Innovation in the teaching of introductory physics in higher education: the Applied Physics 50 course at Harvard University

Abstract

In the context of introductory physics courses in higher education, the transmission-based instructional model with lectures remains predominant, despite its inferior outcomes, compared to active teaching methods. In this paper, we present a team- and project-based teaching methodology, created in the context of the Applied Physics 50 (AP50), a course at Harvard University. We describe the pedagogical principles of AP50 as well as the teaching techniques and strategies as a stimulus for reflection on possibilities for reinventing the teaching of Physics at an introductory level, considering the specifics of each educational context.