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From what I have read about Einstein, I think he might have liked the PERpedagogy. But that is my prejudice.
I think we also have to consider another possibility (in reference to
producing more/better scientists/engineers, etc). Being successful in
school, whether in physics or anything else, requires engagement of the
student. S/he has to think about the material, work with it, try it out,
extend it, practice its application, etc. A student who is naturally
inclined and interested will do all these things pretty much despite what
the teacher does. Otoh, a student who is disinclined/disinterested will
do
very little in this regard. Students in a college course are self-
selected,
and scientists/engineers come from, and are probably the best of, this
self-selected pool. They are also most likely to learn effectively by the
conventional methodologies - After all, that's probably how they GOT there
in the first place. This may be gradually changing, but I think it is
probably still an accurate appraisal. PER-inspired methodologies may not,
in fact, impact on this group significantly. Otoh, at "lower" levels of
physics, where we get LOT of disinterested, unmotivated students, it is
imperative to capture their interest, and even to teach them HOW to think
(more deeply) about the material. I think the real impact of PER
methodologies are experienced at these levels, where the sheer number and
range of abilities of the students participating is far greater. If there
is an urgency involved in making changes in methodology, I think we in
high
school or middle school feel it more acutely. If, otoh, the concern is
the
production of scientists/engineers, it's clear to me that we will probably
never again be able to produce nearly the numbers or percentage
domestically
to overcome the huge disparity in population between ourselves and the
Asian
nations, so scientists/engineers are likely to more and more be a major
export of those nations and an imported "product" for us. We, however,
may
very well lead the world in the production of lawyers... ;-)