Re: "Physics First" or "Physics for All"? (was "Physics First")

[Joseph Bellina <jbellina@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

The latter part of this comment comes down to, can you teach modern
physics before you teach classical physics>

To do that would create a very interesting situation, not unlike what is
found in chemistry.  First the students would learn words and concepts
about the microworld that they would understand in terms of metaphors
based on their life experiences in the macro-world.  But those metaphors
are based on a generally confused vision of the world, as we know so well
from the work done on alternative conceptions.

What a conceptual tangle....Does anyone see a way out of this nightmare?

joe

On
Thu, 18 Apr 2002, Larry Woolf wrote:

> This issue was also discussed in a letter to Physics Today (March 2002
> issue, page 11) by Henry Blumenfeld and a response by Leon Lederman.
>
> These letters were in response to Lederman's article on Physics First in the
> September 2001 issue of Physics Today, page 11
> <http://www.physicstoday.org/pt/vol-54/iss-9/p11.html>
>
> Blumenfeld commented that, instead of physics first or physics last,
> Europeans teach all sciences simultaneously.
> Lederman responded that since the atom is the key to explaining chemistry,
> physics should be taught before chemistry.
>
> Yet it seems that atomic theory is not the core or recurring theme of
> typical high school physics instructional materials.  Compare the
> discussions of atomic theory (have there been any?) on this list with the
> myriad discussions about electricity, magnetism, optics, mechanics, forces,
> etc.
>
> Larry Woolf; General Atomics; 3550 General Atomics Court, San Diego, CA
> 92121; Phone:858-455-4475; FAX:858-455-4268; http://www.sci-ed-ga.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:  Richard Hake
> Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 10:07 PM
> Subject: "Physics First" or "Physics for All"? (was "Physics First")

Joseph J. Bellina, Jr.               219-284-4662
Associate Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556