Active Physics Revision

It'S About Time, A Division Of Herff-Jones Inc., Mount Kisco NY

Investigators

Abstract

"Active Physics," previously funded by NSF, has proven to be a widely used high school physics text, meeting the needs of diverse groups of students in urban areas and increasing the number of ninth graders taking physics. The goals of that development were to introduce physics instruction to a wider audience, to provide for a real-world approach to physics and to create materials that reflect what was known about how students learn. Now "Active Physics" is to be revised into a single volume emphasizing the organizing principles of physics. The content is restructured and content added for teaching physics to ninth graders as the first part of a three-course science sequence. Additional materials extend the content for advanced students and increase the use of mathematics. The materials address the need for professional development of physics teachers and of science teachers in other fields to teach physics to ninth graders. An extensive evaluation explores student performance.