Conceptual Physics

Traditionally, physics was regarded the greatest difficult science, which should only be attempted by mature students with a tough mathematical background. There is some truth to this- being comfortable with advanced math can certainly reveal up some parts of physics and there exists topics in a solid, college-preparatory physics class that want some pretty serious number-crunching. However, there is another side to this story and a growing feeling between educators myself included that even elementary college students can and should read physics. One regarding the strongest arguments for introducing physics at a young age is that it is the greatest simple regarding the sciences. In other words, it's really not likely to hold a good understanding of photosynthesis whether you do not have knowledge of anything about light.

Learning about light is, of course, a branch of physics. There's currently a physics first movement that is trying to upend the traditional order of high college science classes such that the sequence becomes physics in freshman year, then chemistry, and finally biology. In this model, physics is taught like a more conceptual and fewer calculation-based subject due to the fact that younger students not ever have the mathematical knowledge of older ones. Physics first should be the greatest thing that ever happened to physics education, if it is done correctly. Beyond the obvious perk for physics-enthusiasts everywhere that physics should studied by distant more people than ever before, it should potentially be taught many more effectively.

One regarding the flaws in traditional physics curriculum is that it assumes that students shall read the concepts that the mathematics illustrate by applying the math to problems. Unfortunately, this does not work well most regarding the time. Most people need to approach physics from a conceptual spot of view prior to they can understand the mathematics in a meaningful way. This is true even for smart, mathematically inclined people, and it is at fewest component regarding the reason that so many people read so little in high college physics classes. In essence, the goal of physics first curriculum is to help all students achieve a solid qualitative understanding regarding the physical world.

Interested students can then refine that pre-existing qualitative knowledge into a quantitative understanding in a later, more advanced class. The methodology behind physics first does not need to be restricted to educating high college freshmen. It can effectively be applied to many younger children as well. For example, I teach science to a team of nine and ten year old homeschoolers, and we have done barely a bit of physics, with very little math beyond simple arithmetic. For example, final year we explored levers and turning effect.

This year we should be seeing into pulleys and simple circuits. I do not shy distant from creating use of age-appropriate math, within simple formulas, but neither do I emphasize formulas over a verbal understanding of events. These children are hardly advanced physics students, but they have achieved significant understanding while retaining a tough interest in learning more. Critics of a conceptual approach to physics curriculum worry that it is merely a method to decreased standards. I share their desire for the highest standards possible, and I acknowledge that a poorly executed conceptual physics program should lack rigor.

As always, details matter. A good conceptual physics program should involve hands-on and brain-on experiments, extensive writing, and some math. It should not be easy. On the other hand, it should not leave conscientious, hard working students feeling like they can be studying an impossible subject- and traditional physics curriculum leaves distant too many students with that feeling.