Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-l] Simulations and Computer Homework Problems for Freshman and Sophomores



On 12/12/2011 09:51 AM, Dan Schroeder wrote:
In my view, the value of these exercises is twofold: ... Second,
students are forced to learn the actual laws of physics (in these
cases, Newton's second law and Coulomb's law), rather than focusing
all their attention on special-case solutions of these laws as we
normally do in our introductory courses. There is no better way for
students to come to appreciate the generality of the laws of
physics.

Amen, brother.

First, students
are learning an incredibly useful tool (mathematical programming)
that in all likelihood they will use again in their careers.

1) The career issue is central. Without computer skills, they won't
have a career. This applies to biology, pre-med, et cetera ... not
just physics and engineering.

2) Question: Don't they need these skills for later _coursework_
(not just later careers)?

The reason I ask is that this thread is discussing the freshman and
sophomore courses, but loosely speaking, it is the same set of people
teaching the later courses. So, it would seem they (the faculty)
have little to lose and much to gain by integrating computation
into the earlier courses. I assume they know the value of the "spiral"
approach.

If they won't do it to help the students, maybe they will do it to
help themselves.

======

There *are* barriers to be overcome when first setting up an integrated
science program, but once it's set up, it's easier on everybody, students
and faculty alike.

This is not a new or untried idea. I get 275,000 hits from
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22integrated+science%22+site%3A.edu