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Re: Active Physics



From: Ed Karlow <ekarlow@lasierra.edu>
Subject: to PHYS-L

=====================================

Dear friends of PHYS-L:

A colleague sent me the following message from Michael Edmiston which I've
excerpted. The physics-first idea "seems" right, but with the caveats
Edmiston offers, I would agree that if 9th grade is the last time a student
saw physics, it probably would be inadequate for success in college
science. Here are some observations on our current students that may shed
light on this.

We have carefully surveyed 62 students in our college physics courses, 32
in an algebra/trig course (Giancoli) and 30 in a calculus-based course
(Hecht). Over 80% of these students intend to make careers in some aspect
of health care. Slightly more than half report having a previous physics
course, mostly high school physics.

We have found that students who report only "algebra" as their last math
course (but don't mention trig or geometry) AND who have NOT had a high
school physics course earn on average a D+ in our courses. (Despite
prerequisites, some folks slip by and crash!) But if students report
physics in high school, they earn on average half a letter grade above
those who have no previous physics. Further, if students report at least
trigonometry as their most recent math course, they can pass college-level
physics with a C or better regardless of whether they've had a prevous
physics course.

Obviously, if "success in college science" means getting an A grade or
getting into medical school, then merely passing with a "C or better" isn't
enough assurance. And since most of our students take college physics in
their Junior year, starting with high school physics in the 9th grade would
stretch the average time our students report since taking their last
physics course from 4 years to 7 years! Effectively creating a "no
previous physics" situation!


>>From: Michael Edmiston <edmiston@BLUFFTON.EDU>
>>Subject: Re: Active Physics First in San Diego
>>Sender: "phys-l@lists.nau.edu: Forum for Physics Educators"
>><PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
>>To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
>>Reply-To: "phys-l@lists.nau.edu: Forum for Physics Educators"
>><PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
>>
>>Contrary to what some have said, my experience is that students who had a
>>good HS physics course do best in my college physics course.

>>The numbers here are depressing. Only one-in-two entering college freshmen
>>interested in life-science took HS chemistry, and only one-in-four took HS
>>physics.

>>But those headed into any science area (including biology and
>>pre-medicine) need the traditional HS chemistry and physics courses in the
>>junior and senior year of high school.
======================================




Edwin A. Karlow, PhD 909-785-2143 physics
Chair, Department of Physics -2215 FAX
La Sierra University
Riverside, CA 92515 ekarlow@lasierra.edu