Rachel Burgio
Physics is closely tied to complex mathematics. Yet, because it is so universal, it is taken by students with majors as diverse as geology, kinesiology, and energy management. This year the SSU Department of Physics and Astronomy offered a new section of the general physics course that focused less on mathematics than the traditional one. Largely responsible for its creation is Dr. Lynn Cominsky.
The text is a hot-off-the-press publication from John Wiley and Sons, Physics by Inquiry , by Dr. Lillian McDermott and her colleagues at the University of Washington. It is separated into distinct modules: Properties of Matter, Heat and Temperature, Magnets, Electrical Currents, etc. Most exercises involve setting up and running numerous experiments.
The class environment is unique. With almost no lecturing, the classroom resembles a lively workshop. There is often tangible excitement in the air, as the students struggle together in a collaborative effort. A strange phenomenon not yet explained is that students can be found coming in early and staying late, as the three hour lab periods tend to stretch into four or five.
As a first year guinea pig, I think the course is a major success. I have learned to reason using mathematical relationships. This is accomplished by collecting data and then analyzing emerging patterns. This skill has already helped me wade through math problems in my other courses. Other skills refined by the course include attention to detail, accounting for the reasoning behind your conclusions, and clear presentation of data.
Over all, it is my opinion that this course trains students to think like scientists do. It takes a bold step away from the mass number-crunching familiar to traditional physics courses. Making that sacrifice, its aim is to produce students who can critically assess a problem and develop sound solutions.
