Teaching Science to the 21st Century Student Gianfranco Vidali Physics Department, Syracuse University Outline ¥ Highlights of a new course for non-science majors ¥ Demonstration of use of computer and network - aided instruction Syracuse University ¥ Mission Statement ¥ "To promote learning through teaching, research, scholarship, creative accomplishment, and service" ¥ Student-Centered Research University Science for the 21st Century Principal Features ¥ General science for non-science majors (4 cr.) ¥ Interdisciplinary Approach ¥ Modular Structure ¥ Principles and Concepts ¥ Active Learning Course Structure ¥ Lectures (3/week) ¥ Demonstrations ¥ Recitation / Lab (1/week) ¥ Team Projects ¥ WEB-Based Learning Enrollment in Phy 105/106 Syllabus / Representative Modules ¥ Scientific Literacy Modules which include Web page(s): ¥ Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) ¥ Mind and Machine ¥ Pseudoscience vs. the Scientific Method ¥ Evolution vs. Creationism ¥ Imaging in Science Scientific Literacy (1 semester) ¥ Elements of mechanics, electromagnetism, atomic physics ¥ Fundamental forces of nature ¥ Elements of science of materials ¥ Elements of earth sciences ¥ Elements of biology, genetics ¥ Textbook : The Sciences, by Trefil and Hazen Lectures (mechanics) ¥ PowerPoint slide presentations; Web-based material ¥ Demonstrations, videos ¥ In large lecture hall (300 student capacity) ¥ 1 quiz/week, "unannounced", open notes ¥ Examples Actual lecture ¥ Example of incorporation of photos into presentation ¥ Example of incorporation of newsworthy material into lecture ¥ Specifics: unit on cosmology - Spring 96 ¥ Specifics: unit on plate tectonics - Fall 95 Excerpts from lecture on cosmology PHY106 - Spring 1996 Purpose of showing this excerpt: incorporation of photos downloaded from NASA into lecture ; incorporation of breaking news (Hubble Space Telescope picture of "edge" of universe) Stars, galaxies, and black holes Part 1 of 3 References ¥ SETI Tutorial: http:4/4/96/altair.syr.edu:2024/SETI/TUTORIAL/tutorial.html hen click of "Cosmology"and "Galaxies" and other links provided ¥ The Sciences; p.442; p.448-449 What is out there? ¥ galaxies ¥ black holes ¥ stars ¥ planets ¥ gas clouds New discovery: Jan 15 1996 View of universe with unprecedented resolution New estimate of # galaxies: 50 billion Field of view: 1/30 diam. Moon Ð detection by the Hubble space telescope of unseen regions of universe; Ð number of galaxies revised upwards to 50 billion from 10 billion Ð each galaxy has 100-300 billion stars Hubble space telescope Galaxies the Milky Way - spiral galaxy spiral galaxies ¥ http:4/4/96/www.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/96/01.html ¥ Hubble's space telescope images (also in SETI module) ¥ htpp:4/4/96/www.phy.syr.edu/courses/modules/modules.html nd of excerpt of lecture on cosmology Excerpt from lecture on plate tectonics - PHY105 Fall 1995 purpose of showing this excerpt: example of incorporation of scientific breaking news into lecture Plate Tectonics - Part II Wegener's theory of continental drift Simulation of motion of continents Late breaking news about earthquakes pg. 377 - 388 and material presented in class Wegener's theory ¥ Before Wegener: Ð hot Earth is continuously contracting: light elements float on top of heavy ones; mountains are wrinkles in this contraction Ð well accepted theory ¥ Alfred Wegener: meteorologist Theory: continents move (1912) Ð evidence ? ¥ complementary shapes of continents (mountain ranges - not coastlines !) ¥ fossils Ð mechanism ? ¥ tides in the Earth's crust Ð faults are seen in mechanism Plate Tectonics ¥ Modern theory: continents move because of ocean floor spreading ¥ Evidence Ð fossils (e.g.., Mesosaurus 270 million yrs) Ð rock dating Ð satellite positioning Ð magnetic reversal