All majors take PHY 325 Methods of Teaching the Physical Sciences. Each student is required to present a lesson using the blackboard, a lesson using the overhead projector, an in-class demonstration, an oral report based on a teacher interview and classroom observation, and a report based on a visit to the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum. In so doing, the student gains insight into a variety of teaching approaches.
Math teaching majors who complete a physics minor take MATH 306 Teaching of High School Mathematics (syllabus attached). In examining our records for program completers in the last five years, we find that this accounts for all but one of our students. The other physics minor was a general science teaching major and thus had a science methods class. Many learning processes in physics are similar to those in math, MATH 306 provides valuable training for our physics minors.
The Physics and Astronomy faculty model a number of different methods of instruction for both majors and minors, which the students experience from the learner’s perspective. Among the methods employed are traditional lectures (blackboard, overhead, or Power Point based), recitations, lecture-demonstrations, guided laboratory experiences, independent laboratory experiences, group problem solving, guided individual research projects, and group research projects.