Physics 20x | Corvallis | Support |
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There are a large number of support services in place to help you succeed. One of the most important lessons I've learned while teaching is the importance of community. Classes that form stronger communities are shown to result in greater learning gains for everyone, regardless of final grade. We have every member of a thriving community, including the most important member, you. You will be interacting with classmates and forming groups to work through problems during lecture. Your instructors will be there to assist and help guide you. You can look for groups to study with during instructor office hours (don't be afraid to make an appointment or just stop by!), or in the Wormhole. The latter is also a wonderful place to stop in and find help with a homework problem or sticky study subject. Ultimately though, the most important conversations have to be between you and your fellow students. We learn more by engaging with peers rather than experts, so long as we have an expert available for certain key steps or checkpoints. So engage with each other and feel free to call on the instructional staff when you need verification or help getting unstuck.
There are also services to help you with academic planning, coaching, and mental health. The majority of students that drop out of college in the first few years are due to non-academic reasons. Please use the provided support! Nobody is an island, they exist for you, and you've already paid for most of them. Please reach out to your instructor if any personal issues are effecting your ability to do physics. You don't have to share anything you're uncomfortable with and they truly care about helping you succeed.
Reach Out for Success: University students encounter setbacks from time to time. If you encounter difficulties and need assistance, it’s important to reach out. Consider discussing the situation with an instructor or academic advisor. Learn about resources that assist with wellness and academic success at oregonstate.edu/ReachOut. If you are in immediate crisis, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting OREGON to 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Physics Specific Support
There are a number of ways you can get help from another human in real-time. Use these services for physics specific support events.
LAHHH (Learning Assistant Homework Help Hours)
LAHHH is the best place to work on your physics homework. There will be many other students also working on the same material while Learing Assistants are available for help. If you can make it, you absolutely should.
LAHHH times and locations:
| Day | Hours | Physical Location | Remote Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 4 pm - 7 pm | Weniger 212 | Teams: ph201_fall2022 |
| Wednesday | 4 pm - 7 pm | Weniger 212 | Teams: ph201_fall2022 |
TA's and LA's provide real-time support to help you with your questions in the Womhole and Virtual Wormhole Teams channel. This is a physical center on campus so there are also folks seeking help in person. We have setup a queue system so each question will be answered in the order it is received. To get help, fill out the queue linked below and then go to the Virtual Wormhole channel on Microsoft Teams and wait for assistance. It helps to post your question in the channel while you wait for help. Wait times vary depending on number of staff and students seeking help. For more information about the WormHole, visit the department page here.
Wormhole hours:
| Day | Physical Wormhole (Weniger 334) | Virtual Wormhole (Click here for Teams) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 10 am - 5 pm | 10 am - 5 pm |
| Tuesday | 10 am - 5 pm | 10 am - 5 pm |
| Wednesday | 10 am - 5 pm | 10 am - 5 pm |
| Thursday | 10 am - 5 pm | 10 am - 5 pm |
| Friday | 10 am - 5 pm | 10 am - 5 pm |
* Hours may differ due to demand. See the department WormHole page here for the most recent schedule.
Help is provided by Wormhole Assistants in the order that requests are received. You ask for help using the Wormhole queue using the two-step procedure below:
(1) Click on https://wormhole.physics.oregonstate.edu/createhelprequest. This link is also available on the Wormhole web page.
(2) Fill in your name (or alternate Teams ID) and choose your course. If you’re working in a group, choose one group member who will be the first contact for the Wormhole Assistant.
The course number will tell the Wormhole Assistant which Teams course channel you’re in.
Your name will help them identify you when you get there.
You can also post your question as a message in the Virtual Wormhole channel, but you should still place a request in the queue.
The Assistant will come to your course channel to provide help, or they may send you a message to come to the Virtual Wormhole channel, particularly if your course channel is very busy.
Link to the physics department Wormhole page: Wormhole
Meet other students interested in face time study in the PH20x Teams channel. Work on homework or prepare for pre-lecture together. You can start a live video zoom session by clicking on the camera icon in the channel. You can also form private instant messaging groups and channels.
Email the TA's for all physics questions surrounding homework, lecture, and general study that you've not had answered elsewhere.
Contact the Learning Assistants and Supplemental Instruction Leaders in LAHHH hours for an excellent source of all physics and non-physics related questions. They are your nearest peer on the instructional staff and the most familiar with the course structure and how best to find a routine that helps you succeed.
Email the instructor for questions regarding administrative questions surrounding the course such as grades, due dates, personal issues, or any other related question others were unable to answer. They can also help with physics questions that other students, TA's, SI's, or LA's were unable to help with.
Health Resources
There are a number of resources offered by the University to help you with your health. Please reach out for the help you need, whether it's physics related or not, by contacting the appropriate resource below.
Disability Access Services | DAS
All questions related to disabilities are handled by DAS. https://counseling.oregonstate.edu/
Counseling and Psychological Services | CAPS
All questions related to mental health should be directed to CAPS. https://ds.oregonstate.edu/
All questions related to physical health should be directed to SHS. https://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/
Additional Resources
There are a number of other resources offered by the University and private parties. Please reach out for the help you need, whether it's physics related or not, by contacting the appropriate resource below.
OSU's Service Desk can answer questions about all campus-wide supported software and hardware. This includes Canvas, Microsoft Products like Teams, Gradescope, Acrobat, Google products, and some others. For questions about BoxSand (or the course in general) email your instructor. For questions about lab software, contact your lab partners and/or TA.
Overall college coaching (not physics specific) and personal one-on-one support.
Provides study tables ran by former students.