How we teach and how students learn Physics- a mismatch?

1) Traditional teaching of physics is based on teacher's view of subject and teacher's perception of the students.

2) Criteria used as a mastery of the subject is performance on standard quantitative problems. Students are dependent on formula and do not develop functional understanding of physics.

3) Student must be able to define a concept, relate to it, differentiate it from other related concepts so as to be able to apply it in a variety of contexts.

4) Students need time to apply same concepts and reasoning in different contexts, to reflect upon these experiences and to generalize from them.

5) Traditional teaching does not challenge but tends to reinforce a perception of physics as facts and formulas. Students do not recognise the role of reasoning in physics nor can they understand what constitutes an explanation.

6) Students are unable to relate concepts and representation of physics to the real world.

7) Teaching by telling is an ineffective mode for most students.

How do improve the match then, between teaching and learning of physics?

*points adapted from McDermott (1993)*




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