Re: Setting up problems

["David T. Marx" <dtmarx@ILSTU.EDU>]

I couldn't agree more, Rick.  In fact, this topic is a struggle for all intro courses.  I teach the
process through examples.  I ask them to look at how I approach the problem.  I put the problem
into full conceptual context by drawing pictures, explain reasoning, and draw free-body diagrams
(if needed), long before actually attempting to "solve the problem."  I repeatedly say that getting
"the answer" is not as important as fully understanding the situation conceptually and being able
to apply the formulas correctly.

I am currently teaching a gen-ed class at the university level and students have difficulty with
this, particularly if they had high school physics.  Just this week, I had three students tell me
they did very well in high school physics, but they are having trouble doing homework and quiz
questions for the class.  The reason is that I have selected problems that require more than
selecting a formula to get the answer.  In essence, I am forcing them to give up the notion that
they can just "plug and chug."  They have to think about the concepts involved and apply them
properly to get "the answer."



> "Then I have them look at the related equations based of the info from the
> problem."
>
> This is where the difficulty lies.  This is easy enough to do when they are
> working Chapter 3 problems--the available equations are very limited.  But
> what about when they are taking the final exam and have a whole semester's
> worth of equations.  Now, if they don't have a STRONG grasp of the concepts,
> they will get lost trying to figure out WHICH equations to look at.  IF the
> problem is not worded similarly to another they have done (and memorized)
> then they're lost.  Conceptual physics _must_ be a major part of all problem
> solving courses.
>
> Rick
>
> *********************************************************
> Richard W. Tarara
> Professor of Physics
> Saint Mary's College
> Notre Dame, Indiana
> rtarara@saintmarys.edu
> ********************************************************
> Free Physics Educational Software (Win & Mac)
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> Energy 2100--class project
> www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY_PROJECT/ENERGY2100.htm
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>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Patton" <rpatton@CAPITAL.K12.DE.US>
> To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 12:36 PM
> Subject: Re: Setting up problems
>
>
> > I have my students read through the problem and list the given info and
> > what is to be found. Then I have them look at the related equations
> > based of the info from the problem. They should be able to find the
> > equation that ties the given info to what is to be found. Then they
> > should be able to do the math from then on.
> >
> > RW Patton
> > dover High School
> > Dover, DE
> >
> > Tim O'Donnell wrote:
> >
> > > > Is there some way to teach students how to read a word
> > > > problem and then set it up so that they can then apply the
> > > > math to it?  I don't remember how I learned this, but I (and
> > > > all my colleagues) seem to be rather good at this.
> > >
> > > If someone has the magic formula I haven't found it. I too
> > > can set up problems, but I don't really remember where I
> > > learned it. I probably just did what the teacher showed
> > > me to do and didn't look for the shortcut and over the
> > > years I have just developed the ability.
> > >
> > > Tim O'Donnell
> > > Celina High School
> > > odonnt@celina.k12.oh.us