Our library has the video to which you referred, "The Quantum Universe". =
I showed this when we began this unit which was only to have been one =
week long. Now, two weeks later I finally was able to relate the =
history of the developement of the field of QM and begin to explain some =
of the more interesting puzzles. This discussion on phys-l definitely =
helped. Today, I went into class and read some exerpts from this phys-l =
thread just to let them know what others thought. Also I read the Cecil =
Adams poem called "The Straight Dope on Quantum Mechanics" (see = http://www.inetspace.com/~barkley/jokes/quantum.html). They got quite a =
kick out it.
I then explained the electron diffraction experiment ala Feynman as in =
the first chapter of volume three of his lectures on physics. This they =
seemed to accept more readily than my explanation of the Schrodinger's =
Cat gedanken experiment. Following this I screened one of the tapes =
from the "Beyond the Mechanical Universe" series entitled "Particles and =
Waves". It was perfect because in the video they had animations of =
precisely the experiments that I had described somewhat less effectively =
on the black board. I simply advised them to ignore the mathemematics =
and concentrate on the concepts. It seemed to work well.
After one more day of discussion we will wrap this up.=20
Thanks for the advice. I am still interested in hearing from anyone who =
has explored any unique, successful or unsuccessful, approaches to =
presenting this material, with or without math.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Secaur [SMTP:jsecaur@monster.educ.kent.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 1997 11:49 AM
To: oliver@alpha.sunyniagara.cc.ny.us
Subject: About teaching QM
Dear Brian,
I get my Phys-L posts in digest form, so it's easier to post to you
directly than to try to reply to the list. I teach a physics for non-
science majors at Kent State and always find that the quantum chapter is
most difficult, and also perhaps the most rewarding.
SOme suggestions --
1) just used for the first time time this semester a video from
Smithsonian, called _The Quantum Universe_. Quite good, especially on =
the
second viewing. It's narrated by a young kid, which at first seemed to
put me off, but then I realized that it takes a childlike faith to "get"
some of this! It's available from Wellspring Video, and they have an =
800
number and a website. I have their catalog at home; if you are
interested, post me back and I'll get the number for you. It's only
$19.95, I think.
2) just read a book called _Six Roads from Newton_ bu Edward Speyer. =
Very
good chapters on QM! He uses the example of a baseball umpire, "They
ain't nothin' till I call 'em" to illustrate, by analogy only of course,
how a pitch is indeterminate until it is "resolved" by the umpire.
Cheers,
Jon
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| Jon Secaur jsecaur@monster.educ.kent.edu =
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| Theodore Roosevelt High School =
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| 1400 North Mantua Street Phone: (330) 673-9595x263 =
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| Kent, OH 44240 Fax: (330) 673-9217 =
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|
| When I die, I want to go quietly in my sleep, ______ =
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| like my grandfather, not screaming and yelling / \--| =
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| like the passengers in his car. ... |--O----O--| =
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| **Please note that the Kent area code has changed from 216 to 330** =
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