Physics and the Art of Teaching

The science of physics teaches the world to look beyond what is known and to be creative about visions of the future. Educators, like scientists, are responsible for pointing forward, for looking around and beyond the realm of what is known, to the realm of what could be. Yet, most institutions are restrained by traditional frameworks. Education still applies strategies designed for an industrial society which no longer exists. Since institutions are slow to adapt to the demands of the current age, teachers must bring new approaches into their classrooms. Initially, physicists were intrigued by both the spiritual and physical nature of man and his world. Early Greek educators also considered both the psychological and physical needs of the student. However, the industrial age defined educational goals in terms of acquiring individual competencies. This dismemberment of the whole educational process is akin to isolating the atom; in so doing, the true state of the atom is altered. A learning process which isolates educational elements is inadequate. In order to adapt educational systems to the present world, a new approach must be developed, much as quantum mechanical theories were required to help explain the mysteries of the subatomic world. The movement toward cooperative learning, holistic educational approaches, and cross-disciplinary strategies are good indicators that education is awakening to the interconnectedness of people and knowledge. As instructors trust students to learn from each other, the classroom becomes a domain of creativity in which the different parts enlighten each other. (JMC)