Generating Student Interest In Physics: Using Relevant And Exciting Curriculum Additions

Abstract

As physics teachers at the collegiate level, we are faced with the difficulty of lack of interest in science among non-science majors.  An example of this occurred in a conceptual physics course at West Virginia University, where we taught mostly students attending the education college. A poll taken of the class found 62% of the students wrote they did not want to teach science.  A difficulty presented by this is that the students, who are mostly aspiring elementary level teachers, will go into the teaching field with a lack of enthusiasm toward teaching science.  It is our goal then to excite these students, and all students, towards science and therefore exhibit eagerness when applying their knowledge in the classroom and elsewhere.  One method for accomplishing this is to give these students hands-on, relevant, stimulating, and interesting curriculum in a laboratory environment.  We have created several alterations to the course that succeed in meeting these goals and have proven to truly excite the students toward physics and science in general.