Re: [Phys-l] Symbols for Kinematics

[Richard Taylor <rtaylor.physics@tx.rr.com>]

> I suspect we previous generations were just more eager to learn

When I took high school physics, there were about 40 of us in a  
graduating class of 500. 8% to physis. A second year of physics in  
high school was unheard of.

The last comparable public school I taught at had about 50% taking  
physics, with 15% taking AP physics as a second year course.

The simple fact is that when I took physics it was taught so badly,  
with so little "optimized teaching," that only the "eager to learn"  
survived. Thankfully we have progressed away from using bad teaching  
to "weed out" those unworthy of physics.
--
Richard L. Taylor
The Hockaday School
Dallas, TX  75223
http://home.hockaday.org/HockadayNet/academic/physics/



On Fri, Aug 10, 2007, at 7:58 AM, Polvani, Donald G. wrote:

> In learning physics from high school onward, I was exposed to all  
> of the
> types of symbology so far discussed (i.e. t, delta_t, t_f - t_i,  
> etc.).
> It didn't make a significant difference in understanding to any of us
> what symbols were being used as long as the teacher (or text) was  
> clear
> on stating what symbol convention was being used and then was  
> consistent
> in use of the symbols.
>
> Instead of asking, in effect, what is the "optimum" set of symbols  
> to be
> used in order to maximize understanding, isn't a more fundamental
> question: Why do today's students seem to require such detailed  
> attempts
> at optimized teaching whereas past generations seemed to be able to
> learn their physics in any clearly defined and consistently used  
> set of
> symbols the teacher preferred to use?  What is it with modern students
> that teachers have to go to such great lengths to be understood?  I
> suspect we previous generations were just more eager to learn (or  
> maybe
> just less distracted by external influences) than today's students  
> are.
>
> Don Polvani
> Northrop Grumman Corp.
> Undersea Systems
> Annapolis, MD
> _______________________________________________
> Forum for Physics Educators
> Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l