Meet the College Board Endorsed Consultant for AP Physics C: Mechanics Connie Wells
Connie Wells has a Master of Science Degree in Physics from The University of Kansas. After teaching Physics, AP Physics B, AP Physics C and AP Physics 2 at the high school level for over twenty-five years, Connie is now an adjunct instructor of physics at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri.
She has been active in test scoring and development for The College Board since 1995, serving on the AP Physics B and C Test Development Committee from 1997-2001 and as Co-chair of the AP Physics 1 and 2 Curriculum Development Committee and Co-chair of the AP Physics 2 Development Committee from its inception to 2015.
In November 2003, Connie was a Regional Winner of the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement Teaching sponsored by The College Board and The Siemens Foundation and was awarded the Rockers Award for Greater Kansas City Area Outstanding Teacher in Science in 2008.
As a workshop leader and College Board Institute consultant, she has presented physics teacher training institutes throughout the United States and abroad—including Edmonton (AB, Canada), Hawaii, Saipan (Northern Marianas Islands), Barranquilla (Colombia), Bangkok, Skopje (Macedonia), Shanghai, Tokyo, Harbin (China), Taipei (Taiwan), Hangzhou (China), and Beijing.
She is the author of several physics review guides produced by major publishers and of documents and focus booklets for AP Physics published by The College Board., including “Conservation Concepts” and the “Rotational Motion” Curriculum Modules and co-author of “Electrostatics” and “The Laboratory Guide”.
In August 2015, she was named Woman Physicist of the Month by the American Physical Society. She currently works on contract projects for The College Board and ETS related to AP Physics and presents AP Physics Workshops and Summer Institutes.
AP PHYSICS C APSI SESSION DESCRIPTION:
This 30-hour equivalent course includes intensive sessions for teachers who are designing an AP® Physics C- Mechanics course or are planning to revise or move into an existing program. In this workshop, participants will strengthen their understanding of the content of AP® Physics C Mechanics curriculum and familiarize themselves with teaching techniques that have been designed to increase student understanding through inquiry lab practices and problem solving. The AP Physics C exam will have a completely new format in 2025. In the redesigned AP science exams, the College Board, in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, has done the following:
- reduced content breadth to promote conceptual understanding;
• provided an explicit, comprehensive curriculum framework;
• directed that at least one-quarter of contact time be devoted to hands-on student laboratory work, leading to the development of student inquiry skills;
• articulated clear learning objectives and science practices;
• redesigned the format for the Calculus-based AP Physics exams.
By attending this APSI, you’ll gain deeper insight into the following key takeaways, among several others: Understand the Course; Plan the Course; Teach the Course; Assess Student Progress; and Engage as a Member of the AP Community. In addition, specific attention will be paid to the following AP Classroom resources: unit guides, personal progress checks, AP teacher community, and the AP question bank.
Let’s have a great experience in this new format of the APSI. It is new to all of us, but I will make sure your expectations are met during this workshop. Looking forward to meeting you.