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Why Physics First? - Summary - PART 2



PART 2
LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN
OUR REFORM THRUST, IN MILITARY METAPHOR, IS TOWARD A WEAK SECTION OF
THE BARRIERS TO CHANGE THAT SURROUND THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. We have
observed that 99 percent of our high schools teach biology in 9th (or
10th) grade, chemistry in 10th or 11th grade, and, for survivors,
physics in 11th or 12th grade. This is alphabetically correct, but by
any logical scientific or pedagogical criteria, the wrong order. A
standards-based science curriculum must contain at least three years
of science and three years of mathematics. And the coherent order
begins with 9th grade physics, TAUGHT CONCEPTUALLY and EXERCISING
ONLY THE MATH OF 8TH AND 9TH GRADE; then chemistry, building on the
knowledge of atomic structure to study molecule; then the crowning
glory of modern, molecular-based biology . . . We stress that this
is a design for ALL students, work bound, liberal arts-college-bound,
or science-and-technology-bound. The schools that are "doing it
right" . . .[see e.g., Larry Woolf's (2002b) post on Physics First in
San Diego and the Physics First sessions at the recent Philadelphia
AAPT meeting (AAPT 2002b)]. . . . report greatly expanded enrollments
in fourth-year electives and Advanced Placement science courses.
THUS, A SOLID, CORE CURRICULUM WILL ENLARGE RATHER THAN . . .
(diminish the pool of) . . . FUTURE SCIENTISTS." (My CAPS.)
LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN-LEDERMAN

One last point - the challenge of teaching a substantive physics
course to 9th graders brings to the fore questions regarding the
thinking patterns of young students. As John (Texas) Clement (2002)
reminds us, the impressive work of Shayer & Adey in England (see,
e.g., Adey 1999) seems to indicate that considerable "cognitive
acceleration" may be achieved among students in the 11 to 14-yr age
bracket, again indicating the superiority of a gradual learning ramp
to a 9th grade physics cliff (Hake 2002a,b). But for now attempts to
erect a physics cliff might at least set the groundwork for the
learning ramp advocated by the carefully crafted long-term AAAS
Project 2061 <http://www.project2061.org/>.


Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
24245 Hatteras Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake>
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~sdi>


REFERENCES
AAPT. 2002a. "AAPT Statement on Physics First," AAPT Announcer 32(3): 11.

AAPT. 2002b. Physics First Session and Panel, AAPT Announcer 31(4): 73-74; 84.

Adey, P.S. (1999). "The Science of Thinking and Science for Thinking:
A Description of Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education
(CASE)," UNESCO, International Bureau of Education, Switzerland; now
online at
<http://www.ibe.unesco.org/International/databanks/Innodata/inograph.htm>.
See also the CASE website <http://www.case-network.org/index.html>.

Clement, J. (Texas). 2002. "Re: Why Physics First?" Phys-L/PhysLrnR
post of 10 Oct 2002 19:49:50-0500; online at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&P=R13041>.

Elmore, R.F. 2002. "Testing Trap," Harvard Magazine 105(1): 35;
online at <http://www.harvardmagazine.com/on-line/0902140.html>: "The
single largest and possibly most destructive federal intrusion into
America's public schools."

Hake, R.R. 2002a. "Physics First: Precursor to Science/Math Literacy
for All?" Summer 2002 issue of the American Physical Society's "Forum
on Education Newsletter" <http://www.aps.org/units/fed/index.html> /
"Forum Newsletters" where "/" means "click on."; also online as ref.
19 at <http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/>.

Hake, R.R. 2002b. "Physics First: Opening Battle in the War on
Science/Math Illiteracy?" Submitted to the American Journal of
Physics on 27 June 2002; online as ref. 20 at
<http://www.physics.indiana.edu/~hake/>.

Hake, R.R. 2002c. "Why Physics First?"
Phys-L/Physhare/PhysLrnR/AP-Physics post of 9 Oct 2002 11:28:06-0700;
online at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&P=R9715>.

Hake, R.R. 2002d. "Re: Why Physics First?"
Phys-L/Physhare/PhysLrnR/AP-Physics post of 9 Oct 2002 15:46:47-0700;
online at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&P=R10807>.

Hake, R.R. 2002e. "Re: Why Physics First?"
Phys-L/Physhare/PhysLrnR/AP-Physics post of 10 Oct 2002
14:46:57-0700; online at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&P=R12907>.

Hake, R.R. 2002f. "Re: Physics First Content (refocus)",
Phys-L/Physhare/PhysLrnR/AP-Physics post of 13 Oct 2002 18:27:22-0700;
online in two parts at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&O=D&P=30402> and
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&O=D&P=30521>.

Lederman, L.M. 1999. "A science way of thinking," Education Week, 16
June; online at <http://www.edweek.org/ew/1999/40leder.h18>.

Lederman, L.M. 2000a. Project Arise, online at
<http://www-ed.fnal.gov/arise/framework.shtml>.

Lederman, L.M. 2000b. "A Plan, A Strategy for K-12," in NAP (2000),
pp. 7- 11: "We hear that after the new sequence is installed,
increases take place in fourth-year science electives, enrollment in
AP science courses zooms up, college successes are recorded, and
then, here is the funny thing, THERE IS A DRAMATIC EFFECT ON WOMEN
AND MINORITY STUDENTS FORM POOR FAMILIES WHO COME INTO HIGH SCHOOL
WITHOUT A STRONG POSITIVE SCIENCE AND MATH EXPERIENCE. Many of these.
. .(new sequence). . .schools tell us things like 'AP physics now has
53% women.' I remember AP physics as having one, two, or no women.
What is going on?" (My CAPS.)

Lederman, L. 2001a. "Physics First," APS Forum on Education
Newsletter, Spring 2001; online at
<http://www.aps.org/units/fed/spring2001/index.html>.

Lederman, L. 2001b. "Revolution in Science Education: Put Physics
First." Physics Today 54(9): 11-12; online at
<http://physicstoday.org/pt/vol-54/iss-9/p11.html>.

Lederman, L. 2002. "A Vision for 21st-Century High School: Project
Arise," plenary session, AAPT Announcer 32(2): 136.

NAP 2000. National Academy Press. Committee on Women in Science and
Engineering. "Who Will Do the Science of the Future? A Symposium on
Careers of Women in Science"; online at
<http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10008.html>. See especially the
contribution by Lederman on pages 7-11.

Stigler, J.W. & J. Hiebert, "The Teaching Gap: Best Ideas from the
World's Teachers for Improving Education in the Classroom." Free
Press. See esp. Chapter 8, "Setting the Stage for Continuous
Improvement", "Initiative #3: Restructure Schools as Places Where
Teachers Can Learn."

Woolf, L. 2002a. "Re: Physics First Content (refocus) PART 1," Phys-L
post of 14 Oct 2002 09:03:34-0700; online at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&P=R17900>.

Woolf, L. 2002b. "Re: Why Physics First?" Phys-L post of 10 Oct 2002
12:29:31-0700; online at
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0210&L=phys-l&O=A&P=21623>.

THE END !!

This posting is the position of the writer, not that of SUNY-BSC, NAU or the AAPT.