade must be supported by your learning and progress. I reserve the right to veto any suggested grade.
Attendance Policy
Attendance is not formally required, but it is essential to your success in this course.
PHYS 1000 is not a traditional problem-solving physics class. Instead, it is designed to help you thrive as a physics major by building the habits, self-knowledge, and connections that will support you throughout your time in the department and beyond. In this course, you will:
- Learn design thinking tools — like Energy Mapping and prototyping — to notice what energizes you and turn that awareness into small, real experiments
- Explore multiple possible futures in physics through Odyssey Planning, and clarify your values through Lifeview and Workview
- Practice decision-making tools for navigating real choices about your major, your time, and your path
- Connect with faculty, researchers, and alumni through department seminars and informational interviews
- Engage in reflective discussions and in-class activities with your peers about your goals, energy patterns, and experiences
Much of the value of this course comes from your presence and participation in class activities and conversations. Many of the assignments — check-ins, exit tickets, pattern-spotting, prototype brainstorming — happen live, in the room, with your classmates. If you miss class, you miss out on those shared experiences, the chance to build relationships with peers and faculty, and the raw material you’ll draw on for your reflections and final grade proposal.
While attendance is not graded, it is expected. Students who show up, speak up, and engage tend to get much more out of the course — and their major.
Academic Integrity and AI Use
The work you produce in this course should reflect your own thinking, effort, and understanding. Cheating, plagiarism, and misrepresentation — including copying others’ work or misusing AI tools — undermine your learning and the trust of the community you’re joining as a physics major. In a course built around honest, evidence-based reflection on your own growth, academic dishonesty is a particular contradiction.
I support the thoughtful use of AI tools as part of the learning process. Used well, AI can help you brainstorm, clarify your thinking, revise your writing, or explore ideas. But the key word is thoughtful. You are responsible for ensuring that your work reflects your own ideas and comprehension, that you acknowledge any AI assistance transparently, and that you do not use AI to replace your own reflection or bypass the intent of an assignment — especially in a course where the whole point is understanding yourself.
Transparent acknowledgment looks like this: a brief note at the end of your work stating what tool you used and how — for example, “I used Claude to help me organize the patterns I noticed in my Energy Log before writing my reflection” or “I used ChatGPT to help me think through my Odyssey Plans before drafting my own version.” This mirrors how scientists and researchers acknowledge tools, collaborators, and resources in their work. It is not a penalty — it is honest attribution.
If you are unsure whether a particular use of AI is appropriate, ask. Engaging responsibly with powerful tools — knowing when they help and when they get in the way of your own growth — is itself a skill worth developing as a physicist and as a person designing their own path.
Note: I used Claude to help draft and revise this policy statement. This is one example of how AI can be used transparently and responsibly in support of meaningful work.
Physics Education Research at UNG 