Re: understand understanding, simple explanations, etc.

[phrp@bigcat.fhsu.edu (Roger Pruitt)]

David Dockstader wrote:
> How many of you have read or used March's book Physics for Poets?  I thought it
>  did a pretty go job of teaching physics without much math.

For what it is worth, I used the book as a textbook in a course of the
same name, and believe that that was one of my most successful courses.
I build the elective course up from abt. 13 students to over 40 during
the few years that I taught it. I did use some algebra from time to time
to further develop an idea. Since this was around the time that Pres.
Nixon left the White House, I told the class that I was doing this to
prevent an "18 minute gap" in their understanding. There were other
points that I made such as to say something like relax, sitback and
observe. I never held them responsible for the algebraic development nor
any but the simplest problems. While very tense at first, the entire
class became more at ease as the semester progressed, and I really
believe that they benefitted because I explained every algebraic step.
The book (the ultimate "Less is More" text) provided lots of opportunity
for hooking physics into other fields. This created great interest with
students and a few went on to take other physics classes. I still have
former students who tell me that it was one of their more exciting
classes.

This is probably more than you wanted to know.

Roger
-- 

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|  Roger A. Pruitt, PhD        |
|  Department of Physics       |
|  Fort Hays State University  |
|  Hays, KS  67601             |
|  Ph. (785) 628-5357          |
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