Workshop Physics and future physicists and engineers

[Dennis.E.Krause@williams.edu (Dennis Krause)]

> > Well, I for one would like my preengineering students to get far enough
> > so that they would design a walkway for the Hyatt Regancy hotel that
> > didn't fall down when people stood on it.
>
> > Do we produce better and more successful engineering students and
> > consequently engineers using an approach such as Workshop Physics? This
> > is a question that has never been answered. If the answer is to teach a
> > few concepts very well then I think Workshop Physics is excellent.
> > However, does it produce better physicists and engineers is a question
> > that has remained unanswered. This data I've never seen presented at the
> > AAPT meetings.
> >
> > Roger
>
> A good argument. But one could also argue that the production of good
> engineers is the responsibility of the Engineering School and that we
> should concentrate more on giving them a good conceptual foundation
> in physics. Make sure they understand the basics so they don't
> misapply them later and let the engineers teach the engineers how to
> calculate. They should find that job greased pretty well if their
> students don't come into dynamics thinking that acceleration is
> velocity.
>
> I have a difficult enough time allowing sufficient leisure to do the
> physics without having to cover engineering for the engineers,
> biophysics for the premeds, hydrodynamics for the marine scientists
> and statistical mechanics for the chemists.
>
> I dunno. What to cover is probably an argument that will never be
> resolved. But lately I've begun worrying more about how they think
> than what they think about.
>
> Paul J. Camp

        I agree with Paul.  The introductory physics course is not the only
exposure future physicists and engineers will have to physics.  Its role is
to provide a solid foundation for future work.  All these students will be
taking more advanced courses which cover anything missed and at a
mathematical level that is more appropriate for a better understanding.

        It may be true that Workshop Physics covers fewer topics, but will
lead the students to better understanding.  However, this approach also
does something much more that is ignored in conventional physics classes.
Workshop Physics approaches physics in a way closer to the spirit of
scientific investigation.  There is not a sharp distinction between theory
and experiment that seems to arise in our ordinary classes (lectures and
text present mainly theory with a few demos to show it works; labs often
serve to confirm theory).  There is direct contact with the phenomena
trying to be understood.  Also, the Workshop Physics Guide begins with a
discussion of measurement and uncertainty which is vital if students are to
really to confront theory with observation.  That is, Workshop Physics
teaches the process of doing science and how a physicist should think about
the world.

        Roger does make an excellent point, however.  I have no evidence to
support my gut feeling that Workshop Physics would provide a better
training ground for future physicists and engineers, and this should be
addressed.


                                        Dennis


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*  Dennis E. Krause                             Phone:(413) 597-3306  *
*  Department of Physics                        Fax:  (413) 597-4116  *
*  Williams College                     Dennis.E.Krause@williams.edu  *
*  Williamstown, MA  01267                                            *
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