Re: More on (Derivations)

[Rick Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Kifer" <gsanda@TFS.NET>
> I guess my point is that derivation and the ability to derive important
> relationships purely from  definitions is pure poetry to those who
> already have a gut feel for the basic definitions that are involved, but
> to the uninitiated and/or unfamiliar it not only fails to enlighten, it
> sometimes confuses and intimidates students.

Certainly one can overdo any part of the curriculum, but I think I need to
disagree with the above.  If you do no derivations in your physics courses
then are you really teaching physics?  Deriving new and useful equations IS
part of the discipline.  Sure it should be a minor piece of most intro
courses, but eliminating derivations entirely because the students don't
like them (or even because they seem not to have the tools to deal with
them) is NOT teaching physics--IMO.  Again, a couple major derivations in an
intro course should be enough AND it is important to provide such to those
students (however few) who can appreciate their place in the scheme of
things.

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
Associate Professor of Physics
Department of Chemistry & Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
219-284-4664
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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