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Re: [Phys-l] Any teaching tips



Yeah, I know that at the intro level, textbook problems are cooked
to look like they have definite "knowns" and definite "unknowns",
but this is such an artificial game that I'm not interested.

Well, if you are not interested in that game, I'm wondering why you answered the question. If you wish to use the opportunity to argue for a change in how intro physics is presented, then fine. But it's clear that the question is predicated on standard types of problems presented in standard types of textbooks.

I do agree that units are probably not at the heart of the students' problems, unless one is simply teaching dimensional analysis to plug various quantities into equations. But there is a process for attacking standard textbook problems, and it does involve getting the lay of the land. What information do I have? What am I trying to find out? How are the given quantities related, if at all? What general principles apply to the situation at hand? Such general strategies are useful for solving problems, but they are not the most important component of what makes good physics problem solvers. A hierarchical understanding of relevant physics principles, including their interconnectedness and associated limits on application, is a much better predictor of who will do well in physics problem solving.

Bill