An institution-wide focus on deep learning has made significant changes in the biology and physics core course curriculum at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The biology course director has reworked course objectives to reflect the learning-focused approach to teaching, while the physics curriculum has adopted new learning outcomes and ways to…

Describes general interest courses in physics, discussing enrollment patterns, philosophy and structure of the course, course goals, teaching methods, and student performance. Includes an outline of the laboratory syllabus for the course dealing with physics and the automobile. (JN)

A one-semester hour laboratory course introduced junior and senior physics majors to assembly language programing and to interfacing KIM-1 microcomputer to experiments. A general purpose interface to a standard breadboard was developed. Course details, apparatus, and some interfacing projects are given. (Author/SK)

Analyzes using path analysis models, student attainment of the objectives of a first year university physics course. Four aspects of physics attainment are identified: (1) theoretical; (2) applied; (3) experimental; and (4) attitudinal objectives. (HM)

Information was requested on course goals, lesson goals, committee goals, instructional methods, question types and purposes, question-objective correlation, class assignments, textbooks, and supplemental teaching materials. (GS)

Describes an introductory geophysics course for physics majors. (SL)

Describes a course which provides nonscience students with an understanding of methods and nature of natural science. The course is a seminar organized around a detailed examination of the Copernican revolution, in part through Copernicus's original writings, and in part through contemporary historical and philosophical analysis. (Author/SK)

In teaching a well-organized college physics course that is understandable to students, teachers should first understand students' conditions and circumstances and be clear on the goals of the course. The goals of physics teaching are commonly defined as understanding the nature of scientific reasoning and the concepts and methods of physics,…

Analyzes the relationship between learning objectives and assessment items for Technical Education Council physics courses. Suggests improvements. (SK)

Discusses the relationships between instructor and student goals, course design, and student strategies for learning physics in a traditional introductory undergraduate physics course for nonmajors. Results indicate that diverse goals and the structure of the course inhibited the understanding of physics and were conducive to students engaging in…

Advocates using the first day of physics class to discuss some unique aspects of the discipline and the course. Lists examples of appropriate discussion topics. (WRM)