Physics has the reputation as being the elitist of the high school science courses. A very small proportion of high school students enroll in physics. Exemplary physics programs, such as "physics for all" described below, focus in on how physics can be relevant to all students. One of the problems physics teachers have had to come to grips with is the "mathematics" issue. Can students "understand" physics without a strong background in mathematics. It is conventional wisdom that many students avoided physics because they suffered from math phobia. The recommendations of groups like Project Synthesis, and physics teachers is that a multi-level approach to physics in the high school is in order. The course Conceptual Physics, which is being offered in an increasing number of high schools, is an example of physics teaching in which the quantifiable approach to physics is down-played in favor to a qualitative approach. Concepts in physics can be understood without a lot of mathematics.
Anderson points out that the scientific and technological world that students live in should have some impact on the nature of high school physics teaching. Many social issues, such as nuclear weapons, energy needs, global warming, national security, world food supplies, health, environmental protection, mineral resources, are topics that students need to understand as citizens, but more importantly, these issues offer the opportunity to help students see the interrelatedness of physics concepts and the world around them.
One program that is exemplary in this way is Christensen's Global Science: Energy, Resources, Environment. In this program, which I will discuss in greater detail in Chapter 4, involves the student in a study of science (many of the concepts being derived from physics) in the context of real world problem solving. Topics such as "energy and the future," "making peace with our environment," and "energy and society" form the foundation for his approach.
Here are some exemplary programs in the area of physics.
In this approach to the physics curriculum, a multi-level approach offers three approaches to physics to the students. The levels include:
According to the developers of this multi-level approach to physics, the students are not ability grouped; students may sign up for any course, and move freely from one to the other.
The description that follows pertains to the qualitative physics course. The instructor approaches the course in a qualitative manner. The underlying theme of the course is teaching for transfer: How can physics be relevant in everyday life? Each week, the students work on an assignment in which they must recognize an application of a principle in physics. Students must report on their findings.
The course is taught in an environment of positive reinforcement. Emphasis is on positive grades. Laboratory activities emphasize creativity. Instead of using labs to verify principles, labs in this course are used to help students discover principles, as well to develop problem solving skills. For example, students are asked to determine a way to transfer heat from a hot object to a cold object. In small teams, they brainstorm and diagram ways to do this. Suggestions are grouped in order to identify pertinent variables. Later they devise experiments to test their ideas.
The qualitative course emphasizes the application of physics to the student's present and future world. Examples include driving and safety, athletics, music, photography, the human eye, and computers.
The instructor also uses an unorthodox evaluation process. No written exams are given. Instead a system of "up arrows" in the grade book are used to evaluate the students daily class work, laboratory performance, laboratory reports, and weekly outside work. The "up arrow" strategy is simply marking in a positive way a students performance. It is a powerful application of reinforcement theory.
This is a nontraditional approach to traditional physics topics. The content of Conceptual Physics includes the following units of study:
Conceptual physics focuses on comprehension (and understanding) of physics concepts, without the mathematics elegance that characterizes the traditional physics approach. Conceptual physics does not down-play high level thinking. On the contrary, the course is full of problem solving exercises and activities that will challenge all students. Through some well conceived review exercises, home projects, and in-class exercises, students are engaged in a wide range of intellectual activities.