Physical Society Colloquium

We are rarely explicit about what we want our students to learn in introductory college or university physics. We often say we want them to `learn problem solving', but we usually have in mind complex, expert problem solving skills. In practice, we usually test for algorithmic problem solving and pattern matching skills -- something quite different. I refer to this gap between what we want and what we do as representing a `hidden curriculum'. At the University of Maryland, the Physics Education Research Group has been exploring some of the components of the hidden curriculum - concept learning and cognitive attitudes towards physics. Our results, and the results of other physics education research groups, are beginning to clarify the nature of the difficulties with traditional teaching methods and to demonstrate some effective ways to improve our instruction.

Friday, April 26th 2002, 15:30
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, Keys Auditorium (room 112)