Re: Would Physics First Increase the Number of Physics Majors?

[Bob LaMontagne <rlamont@POSTOFFICE.PROVIDENCE.EDU>]

John Clement wrote:

> As I have said before, physics first is NOT the solution.  Good teaching
> of physical science first is the solution.  The emphasis on physics
> first to the exclusion of good teaching first might cause physics first
> to fail and give reformed physics education a bad name.  Notice that
> physics first is easy to implement poorly, and as such is likely to be
> done that way.

I would simply like to change the emphasis in the first sentence to:

...... physics first is not THE solution .......

Relying on one magic cure-all is like buying snake oil. Simply switching the
order of courses in an underperforming school system is pointless. As you
state above "Good teaching of physical science first is the solution." I am
a strong supporter of physics first for the particular circumstances that my
department is  involved with. As I have stated previously, our college has
strong ties to a charter school. That school is out of the teachers' union
control of hiring by seniority and bidding.  We have an active involvement
in the hiring and the curriculum and are lucky to be working with a highly
competent administration at the charter school.. Physics first is working in
that  controlled environment - but it is not the root cause of the success -
merely a contributor.

> While many of the calls for physics first have also
> proposed good pedagogy should go hand in hand, remember that the hard
> parts of programs are never implemented along with the easy parts.

Never say never - but I suspect that you're comment applies to way too many
cases of reform. I am old enough to remember many cure-alls that were
quickly abandoned - the Keller Plan springs to mind. I know that many people
have lots of supporting evidence that "modeling" is the new wonder drug. But
I've learned to have a little patience and to wait to see what aspects of
each new solution are useful in steering the mainstream approach in a
somewhat better direction. Every plan requires competent people to implement
it if it is to succeed.

Bob at PC