Re: Physics Textbooks

[John Clement <clement@HAL-PC.ORG>]

For a research based series look at "Minds on Physics", Kendall-Hunt written
by the PER group at U. Mass Amherst.  This is a superb series of books.
Unfortunately it will not sell well because it is a radical departure from
conventional books.  It however fits in well with the new mandate to reduce
book weight because students only carry around one slim volume at a time.
Each book challenges the brain and not the back.

PSSC may still be available.

The book written by Robert Karplus is again available, but I don't know what
level it would be suitable for.  As I understand it uses interactions, the
same as MOP.

The real problem is that none of the usual commercially available books are
research based, so they probably achieve the same results.  The calculus
based Serway & Beichner has some research base, but it is a compromise, and
does not treat interactions.  In addition it does not use consistent
notation (Always use F for force and a for acceleration and g=9.8 N/kg, but
a_g= 9.8 m/s^2)

Rather than just writing another book that has limited effectiveness, we
need to have books that help teachers to be more effective and use the
results of PER.  But remember books sell because the publishers snow the
teachers with ancillary materials such as overhead slides.  Teachers then
obligingly use them for lecture despite the clear evidence that reduced
lecture and more interactive engagement is much more effective.

Incidentally true research based books are generally controlled by the
authors, and not by the publisher, so they can not be updated at the
publisher's whim.  As a result the publisher may be much less inclined to
push them when they have more profitable products.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> On Sat, 5 Jun 2004 06:14:07 -0400 Lorren Hotaling <lhotaling@MAC.COM>
> wrote:
>
>  Personally, I don't like any (of the High School Physics)books
> out there, and think that the Glencoe is the worst. Too bad the
> Murphy and Smoot, "Principles and Problems" isn't still in print.
> An updated version of that, in the old style, instead of the
> Glencoe update of it would be much appreciated.
>
>  Maybe it's time to write a textbook.
>
> -------------------  ----------------- -------------------
> Herb Gottlieb replies:
>
> Now here's a real challenge for all aspiring High School and
> College physics teachers. Writing a physics textbook requires
> only ten percent inspiration together wtih ninty persent perspiration.
> In my lifetime, I have personally met with most of the textbook
> authors at local and national meetings of the AAPT and NSTA.
>
> Mario Iona, our best critic of physics textbooks, once told me
> that he enjoys finding serious errors in these books but he
> would never try to write one himself. It's too hard. I can attest
> that after having been worn out after several years writing
> only a high school physics review book and a physics lab manual.
>
> Perhaps some of the physics textbook authors and others who are
> reading this would like to respond.
>
> Herb Gottlieb from New York City
> (Who also finds it much easier to criticize than write a physics
> textbook)
> will confirm