Risley, John S.

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 NCSU.

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.