Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

conceptual vs. QPS,was AP Physics Students



We seem to have moved away from the orignal question, which is fine. My
two cents:

I'm just finishing up teaching the calc. based intro course using the
"studio style" method for the second year in a row. "Studio style" means
the class meets twice a week for 3 hours each. We freely mix lab, mini
lecture, class assigments, etc. I like being able to talk a bit about an
idea and then within a few minutes have the students working on the idea
with equipment. I often use the "discovery" method for the lab work: i.e.
they are told in a very general way what needs to be done, then they are
thrown into the water.

My problem: I really don't think they are learning any more than the
traditional approach. Given what I see on exams, problem sets, and just
talking to the students, they seem to have the same difficulties with both
conceptual ideas and problem solving as students I taught 6 years ago in
the traditional format. Further, the studio style forces one into the
"less is more" format. It is simply impossible to cover the same amount of
material as in the traditional lecture. So I guess I see no better
results with less material being taught in a non-traditional method.

What do we do? I really think the key to whole situation is the
suggestion that physics *must* start earlier in the students education.
Guess who the students are in the class who are really excelling?? It's
the few students I have from Europe or Africa who have been doing some
physics since their middle school years. Or, the students who have already
dedicated themselves as physics majors which usually means they also have
come in with a strong background in previous physics work. It's the
Americans without such basis who struggle to digest this subject in two
semesters. I'm now convinced all the innovation in the intro course
teaching is really meaningless. This subject is just too much to take for
the average student in such a short exposure time.

Michael Monce
Connecticut College