PHSC 350
PHYSICAL SCIENCE (GE)
Catalog Entry
PHSC 350. Physical Science (GE)
Three hours lecture; two hours laboratory (4).
Prerequisite: None
An analysis and synthesis of various energy systems of the physical world.
Note(s): General Education and Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning designated course.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
PHSC 350. Physical Science, incorporates science disciplines including physics, chemistry, earth science, and space science. The course stresses the role and nature of the theory in explaining and predicting events and phenomena, the development of process skills, and fosters a positive attitude and appreciation for science through the use of hands-on activities. The course promotes an understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry, including the function of research design and experimentation. Students are involved in individual and team problem-solving situations, practices required to provide empirical answers to research questions, including data collection and analysis, modeling, argumentation with evidence, constructing explanations, and are encouraged to assist each other. Students participate in classroom discussions on developing critical thinking skills, making assumptions, influencing conditions, and limits of empirical knowledge. Discussions include the reliability of scientific knowledge and its constant scrutiny and refinement. Those planning to teach examine the role of the teacher in the classroom, the importance of hands-on activities, child developmental theory, and science education. Others study science topics in which they are interested. Students study ways to promote positive classroom experiences, self-checking mechanisms used by science to increase objectivity, including peer review, and how science and technology affect personal lives.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Hands-on activities focus on the development of process skills and use specific discipline content to enhance that objective. For example, students develop observation, data collection and analysis skills while monitoring a plant's growth over a period of several weeks, through investigation of unknown powders using common indicators, and through the study of daytime astronomy and moon observations. An interdisciplinary approach is used to promote an integrated curriculum, including the social impact of science and technology.
Each activity conducted is not learned solely for knowing the subject involved, be it physics, biology, or earth and space science. The activities cut across traditional subject matter areas. Activities are designed to produce proficiency in the processes of science. Processes such as observation, measurement, experimentation, prediction, inference, and analysis are a part of each science discipline.
Several environmental education topics further integrate the science disciplines of biology, earth and space science, and physical science. The activities promote critical and creative thinking as the students search for solutions to environmental technical problems. The social and personal impact of science and technology is investigated through activities and discussions of energy production, usage and conservation. Additional areas include an examination of recycling, and exponential growth of populations. Several topics conclude with science applications that are used in everyday life. For example, during an investigation of floating and sinking objects, the students are asked to float a straw vertically, and compare how it floats in liquids of different densities. In effect, the students have built their own hydrometers and a discussion follows where students describe how their "new" instrument can be used.
The activities are used to promote the development of thinking skills including inductive and deductive reasoning. Activities include investigating liquid rise in a tube placed over a lit candle in a tray of water, the generation and nature of gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen, and simple circuits using batteries and flashlight bulbs. In all cases, the student is actively involved in planning the investigation, predicting outcomes, interpreting results, drawing conclusions, testing hypotheses, and communicating results to individuals and to the group. Other activities include determining factors which affect the rate a liquid climbs different types of paper held vertically, factors influencing the period of a pendulum, and factors that determine the amount of solute that dissolves.
Activities are designed to be challenging, intriguing, and solvable. Students complete the activities with a sense of accomplishment, which fosters the development of positive attitudes towards science.
The student is required to investigate a science topic of his/her choice and design a report. Those planning to be teachers teach the topic using hands-on activities that are appropriate for the grade level he/she is planning to teach. The student is then required to prepare a written report detailing the lesson plan, assessment method, and literature supporting his/her type of activity. Those not planning to teach present an oral and written report of the topics they studied.
Goals and Objectives of Course
The student will be able:
1. To use problem-solving strategies necessary to understand the nature of science and scientific inquiry;
2. To organize and interpret data and construct bar, circle, and line graphs as part of the function of research design and experimentation;
3. To identify resource materials and use methods appropriate for scientific literacy;
4. To develop conceptual scientific knowledge (concepts, facts, generalizations) necessary to understand the reliability of scientific knowledge and its constant scrutiny and refinement for scientific inquiry and literacy, being aware of assumptions, influencing conditions, and limits of empirical knowledge;
5. To develop strategies and practices required to provide empirical answers to research questions, including data collection and analysis, modeling, argumentation with evidence, constructing explanations, decision-making skills, reflective-thinking skills, and interpersonal skills essential to scientific inquiry;
6. To develop a positive global perspective essential for scientific inquiry and literacy;
7. To learn earth and physical science concepts essential to an understanding of the natural world and the role and nature of the theory in explaining and predicting events and phenomena;
8. To make use of inductive and deductive strategies that require scientific investigation, interpretation of findings, including self-checking mechanisms used by science to increase objectivity, including peer review and communication of results;
9. To develop and implement instruction which involves hands-on experience and leads to meaningful learning that promotes positive attitudes toward science and facilitates solving practical problems;
10. To learn appropriate instructional strategies essential to scientific inquiry and literacy.
Assessment Measures
Conceptual schemes are based on pre-lecture preparation, homework, and tests. Process skills are demonstrated by the student for measurement by the instructor.
Other Course Information
None
APPROVAL AND SUBSEQUENT REVIEWS
DATE ACTION REVIEWED BY
September 24, 2001 - Reviewed by Walter S. Jaronski, Chair, Department of Chemistry and Physics
March 01, 2021