Re: Equation hunting instead of concept hunting (was: Loss of KE)

["Michael N. Monce" <mnmon@CONNCOLL.EDU>]

.
> We have to be critically aware that our way of thinking is VERY alien
> to the beginning students.  When we think we are presenting principles
> the students see equations to be memorized.  When we think we are
> presenting connections by showing proofs, the students think we are
> telling them it is alright to use the equations.  For proof of the
> latter assertion see the results of Joe Redish's MPEX survey.  When we
> present simple clear physical principles the students hear
> incomprehensible gobbledygook.  They have been trained by years of the
> lecture method to ignore the fact that they do not understand, so they
> dutifully write down what they thought they heard in their notes. Alas,
> this is usually not was intended by the lecturer.  For evidence of the
> latter assertion see the preface to Feynman's notes where he admits
> that his carefully crafted brilliant lectures did nothing to improve
> student understanding.  I would also refer you to the work of the UMass
> Amherst PER group or the Heller's, both of whom have methods that
> promote concept based problem solving rather than equation hunting
> problem solving.
>
> John M. Clement
> Houston, TX

       I've been thinking about this problem all semester as I am running
into it even in a junior level mechanics course.  One would think that
junior physics majors would have made it over this hurdle. However, I think
we have a new breed of student to deal with.
      While lecture may exacerbate the situation, I think we are dealing
with a "conditioning" problem with the students.  That is this: throughout
their high school, and even college careers, memorization, rather than
understanding principles, has gotten them much success.  In most situations
memorizing an equation, or an example, or a set of facts, has gotten them
A's; then they run into a particular teacher or course and the technique
fails.  Going to different stlyes of Intro Physics courses will help some,
but I now believe we must be extremely explicit in teaching "principle
thinking".  Just yesterday I ran across a technique in which during the
first two weeks of the semester on a weekly quiz the students are asked to
draw a picture of the problem, then list the variables.  That's it! As the
the semester goes along the quizes require more steps to be added in to the
solution of the problems, thus by repetition, the students are conditioned
into a better mode of thinking through a problem.  We may all have to
revert to this sort of training.

                   Mike Monce
                   Connecticut College

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