Re: Starting out with waves (originally Intro Physics Text/Course)

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@HEP.ANL.GOV>]

        This fits my experience at two colleges (one in Lisle, IL) that
even after 3 semesters of calculus and a couple of calculus-based physics,
the average student has a lot of trouble with algebra.  (I'm forwarding
this exchange to the president of the NCTM).  It is almost impossible to
get mathematics teachers to read Arons.
                                        Regards,
                                                Jack


On Sat, 25 Sep 2004, Daniel Price wrote:

> John Clement wrote:
>
> > Once the informal observations have been made, have there been any pre/post
> > testing using the FCI or FMCE to confirm what you think might be happening.
> > Also has there been any pre/posttesting using some of the conceptual
> > evaluations in waves, sound and light?
> >
> > John M. Clement
> > Houston, TX
> FCI/FMCE gains were slightly greater than those from the previous year;
> I'd need many more years of data to argue a trend.  I have not seen
> conceptual evaluations of waves/sound/light/etc. other than the final
> exam (not a pre-test) I have written for my course.
>
> What already seems to be better (with test score data, not merely
> informal observation) is performance in mathematical problem-solving,
> which is not measured with conceptual instruments.  By giving students
> more time to polish their algebra skills (both in physics and in their
> mathematics classes) before thrusting equations of kinematics and the
> trigonometry of vectors at them, we are able to instill in them more
> confidence in their mathematical skills (and mathematical *sense*).
>  Their ability to rearrange and solve equations seems to be improved
> over prior years' classes.
>
> There is another issue of import to those of us under administrative
> pressure to "get the numbers up":  registration for 2005-2006 courses
> takes place in January, and current students already have begun to make
> preliminary decisions about their future course of study.  Students who
> recommend courses to their peers base their judgement on what they see
> in the first semester.  By starting with sound, light, electricity, and
> other accessible topics, we expect to increase enthusiasm for physics.
>  When I first arrived at Bear Creek, there were five sections of
> introductory physics (of which I taught four).  Attrition reduced the
> numbers so that only three sections were filled in the second semester.
>  Physics enrollment steadily, though slowly, increased in the next three
> years, so that last year we had 150 students in seven sections.  This
> year, despite flat school-wide enrollment, there are 250 students in
> nine sections.  I cannot prove that the increase is due to the
> rearrangement of semesters, but it seems likely that making music,
> playing with paint, and shaking springs (often done in the hallways for
> all to see) during the first semester has been very good advertising.

--
"Trust me.  I have a lot of experience at this."
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                just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley