* * * * *
Learning physics the hard way
> “I am simply interested in seeing how well my students have absorbed the
> concepts of the laws of thermodynamics, potential versus kinetic energy,
> and so forth,” said Gaston at the press conference. “Regurgitating parts of
> a textbook on an exam is fine, but demonstrating applied knowledge is
> another matter entirely.”
>
> A typical Gaston exam question involves asking students to choose between
> catching a small metal box filled with 20 pounds of lead dropped from a
> height of 1 foot, or the same metal box stuffed with 20 pounds of feathers
> dropped from the roof of an 8-story building. Each year, about five
> students try to catch the feather-filled box and end up in the emergency
> room with concussions.
>
> “I still think it was a trick,” glowered Marvin Stoddmeyer, a student who
> chose the feathers and failed the final exam, breaking his collarbone in
> the process. “Gaston said something about momentum and kinetic versus
> potential energy or something during the year—yadda yadda yadda. But at no
> point did he specifically warn us not to try to catch a 20 pound object
> dropped from an 8-story building. That's deception, man.”
>
Via Joanne Jacobs [1], “Physics Teacher Earns Praise, Criticism for “Applied”
Exams [2]”
I can bet that Marvin Stoddmeyer will never forget the difference between
potential and kinetic energy after this. Nothing quite like learning physics
in an applied setting.
I wonder if Spring [3] will me to teach The Kids “Applied Physics” like this?
Hmmmm …
[1]
http://www.joannejacobs.com/mtarchives/014688.html
[2]
http://watleyreview.com/2004/121404-
[3]
http://www.springdew.com/
Email author at
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