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Part of the problem in physics -- all science -- is the language. Biology
has big words that few can even spell (DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid).
Chemistry has names for compounds that are hard to remember (is it sulfate
or sulfite?). And physics is perhaps the most confusing: distance vs
displacement, speed vs velocity, energy vs momentum, temperature vs heat.
And all the big misconceptions (e.g., floating astronauts are
accelerating).
Ratio = fraction = divide. Kids get even these simple terms confused. Some
of mine can't even read a meter stick!
How did it get this way? Where do we go from here?
Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu> writes:
In other words, if a student finds me incomprehensible, it's all the
student's fault. If you ask the student for a ratio, and, as often
happens, you get back a difference, it was the student's fault that you
used a word that the student didn't understand. (See Arons on student
ignorance of the meaning of certain terms).
Regards,
Jack
On Tue, 24 Feb 2009, Michael Edmiston wrote:
subject...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
then understanding is going to happen one way or another. It mightfirst
hit them from studying the text; it might first make sense during thelab;
it might first come from the lecture; it might first come from workingon a
problem set; it might first require a visit to my office. The onlytimes I
have been unsuccessful with students who are actually trying have beenwhen
the students have actual learning disabilities or have huge holes intheir
backgrounds that I can't fix in the allotted time.my
I don't know what percentage to use, but I would guess that over 90% of
students who aren't getting it are in that situation because they aren'tthey
investing any time in it. And they aren't investing any time because
don't really want to know. And they don't want to know because they seesaid
this course as an artificial hurdle. That is, it's something someone
they have to take, but they don't see any reason they should have totake it
because "they are never going to use any of this stuff in their chosenany
profession."
Lacking the desire to understand the material, I don't think there is
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
--
"Trust me. I have a lot of experience at this."
General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l