Modern Introductory Physics: The Second Semester Course

高露洁正在对其以微积分为基础的物理入门课程进行重大修订。这样做是为了解决三个问题：入学率下降、新生准备不足和少数民族代表性低。新课程的第一学期被称为现代物理导论，是在过去五年里开发和教授的。本书以原子为主题，向新生介绍了二十世纪物理学的核心思想。这是一个强大的动力，课程得到了学生的好评。这个项目是针对第二学期课程的发展。所选择的主题“统一”自然地建立在第一学期的材料之上，很容易包含导论课程的传统主题，并将物理学呈现为一门伟大的统一科学。课程的三个部分是牛顿力学、守恒定律和统计物理。本课程以讨论元素的起源结束，将学生带回到第一学期原子研究的开始。教师们期望生成300页的补充书面材料，加上八个结合古典和现代物理学的新颖实验练习。聘请外部顾问教授员工课程评价方法，并将评价结果发表在文献中。

Colgate is engaged in a major revision of its introductory calculus-based physics curriculum. This is being done to address three concerns: declining enrollments, inadequate preparation of incoming students, and low minority representation. The first semester of the new curriculum, called Modern Introductory Physics, has been developed and taught over the past five years. Organized about the theme of atoms, it presents to freshmen the central ideas of twentieth century physics. This is a strong motivator, and the course has been well received by students. This project is directed at development of the second semester curriculum. The theme chosen, unification, builds naturally on the first semester material, easily encompasses the traditional topics of the introductory course, and presents physics as the great unifying science. The three sections of the course are Newtonian Mechanics, Conservation Laws, and Statistical Physics. The course concludes by discussing the origin of the elements, bringing students full circle to the beginning of the first semester study of atoms. Faculty expect to generate 300 pages of supplementary written materials plus eight novel laboratory exercises blending classical and modern physics. An outside consultant will be employed to teach staff the methods of course evaluation, and the results will be reported in the published literature.