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Re: [Phys-l] Students' READING abilities



Physics is arguably the most exciting field to study. Therefore, we as
teachers have to make physics fun, interesting, and relevant to their
lives. "Great" lectures are not enough. Students must be actively engaged
and take ownership of their learning. They will then care (more) about the
subject/material. This has worked well in my (high school) classes since I
incorporated peer instruction a few years ago.

Also, I don't grade homework any more. Haven't for a decade or so. Used
to, but then many students were just copying and not understanding.
Homework is practice work, so why penalize the student for trying? They
will have to show what they know on the tests. They will have to do the
homework as their preparation, or face the consequences. Again, it puts
the burden on the students.

I am only sharing what works for me, and not judging anyone else's
teaching methods.

Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu> writes:
Mightn't it be a good idea to start talking to them in language they
understand and finding out how effective that approach is?
Regards,
Jack

If a student wants to understand, and is therefore actually trying to
understand, and therefore is actually investing some time in the
subject...
then understanding is going to happen one way or another. It might first
hit them from studying the text; it might first make sense during the
lab;
it might first come from the lecture; it might first come from working on
a
problem set; it might first require a visit to my office. The only times
I
have been unsuccessful with students who are actually trying have been
when
the students have actual learning disabilities or have huge holes in
their
backgrounds that I can't fix in the allotted time.

I don't know what percentage to use, but I would guess that over 90% of
my
students who aren't getting it are in that situation because they aren't
investing any time in it. And they aren't investing any time because
they
don't really want to know. And they don't want to know because they see
this course as an artificial hurdle. That is, it's something someone
said
they have to take, but they don't see any reason they should have to take
it
because "they are never going to use any of this stuff in their chosen
profession."

Lacking the desire to understand the material, I don't think there is any
language that will be effective.

Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry and Physics
Bluffton University
1 University Drive
Bluffton, OH 45817
419.358.3270
edmiston@bluffton.edu


_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l