Two Kettering University faculty members -- Dr. Jim Huggins (Computer Science) and Dr. Dan Ludwigsen (Physics) -- were selected to participate in the College Board’s annual Advanced Placement test reading in Kansas City, Mo., this month.

This is the 11th time Huggins has participated in the program and the third time he’s served as a Question Leader.

Dr. Jim Huggins (left) and Dr. Dan Ludwigsen

“AP Reading is one of my favorite activities I participate in,” Huggins said. “The opportunities to interact with high school and college educators around the country are truly invaluable.”

This is Ludwigsen’s second year participating in the program and the first involving the new Physics 1 and 2 exams, which include more components aimed at assessing students’ abilities to explain and interpret Physics beyond solving numerical problems.

“This reflects the shift that has been happening in our introductory physics courses at Kettering for the past decade,” Ludwigsen said.

Ludwigsen also noted that the total number of exams in Physics was nearly 280,000, which was an increase of approximately 100,000 over last year.

Each June, AP teachers and college faculty members from around the world gather in the United States to evaluate and score the free-response sections of the AP Exams. During the 2015 scoring sessions, more than 13,500 AP Readers evaluated more than 4.5 million AP Exams.

AP Readers are high school and college educators who represent many of the world’s leading academic institutions. The AP Reading is a unique forum in which an academic dialogue between educators is both fostered and encouraged.

“The Reading draws upon the talents of some of the finest teachers and professors that the world has to offer,” said Trevor Packer, Senior Vice President, AP and Instruction at the College Board. “It fosters professionalism, allows for the exchange of ideas, and strengthens the commitment to students and to teaching. We are very grateful for the contributions of talented educators like Dr. Huggins and Dr. Ludwigsen.”

The Advanced Placement Program enables willing and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies – with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement or both – while still in high school. Through AP courses in 36 subjects, each culminating in a rigorous exam, students learn to analyze complex problems, construct solid arguments, and see many sides of an issue – skills that prepare them for college and beyond. Research indicates that students who score a 3 or higher on an AP Exam typically experience greater academic success in college and are more likely to earn a college degree than non-AP students.