by America has a physics problem.
Research shows that access to physics education varies based on race, gender, sexuality and disability. Physics courses are usually standard offerings in suburban high schools, but in urban and rural schools this is not the case.
Even in places where physics is taught, the lessons rarely emphasize how physics can be applied to students’ daily lives.
This approach can hinder the students’ desire to learn. In my work as a researcher in physics education, I came across lessons that focused on memorizing formulas. This method does not encourage critical thinking, which limits students’ ability to solve problems creatively.
Teachers sometimes believe that if a student cannot understand a physics concept, it is the student’s problem. Instructors often do not try to present the materials in a way that would help students engage more deeply with the lessons. This adds to the challenges that poorer, non-white students already face, including being held to lower standards and having fewer classroom resources.
Imagine if, instead, students could see how physics affects their daily lives in sports, extreme weather or baking and cooking. How might these real-world connections spark curiosity and foster a deeper understanding of physics?
Making physics relevant
Teaching physics adequately has consequences.
As the economy becomes more tech-centric, understanding the physics is critical. But the number of Americans who have a good understanding of physics is declining.
A shortage of candidates for jobs that require a basic understanding of physics could harm the US’s ability to compete in the global economy, or it could force companies to outsource certain jobs to countries that they have a more skilled workforce.
Many students have a vague idea that they want to pursue STEM careers; they understand that these jobs usually pay well and can be interesting and rewarding. But they don’t even know that learning physics can better prepare you for a role as an aerospace engineer, software developer or environmental scientist, to name just a few.
Their understanding of that relationship alone could reinforce their desire to learn the subject.
But there is another way to increase motivation, which I have spent years studying and developing, called “culturally relevant physics education”.
Physics is often taught in ways that are not relevant to student diversity, resulting in lower performance and engagement, especially among disadvantaged and nonwhite students. This can cause these populations to see little value in learning physics.
A traditional high school physics class teaches abstract equations and focuses on topics such as rocket motion and electrical circuits. The teacher could explain Newton’s laws of motion using examples from European history only, for example shooting cannon balls.
I wouldn’t fault students in, say, Raymond, Mississippi, for wondering why on earth they’re learning about 18th century weaponry.
Physics in racing, texting and farming
By shifting to teaching physics in culturally responsive ways, I believe this trend can be reversed and a new generation of physics enthusiasts and professionals can be nurtured. There are many ways to do this.
I worked with teachers in California to explore how the physics of wave motion affects earthquake dynamics and how buildings are constructed. Other lessons include understanding how text messages are transmitted through wave motion and how the physics of firearms can be taught using the concepts of conservation of momentum and momentum.
In these ways, teachers can take advantage of students’ cultures and interests to make physics more relatable and engaging. There is no one-size-fits-all approach: While the physics of earthquakes may resonate better in one region’s school district, the physics of hurricanes may work better in another.
There is an urgent need for more opportunities to learn physics in the rural south in particular.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that students in these areas have less access to advanced science courses, including physics, than their urban and suburban counterparts. And a 2021 report from the American Institute of Physics notes that fewer high schools in the rural South offer Advanced Placement physics courses, which may be due, in part, to the significant shortage of qualified physics teachers in these communities.
Targeted interventions could help meet this need.
I have already collaborated with teachers in the Southeast to develop activities using NASCAR – a very popular sport in the region – so that students can learn about engine types, acceleration and thermal energy. I am also one of the principal investigators in a collaboration between Michigan State University and two HBCUs, Alabama A&M University and Winston-Salem State University, to implement culturally responsive physics education in the rural South.
Given the region’s rich agricultural history, the science of plant and crop growth can be an alternative to teaching physics. Teachers could detail how light energy is converted into chemical energy; explain how fruit and vegetables have unique colors because of the ways in which they absorb and reflect wavelengths of light; and explain how physics concepts such as fluid dynamics can be used to improve irrigation techniques.
By learning these real-world applications, students from agricultural fields could be empowered to contribute to their communities.
This project is not only about filling a gap in the teaching of physics; it is also about unlocking the potential of students in the rural South. And hopefully they will eventually feel confident enough in their physics background to pursue a career in STEM.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a non-profit, independent news organization that brings you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world.
It was written by: Clausell Mathis, Michigan State University.
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Clausell Mathis receives funding from the US Department of Education as Co-PI on the Education, Innovation and Research Grants program. .
