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Re: Why Physics First?



I have been trying to say the same thing as Joel Rauber for several
years, but don't seem to be getting anywhere. From my perspective we
have been doing physics first (and last) for quite some time. It's what
I did as a student in 1964-1968. I took physical science as a freshman,
just as Joel described, then biology, then chemistry, then physics.
Many schools are still doing this type of thing. I don't understand
what is wrong with that. Furthermore, if this sequence is still
practiced, it seems the "physics first" push will actually push us
backwards. If "physics first" puts physics in the freshmen year (in
lieu of physical science) and eliminates it from the senior year (in
favor of anatomy, or physiology, or earth science, etc), then we end up
with 1.0 credits of physics in the four-year period where now we have
something more like 1.70.

If the sequence is physical science, biology, chemistry, physics then we
end up with about 1.7 units of physics, 1.3 units of chemistry, and 1.0
units of biology. "Physics first" would likely end up as 1.0 physics,
1.0 chemistry, 2.0 biology.

Granted, my numbers are assuming 4 years of science but many students
only take three. But it seems physics first might be an attempt to make
sure those who do not currently take physics (in the senior year) will
get it in the freshman year, except in many schools they are already
getting 70% physics in the freshman year.

If that is true, then why are physicists pushing to move from 0.7
physics for everyone and 1.7 for some, to 1.0 physics for everyone (and
that 1.0 is at a low level). This doesn't seem like a good trade to me.


Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry and Physics
Bluffton College
Bluffton, OH 45817
(419)-358-3270
edmiston@bluffton.edu


Joel Rauber said...

I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. When I was in high
school 71-75 in Georgia, the fairly standard curriculum was what I'd
call Physics First and Last. They didn't call it that back then, the
9th graders took something called "Physical Science" which was about 70%
physics and 30% Chemistry. Sophomores had Biology, Juniors had
Chemistry, and Seniors Physics. This was probably thought of as physics
last, I thought it served me well. Has this style curriculum changed
sometime in the last 25 years?

This posting is the position of the writer, not that of SUNY-BSC, NAU or the AAPT.