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Re: [Phys-L] Evaluation tests



I generally agree with what you say.

If students only took physics in high school and could devote "all" of
their time to it, I imagine grades would improve -- for some. For others,
the interest/ability is just not there. I can practice basketball day and
night, but I will never be a Michael Jordan. That's life. And that's okay.
To me, learning is more important than the final grade. Kids tell me they
"study hard" and "work hard" and they still don't do well. (Or they feel I
should grade their efforts.). In physics, working hard ≠ good results.

Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
Maybe if we declared physics to be a sport, scheduled 3 hours of practice
every day, recognized that physics thinking (really, all good thinking)
produces fatigue, like any good exercise, it would be appreciated more.

It's (physics) not any more difficult than shooting 3 point shots, 10 for
10. It just takes a lot of practice and an adequate skill set. It's not
harder than running a marathon. It takes dedication, training, practice,
desire, and a bit of a skill set. Bottom line: it takes some serious,
intense work to be good in physics or basketball or running. The
difficulty in teaching is to get students to think about course work in
the same manner they think about other worthy or attractive tasks.

Just as in sports, some will excel because they have a better skill set,
and just as in sports, those who have the skill set will tend to give
more devotion to the topic. That's why the "A" students attend the
problem sessions, and the "D" students rarely do. That's why "A"
students ask follow-up questions about the homework, and the "C" students
are glad to get it turned in.

I realize I've made some broad observations, and not all "A" or "C"
students fit these categories, but I'm sure we've all noticed these
general trends.

-----Original Message-----
From: Phys-l [mailto:phys-l-bounces@phys-l.org] On Behalf Of Anthony
Lapinski
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 10:45 AM
To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
Subject: Re: [Phys-L] Evaluation tests

Right! Let's face it -- what courses in high school really make kids
critically think about things? A good physics course should. Compared to
most other disciplines, physics requires more mental effort, more
conceptual reasoning, more applying concepts/equations to word problems,
etc. And thinking is difficult. If kids are not used to this, they will
find it challenging and will be unwilling/unable to put in the effort. And
here is the dilemma, even more so in today's world with all the
distractions.


Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
I didn't consider it hard, but I did have to think, the same amount that
you outlined below; I just didn't think that that amount of thinking was
hard. Which brings up the topic of many students I have who don't want
to think, if it doesn't come automatically they give up.

-----Original Message-----
From: Phys-l [mailto:phys-l-bounces@phys-l.org] On Behalf Of Bernard
Cleyet
Sent: Monday, December 16, 2013 7:32 PM
To: Phys-L@Phys-L.org
Cc: Nancy Seese
Subject: Re: [Phys-L] Evaluation tests


On 2013, Dec 16, , at 15:23, Robert Cohen <Robert.Cohen@po-box.esu.edu>
wrote:

We have found a very strong correlation between students passing this
course with a C or better and our own survey, which is based partly on
Jerome Epstein's "Basic Skills Diagnostic Test" (BSDT) and focuses a
great deal on proportions and the meaning of algebraic letters (variable
and unit abbreviations) vs. numbers. The key is to ask as simple a
question as possible that still reveals the weakness. For example,
without the help of a calculator, which is bigger: 25/27 or 15/17?


That's hard for me. I had to think: 2/17 is larger than 2/27.
Therefore, 15/17 is further from one than 25/27.

Does everyone else just know it automatically? Or is there another
method?

bc fails in a timed test.
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l


_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l