Teaching science to fuzzies calls for visuals, humor and relevance, Burchat says

BY MARK SHWARTZ

For many students, physics lab is one of the most dreadful experiences of their school career -- and non-science majors aren't the only ones who feel that way.

"If anyone asks me what was the thing that was the closest to keeping me out of physics, it wasn't the fact that I'm a woman," said physics Professor Patricia Burchat. "It was the lab -- the undergraduate lab."

Physics Professor Patricia Burchat discussed "Strategies for Teaching Science to Non-Technical Majors" during her Jan. 24 lecture. Photo: L.A. Cicero

Burchat survived her undergraduate ordeal and eventually received a doctorate in physics. She joined the Stanford faculty in 1995 and a year later earned the Humanities and Sciences Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching.

"Labs represent a huge challenge," she said. "Unless they are well designed, they can do more harm than good."

This observation was one of several Burchat presented during her Jan. 24 lecture, "Strategies for Teaching Science to Non-Technical Majors" -- part of the Award-Winning Teachers on Teaching series sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Relevant topics

Drawing on her undergraduate teaching experience, Burchat stressed the importance of teaching fundamental scientific principles to non-science majors versus rote learning of "classical" topics, such as Newton's laws of physics.

"I do not think it is important for non-technical students to learn the same things that physics majors learn in introductory physics classes," she said. "I prefer to tackle a few interesting and relevant topics and cover them deeply, although I might mention Newton's laws in passing."

Finding topics that are relevant to the students' everyday life is not difficult, according to Burchat. For example, in one interdisciplinary course -- "Light in the Physical and Biological Worlds" -- she and her colleagues designed a curriculum using DV cameras, radio waves, fiberoptic communications and even rainbows to explain the fundamental physics of light.

"It's so appealing because it takes all of the abstraction away," she noted. "The colors of the rainbow -- they can actually see it."

In fact, several students returned from spring break one year saying they had seen a rainbow and could explain the phenomenon to their families.

Active participants

Finding a broad spectrum of topics that are interesting and relevant requires professors either to learn material outside their expertise or to rely on team teaching by faculty from different disciplines. Either way, Burchat suggests that instructors use visual aids -- such as slides, demonstrations and physical models -- that encourage active participation by the students.

"I don't give them the answer," she explained. "I have them figure it out and puzzle it through."

To promote active learning, Burchat requires students to participate in the design of lab experiments. She also uses breakout sessions that give students time to discuss problems in groups and then present their results verbally or in writing.

"The most effective ingredient is an enthusiastic teaching staff that communicates their subject with energy -- and at least a pinch of humor," she concluded.