Why American Schools Need to Change the Way They Teach Physics

America has a physics problem.

Research shows that access to physics education varies by race, gender, sexuality, and disability. Physics courses are typically standard in suburban high schools, but not in urban and rural schools.

Even in places where physics is taught, attention is rarely paid to the application of physics in students' everyday lives.

This approach can hinder students' curiosity. In my work as a physics education researcher, I have encountered lessons that focus on memorizing formulas. This method fails to encourage critical thinking, which limits students' ability to solve problems creatively.

Teachers sometimes assume that if a student ...