Re: AP students

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

I really don't think that anyone (OK, maybe someone) would disagree with the
idea that a well educated student in physics (at any level) would gain
conceptual understanding AND both qualitative and quantitative problem
solving skills--not to mention lab and other analytic skills.  However, in
light of the finite time that we have with these students, what is the
proper mix?  How much emphasis must be given each area? What are the best
pedagogical techniques?  Will students who CAN'T solve simple problems
algorithmically be able to solve more complex problems using 'expert
methods' or is there SOME value to starting off in the algorithmic mode?
Should the conceptual work be done pre-college and leave the quantitative
work for later, or should there be a mix of throughout the science/physics
experience?  What is the BEST physics experience for non-science/engineering
students, for education students, for science/engineering students?  With so
much emphasis on the FCI and continual bashing of 'traditional' courses, I
think we lose sight of many of these more global questions.  The question
that Professor Hake expressed earlier--what do students want/need from our
courses is important here.  What IS the value of high FCI scores or strong
algorithmic problem solving skills? Do either of these (or any other measure
of achievement in our physics courses) relate well to student success later
in their lives?

Rick

**********************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

FREE PHYSICS INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/
PC and MAC software
NEW! Energy Simulator Updates
CD-ROMs now available
******************************************************

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Barrer" <forcejb@YAHOO.COM>


> New to my school, I inherited a variety of second year
> (and some first year) students for APB. On our
> circuits and fields test, there was one question;
> given three identical resistors in a series/parallel
> circuit (2 in parallel with one in series with the
> pair), how does the current change in the remaining 2
> resistors when one of the parallel pair burns out
> (opens)? The vast majority of the second year students
> got this question wrong, but yet could quite easily
> solve end-of-chapter problems. These students had been
> thru a traditional course last year. I'd maintain that
> "problem solving ability" should at least include
> (maybe focus on) solving problems of this sort where
> one cannot simply rely on a set of algorithms. I think
> this is an example of the value of non-quantitative
> problems in assessing conceptual understanding. John
> Barrere  Apex Hs   Apex, NC