Physics is one of the least diverse disciplines amongst the natural sciences. Large-scale studies, such as those from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, have indicated that students from underrepresented and racially minoritized groups score below students from dominant groups, and female students are typically outperformed by their…

The need to integrate computation into the physics curriculum has long been established: using simulations and computational modeling can enhance students' conceptual understanding, and the computational skills students acquire are both useful and necessary in their careers. However, making changes to an established physics course is a challenge…

The purpose of this paper is to describe a three-year limited-run offer of an energy science certificate in the University of Hawaii at Hilo campus, along with lessons learned that can be of use to other institutions considering comparable programs. Energy science is a loosely defined discipline that traditionally straddles physics and mechanical,…

Particle physicists are literally rewriting what we know about the physical world; yet, the typical high school physics curriculum spends little to no time on particle physics. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of the particle physics topic in the curriculum increased the engagement and knowledge of high school…

Thinking in Physics (TIP) is a new curriculum that is more effective than commonly used interactive engagement methods for students who have the greatest difficulty learning physics. Research has shown a correlation between learning in physics and other factors, including scientific reasoning ability. The TIP curriculum addresses those factors.…

Richard Hechter and Nayif Awad wrote this article from opposite sides of the Earth and are getting ready to meet again in December 2017 to continue their project of bringing the world together through physics education, one constellation at a time. With the events in France, Belgium, Germany, United States, and United Kingdom fresh in their minds,…

We designed a physics laboratory exercise around pulse oximetry, a noninvasive medical technique used to assess a patient's blood oxygen saturation. An alternative to a traditional optics and light lab, this exercise teaches the principles of light absorption, spectroscopy, and the properties of light, while simultaneously studying a common…

The usual science course is not meant to be a history course and the usual science book is not meant to be a history book. However, most science books do include some historical information. Unfortunately, the history part is usually so brief that it is far from interesting and often so oversimplified that it is totally wrong. Introductory physics…

More schools in the United States have begun teaching physics to ninth-graders, but there continues to be limited evidence that such a change benefits students. Many arguments in favor of Physics First and the inverted sequence of physics-chemistry-biology are based more on the intellectual logic of the sequence than on measured outcomes. Paul…

Newton's law of gravitation is a central topic in the first-year physics curriculum. A lecturer can go beyond the physical details and use the history of gravitation to discuss the development of scientific ideas; unfortunately, the most recent chapter in this history, general relativity, is not covered in first-year courses. This paper discusses…

A traditional physical science course was transformed into an environmental physical science course to teach physics to non-science majors. The objective of the new course was to improve the learning of basic physics principles by applying them to current issues of interest. A new curriculum was developed with new labs, homework assignments,…

Physics First--a movement to invert the traditional science course sequence to teach physics at the ninth-grade level--is gaining interest. However, there is limited literature exploring how to support teachers in successfully implementing Physics First. To address this, a professional development (PD) program supporting a cadre of teacher-leaders…

The idea of teaching physics to ninth-graders, known as "Physics First," has become more and more popular among physics educators in this country. However, introducing ninth-grade physics has been an uphill battle; such a change has a major impact on the students, parents, teachers, and the school administration. Switching to Physics First affects…

For more than a hundred years there has been a debate about the sequence in which high school science should be taught. Many advocates of "Physics First" support a more conceptual ninth-grade physics course followed by chemistry and then biology while supporters of mathematically rigorous physics favor a sequence of biology-chemistry-physics. This…

It is often stated that the physical properties of our universe are "fine tuned"--that is, they must be almost exactly as they are to make the development of intelligent life possible. The implications of this statement, called the "anthropic principle," have been widely discussed in a philosophical context, but the scientific basis for the…