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Re: [Phys-l] PSSC +- (c)



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ERIC abstract.
ED041780

This report presents the procedures, results, and conclusions of a study
designed to compare the achievement in beginning college physics of students
completing PSSC high school physics with students completing a traditional
high school physics course. Factors of ability and achievement were held
constant while scores on the criterion of marks in beginning college physics
were compared. Mean achievement in college physics for students with a
background in PSSC physics was not significantly different from that of
students who had traditional physics. However, there were significant
differences in the mean achievement between (1) students who took PSSC
physics and who did not take high school physics, and (2) students who took
traditional physics and those who did not take high school physics. The
investigator suggests that his findings indicate that chances of success in
college physics would be improved by taking physics in high school. (LC)
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Notice the conclusion was that PSSC did not improve achievement in college
physics. Actually the PSSC textbook is fairly conventional compared to
books like Minds on Physics.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX