physicists about physics education by dr. genrikh golin ( touro college, new york )

PHYSICISTS ABOUT PHYSICISTS ABOUT PHYSICS EDUCATIONPHYSICS EDUCATION

By Dr. Genrikh Golin By Dr. Genrikh Golin

( Touro College, New York )( Touro College, New York )

Physics teachers and Physics teachers and educators are seeking to educators are seeking to improve the system of improve the system of physics education.physics education.

The heritage of the great physicists of the The heritage of the great physicists of the past and the present can prove to be very past and the present can prove to be very valuable. valuable. Outstanding physicists were excellent Outstanding physicists were excellent teachers they introduced progressive ideas teachers they introduced progressive ideas in different areas in physics education in different areas in physics education including;including;

oo the content of school and college curriculums;the content of school and college curriculums;

oo the correlation between theory and experiment in the the correlation between theory and experiment in the physics courses;physics courses;

oo the study of the basic scientific concepts, laws and the study of the basic scientific concepts, laws and theories;theories;

oo creativity of students and its development;creativity of students and its development;

oo the usage of history and philosophy of physics in teaching;the usage of history and philosophy of physics in teaching;

oo the role of mathematics in physics.the role of mathematics in physics.

We familiarize the students- We familiarize the students- future teachers with the future teachers with the pedagogical ideas of famous pedagogical ideas of famous physicists such as:physicists such as:

A.Ampere, N.Bohr, L.De Broglie,A. A.Ampere, N.Bohr, L.De Broglie,A. Einstein, M.Faraday, W.Heisenberg, Einstein, M.Faraday, W.Heisenberg, P.Kapitza, L. Landau, M.Laue, J. Maxwell, P.Kapitza, L. Landau, M.Laue, J. Maxwell, M.Planck, I.Rabi and others.M.Planck, I.Rabi and others.

We familiarize the students- We familiarize the students- future teachers with the future teachers with the pedagogical ideas of famous pedagogical ideas of famous physicistsphysicists

– These scientists made outstanding These scientists made outstanding contribution to the development of contribution to the development of science science

– They fostered the development of first They fostered the development of first class researchers.class researchers.

Several quotations from Several quotations from pedagogical writings of pedagogical writings of physicistsphysicists

• MAX PLANCKMAX PLANCK

• ALBERT EINSTEINALBERT EINSTEIN

• ISRAEL ISAAC RABIISRAEL ISAAC RABI

Max PlanckMax Planck

– It is not too important what we teach in It is not too important what we teach in school. It is more important how we teach. school. It is more important how we teach. One mathematical expression that is fully One mathematical expression that is fully understood by a student has more value understood by a student has more value than ten formulas that simply memorized. than ten formulas that simply memorized. Even though students may know how to Even though students may know how to apply the formula, they may not have apply the formula, they may not have understood the meaning of the formula…understood the meaning of the formula…

– (Continued)(Continued)

Max PlanckMax Planck The function of the school is not to give the The function of the school is not to give the

knowledge in a special area, but to develop knowledge in a special area, but to develop intellectual skills. Some educators may not agree. intellectual skills. Some educators may not agree. Of course, knowledge without skills is not as Of course, knowledge without skills is not as valuable as any theory has meaning only due to valuable as any theory has meaning only due to its application. However, theory may never be its application. However, theory may never be switched by the specific skill because this skill will switched by the specific skill because this skill will be useless in front of a new and unusual facts. be useless in front of a new and unusual facts. Therefore, the first condition for a good future Therefore, the first condition for a good future career is a valid elementary education. We, career is a valid elementary education. We, teachers should not be concerned about the study teachers should not be concerned about the study of huge facts. Rather, we should be more of huge facts. Rather, we should be more concerned about their interpretation. If we miss concerned about their interpretation. If we miss out on elementary education, it will be difficult to out on elementary education, it will be difficult to receive further knowledge in the future because receive further knowledge in the future because colleges have other goals...colleges have other goals...


Max PlanckMax Planck

– Today, science is rapidly growing. Every new Today, science is rapidly growing. Every new invention makes for a media sensation. invention makes for a media sensation. Unfortunately, some educators familiarize their Unfortunately, some educators familiarize their students with these inventions before they students with these inventions before they receive the scientific explanation. The receive the scientific explanation. The community supports the inclusion updated community supports the inclusion updated scientific knowledge into the school curriculums scientific knowledge into the school curriculums and programs. This practice is dangerous for and programs. This practice is dangerous for students because they do not understand the students because they do not understand the meaning of the new scientific developments. meaning of the new scientific developments. Therefore, this is just a lack of depth. Therefore, this is just a lack of depth.

Max Planck, Vortrage und Erinnerungen. Stuttgart,1949, Max Planck, Vortrage und Erinnerungen. Stuttgart,1949, Ursprung und Auswirkung wissenschaftlichen Ideen. Vortrag, gehalten am 17 Februar 1933 in Verein Ingenieure, BerlinUrsprung und Auswirkung wissenschaftlichen Ideen. Vortrag, gehalten am 17 Februar 1933 in Verein Ingenieure, Berlin

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

– It is not so very important for a person It is not so very important for a person to learn facts. For that he does not really to learn facts. For that he does not really need college. He can learn them from need college. He can learn them from books. The value of an education in a books. The value of an education in a liberal arts college is not the learning of liberal arts college is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind many facts, but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks. learned from textbooks.

1921, on Thomas Edison’s opinion that a college education is useless.1921, on Thomas Edison’s opinion that a college education is useless.Quoted in Frank, Einstein: His Life and Times, 185 Quoted in Frank, Einstein: His Life and Times, 185


– Most teachers waste their time by Most teachers waste their time by asking questions that are intended to asking questions that are intended to discover what a pupil does not know, discover what a pupil does not know, whereas the true art of questioning is to whereas the true art of questioning is to discover what the pupil does know or is discover what the pupil does know or is capable of knowing.capable of knowing.

1920. Quoted by Moszkowski, Conversations with Einstein, 651920. Quoted by Moszkowski, Conversations with Einstein, 65


– Humiliation and mental oppression by Humiliation and mental oppression by ignorant and selfish teachers wreak ignorant and selfish teachers wreak havoc in the youthful mind that can havoc in the youthful mind that can never be undone and often exert a never be undone and often exert a baleful influence in later life.baleful influence in later life.

In “Nachruf Paul Ehrenfest”. Reprinted in “Out of My Later Years”, In “Nachruf Paul Ehrenfest”. Reprinted in “Out of My Later Years”, 217217


– To me the worst thing seems to be for a To me the worst thing seems to be for a school principally to work with the school principally to work with the methods of fear, force, and artificial methods of fear, force, and artificial authority. Such treatment destroys the authority. Such treatment destroys the sound sentiments, the sincerity, and the sound sentiments, the sincerity, and the self-confidence of the pupil.self-confidence of the pupil.

Address at a convention at the State University of New York in Address at a convention at the State University of New York in Albany, October 15,1936. In “School and Society” Albany, October 15,1936. In “School and Society” 44(1936),58944(1936),589


– I am opposed to examinations- they only I am opposed to examinations- they only deter from the interest in study. No deter from the interest in study. No more than two exams should be given more than two exams should be given throughout a student’s college career. I throughout a student’s college career. I would hold seminars, and if the young would hold seminars, and if the young people are interested and listen, I would people are interested and listen, I would give them a diploma.give them a diploma.

Quoted by Fantova, “Conversations with Einstein,” January 20, 1955Quoted by Fantova, “Conversations with Einstein,” January 20, 1955

Israel Isaac RabiIsrael Isaac Rabi

– Only by the fusion of science and the Only by the fusion of science and the humanities can we hope to reach the humanities can we hope to reach the wisdom appropriate to our day and wisdom appropriate to our day and generation. The scientists must learn to generation. The scientists must learn to teach science in the spirit of wisdom…teach science in the spirit of wisdom…



– Our colleagues in the nonscientific Our colleagues in the nonscientific faculties must understand that if their faculties must understand that if their teachings ignore the great scientific teachings ignore the great scientific tradition and its accomplishments, they tradition and its accomplishments, they will lose meaning for this generation and will lose meaning for this generation and be barren of fruit. Only with a unified be barren of fruit. Only with a unified effort of science and the humanities can effort of science and the humanities can we hope to succeed in discovering a we hope to succeed in discovering a community of thought, which can lead us community of thought, which can lead us out of the darkness, and the confusion, out of the darkness, and the confusion, which oppress all mankind.which oppress all mankind.

““Science and the Humanities”, Loeb Lecture, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 21 October, 1955. Science and the Humanities”, Loeb Lecture, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 21 October, 1955.


– Physics is now a very mature science and may be losing Physics is now a very mature science and may be losing its attraction to young Americans of eager minds. Of its attraction to young Americans of eager minds. Of this we must beware in our teaching. Understanding the this we must beware in our teaching. Understanding the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century physics can be a eighteenth- and nineteenth-century physics can be a tremendous intellectual experience. In the twentieth tremendous intellectual experience. In the twentieth century, physics begins to lose its hard, fructifying century, physics begins to lose its hard, fructifying contact with the real world and human experience. The contact with the real world and human experience. The wonderful phenomena and discoveries have been made wonderful phenomena and discoveries have been made hard to reach except through an esoteric mathematical hard to reach except through an esoteric mathematical language. I feel my generation and the current language. I feel my generation and the current generation have not devoted the time and profound generation have not devoted the time and profound effort to make…effort to make…



the extraordinary phenomena of relativity and the extraordinary phenomena of relativity and quantum mechanics accessible to the quantum mechanics accessible to the intelligent, educated person. I am sure it can be intelligent, educated person. I am sure it can be done because that’s the way I understand it. done because that’s the way I understand it. This failure to make the subject accessible to This failure to make the subject accessible to the general educated person has, to my mind, the general educated person has, to my mind, resulted in driving science, particularly physics, resulted in driving science, particularly physics, out of the secondary schools. Unless a great out of the secondary schools. Unless a great effort, a really great effort, is expended in this effort, a really great effort, is expended in this direction, the outlook for the future is bleak…direction, the outlook for the future is bleak…



– There is a ray of hope. Just as we learned a There is a ray of hope. Just as we learned a great deal from the Russian success of great deal from the Russian success of Sputnik, which awoke us to many Sputnik, which awoke us to many deficiencies, the industrial success of Asian deficiencies, the industrial success of Asian world – Japan, Korea, Singapore- may spur world – Japan, Korea, Singapore- may spur us on to recover our depleted native us on to recover our depleted native intellectual slump. intellectual slump.

– We must start with our schools, the training We must start with our schools, the training of our teachers, and the restoration of our of our teachers, and the restoration of our ideals of learning for its own sake.ideals of learning for its own sake.

““Epilogue”, in “Scientist and Citizen”, Basic Books, 1987.Epilogue”, in “Scientist and Citizen”, Basic Books, 1987.

physicists about physics education by dr. genrikh golin ( touro college, new york )

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