Re: [Phys-l] Students' READING abilities

["Rick Tarara" <rtarara@saintmarys.edu>]

OK everybody.  If you don't do it John's way, don't bother to do it.  You 
might as well quit right now.  Maybe the new administration can pass a law 
to dictate exactly HOW we should all teach (and think, and interact with 
others, etc.).  I know John really believes in this stuff--even believes the 
research if proof (of something--but exactly what is somewhat unclear.  By 
what criterion is this or that better, and whose criterion is that? One 
style fits all course goals--I guess.)   I personally get tired of the 
constant litany here.  For the goals I have, what I do (developed over 30 
years and constantly being changed and updated, containing elements of many 
different teaching/learning styles--even inquiry!) serves reasonably well. 
I don't see how one methodology here can serve all the goals I have, but 
then I'm getting too old and inflexible!  Anyway, for all you young-uns, I 
guess it's Clement's way or the highway!

Rick  ;-)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>
> If the new courses were all taught using inquiry, I can see supporting 
> them.
> But they won't be.  And at the same time physics is likely to go to 
> freshman
> year and be taught by the former physical science teachers who have many 
> of
> the same misconceptions as their students.