TEACHING PROBLEM-SOLVING IN PHYSICS

Catalog description

In this course, students will learn how to teach problem-solving process abilities within the context of physics. Specifically, students will learn how the Zone of Proximal Development can be used as a model for designing structured problem-solving activities that build student abilities with time and acquisition of content knowledge, leading to their students solving multi-step and multi-concept problems. Students will also learn how to assess problem-solving process in a consistent and rigorous way. Concepts include problem framing and getting students to see beyond surface features, physics representations, translating physics representations into mathematics, multi-equation and multi-concepts problems, and reflection. Content includes motion, force, energy, momentum, electric force and fields, and magnetism.