Re: [Phys-L] The Impulse Momentum Theorem

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

Better results would be higher scores on the evaluation test, the FMCE, and
possibly other evaluations.  As to how much better you would have to ask her
or Sokoloff, or Thornton.  As I recall she said that energy turned out
better, but that may be a faulty memory.

As to the ordering, I suspect there is a best order, but that has not been
fully explored.  In either case IE pushes up scores so much that the
ordering is probably a secondary effect, but a measurable one.  In
conventional courses the gain is so low that ordering effects can probably
not be determined.

Incidentally teaching style has little to do with how well the students
learn and what you get the students to do in class is paramount.  The early
test of several conventional instructors classes using the FCI revealed that
the radically different styles made no differenc in the low post-test
scores.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX 


> What does "better results" mean?
>
> I prefer teaching momentum after energy so I can analyze 
> energy losses in collisions. This works very well.
>
> Similarly, I teach circular motion/gravitation after forces, 
> and projectile motion after motion.
>
> Not sure if there is a "preferred" topic order for mechanics.
>
> I imagine some teachers start the year with forces.
> We each have our own comfort level and teaching style.
>
>
>
> Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
> > According to Priscilla Laws they found that they get better 
> results if 
> > momentum is done before energy.  This has been dubbed the "new" 
> > mechanics sequence and is now incorporated in some texts.
> >
> > John M. Clement
> > Houston, TX
> >
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