Start with simple and ideal situations that students are familiar with.

1. Introductory Physics for the Life Sciencesat East Stroudsburg UniversityRobert A. CohenEast Stroudsburg UniversityIPLS 2014 What do life science majors need in a physics course? C. One where students are shown how to use a small set of principles to analyze a wide variety of problems A. One where students are shown the physics equations that can be used in relevant situations B. One where students are shown how mathematical techniques (like vectors, scaling, equations and graphing) can be applied to their discipline Start with equations that can be used in specific situations, ideally in their discipline. Examples include the kinematic equations, equations for time of flight, speed after collisions and diffusion equations. Start with simple and ideal situations that students are familiar with. Identify the basic principle or concept. For B, this includes drawing inferences from equations, scaling, graphing, and estimation. For C, this includes the relationship between force and motion, the atomic/charge model, systems and energy. Can we do more than one? Have students practice how to use those equations. This includes identifying given variables and solving for unknowns. Analogy: This approach is like giving students access to a GPS direction tool, which tells students how to get to any location. Not unless we are willing to sacrifice C. We have found that if students are given the opportunity to skip the process described in C, they will. Consequently, any use of “short-cut” equations (as in A) will counter the development of concepts emphasized in C. Option B can be used in tandem with either A or C. However, with limited time, is the physics course really the most appropriate place to teach math? Progressively make situations more and more complicated, fine-tuning a few basic principles along the way. Analogy: This approach is like teaching students the basic elements of a road map so that they can determine by themselves how to get to any location. At ESU, we have decided to focus almost exclusively on C. Students are not given “short-cut” equations. Problems are designed so that they cannot be solved by using math concepts alone. We use our own in-house textbook. Options A and B are very important for life science majors. However, students take a lot of other courses that are designed to do A and B. Only in our course will they get to master C. We felt uncomfortable sacrificing that for content and skills that are supposed to be addressed in other courses. Less emphasis: vectors, equations, kinematics, acceleration, Kirchhoff’s laws , predicting AC circuits, verification of ideas More emphasis: force imbalance, change in motion, universality of ideas, qualitative predictions, chemical and nuclear reactions, describing AC circuits, testing of ideas Course outline available separately