Chapter 2 Coordinating Content of Associated Courses with Paradigm in Physics Courses
The initial design of the paradigms in physics courses two decades ago had not included computational physics. One of the faculty members who joined the department during the second decade of the paradigm in physics program had developed a series of one-credit computational laboratory courses to accompany the paradigms in physics courses. According to the university's course catalogue description, these were “product-driven laboratory experiences” using “basic mathematical and numerical techniques in computer calculations leading to solutions for typical physical problems.” This faculty member needed to redesign each of these courses to match the new lineup of topics in the revised paradigms in physics courses.
In reducing the electronics courses from two terms to one, it was important to make sure students would still develop the skills needed for the integrated labs in the paradigms in physics courses in their redesigned form and order. In addition, it was important to make sure that needed content from the modern physics course, Reference Frames junior-level paradigms in physics course, and the capstone courses in classical mechanics and mathematical methods had been included in the designated paradigms courses and the two new sophomore level courses.