Boy, that PHY100 class sounds like something I would have loved. Of course, I was already into physics by the time I started college, so I might not be the best sample candidate.
In my PHY101 and 102 classes, my great teacher, Prof. Stephen Letcher, believed in what he called "mastery learning." Among other things, that meant repeated chances to take tests: if you got below some threshold on a test, you could elect to take the test again in a few days. And again, and again. Since most of the class had to take the test at least twice to pass, it was pretty clear what that next classroom session was going to be doing. So -- and here's the good part -- the students who cleared the threshold on the first shot were offered a "bonus lecture" on that day. This would be one of the other profs or one of the grad students holding a 101-level colloquium. Great stuff!
I don't really know much about kids, these days. But the course as you described it sounds like fun. And it might even appeal to the majority of liberal arts students who have no intention of majoring in physics or astronomy. The ones who intend of being lawyers, bankers, doctors, insurance brokers, and so on. It would be nice to have a lawyer who knows about the Balmer series, or galaxy rotation. I know you're looking to hook students into your major but I see your idea as good for others as well.
Just curious ... seems like "Time" could be a [ahem] timely way to organize a redo. Not in the running? Might need a larger shoehorn to pull in some subfields, but as a hook ... ?
Boy, that PHY100 class sounds like something I would have loved. Of course, I was already into physics by the time I started college, so I might not be the best sample candidate.
In my PHY101 and 102 classes, my great teacher, Prof. Stephen Letcher, believed in what he called "mastery learning." Among other things, that meant repeated chances to take tests: if you got below some threshold on a test, you could elect to take the test again in a few days. And again, and again. Since most of the class had to take the test at least twice to pass, it was pretty clear what that next classroom session was going to be doing. So -- and here's the good part -- the students who cleared the threshold on the first shot were offered a "bonus lecture" on that day. This would be one of the other profs or one of the grad students holding a 101-level colloquium. Great stuff!
I don't really know much about kids, these days. But the course as you described it sounds like fun. And it might even appeal to the majority of liberal arts students who have no intention of majoring in physics or astronomy. The ones who intend of being lawyers, bankers, doctors, insurance brokers, and so on. It would be nice to have a lawyer who knows about the Balmer series, or galaxy rotation. I know you're looking to hook students into your major but I see your idea as good for others as well.
Just curious ... seems like "Time" could be a [ahem] timely way to organize a redo. Not in the running? Might need a larger shoehorn to pull in some subfields, but as a hook ... ?