🚀 go-pugleaf

To those interested in developing Conceptual Physics courses:

        At Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School for many years physics was
        taught only as an upper-level course for motivated,
        science-and-math-skilled students.  On retirement of the physics
        teacher I took over and introduced a second, Paul Hewitt-based course.
        One section grew to two and now it appears we will have three:  all
        seniors, who would otherwise have not taken any physics at all.
        Hewitt's idea was for Conceptual Physics to be taught as a first year
        course, with normal physics 1 to follow, but we generally do not have
        two years to work with.  However, the CP course has greatly influenced
        the teaching of physics 1.  The question of level and ability is
        interesting.  In a recent test, physics 1 students were given a section
        of conceptual-type questions (identical to those used on the
        "lower-level" test) and another section of typical word problems.  The
        math word problems were easy- it was the concepts that stymied them.  I
        believe that in standard physics courses we are teaching a lot less
        than we think we are, and I am in the process of making some serious
        changes.


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Connie Patten
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School    *
390 Lincoln Rd
Sudbury MA 01776

Fax: 508 443 8824                       *
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