Speakers
Description
Higher-year physics students widely regard electromagnetism as one of the most conceptually and mathematically demanding areas of the undergraduate curriculum. It is typically taught at a high level of abstraction, with concepts developed mathematically before being connected to physical examples. To succeed, students must move fluently between multiple representations, including integral and vector calculus, diagrams, written descriptions, coordinate systems, and series expansions. Many students are underprepared for the mathematical demands of these courses. Griffiths’ Introduction to Electrodynamics, a widely used text, exemplifies this mathematically driven approach, strongly influences course design, and relies on independent student work to teach all but the simplest concepts and problems.
As a first step towards developing evidence-informed recommendations for teaching higher-year electromagnetism, we surveyed and interviewed academics across Australia about how these courses are taught at their institutions. This study aims to build a national picture of both common practice and points of variation.
In this presentation, we identify and discuss key themes emerging from these data. Academics were asked about the purpose of teaching electromagnetism, the pedagogical approaches they use, and the depth and breadth of content they prioritise. We also explored their perceptions of students’ mathematical preparedness and invited them to share examples of practices they consider effective.
By bringing together perspectives from across the sector, this work aims to inform ongoing conversations about how best to support students in mastering this core area of the physics curriculum.
| I am the presenting author | Yes |
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| If you are not the presenting author, please give the presenting author's name: | Undecided but we are all attending and happy to present. |