Education Articles

Here is the collection of expert education articles that deal with academia, pedagogy and education in general. Some of these are in the perspective of the student, some as an administrator and others as a teacher.

chatgpt-reliable

Why ChatGPT AI Is Not Reliable

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138 Comments
I'll start with the simple fact: ChatGPT is not a reliable answerer to questions.To try to explain why from scratch would be a heavy lift, but fortunately,…
Carl Sagan

When Pro Scientists Explain Using Pop Science

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19 Comments
Abstract There is so much to say about the many endeavors by professional scientists to explain to us the world. The list is long: Carl Sagan, Harald…
mechanical conservation of energy

Why Bother Teaching Mechanical Energy Conservation?

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7 Comments
Note: It is assumed that the reader has read part I and part II of the series.Is Mechanical Energy Conservation Free of Ambiguity? Can We Do Better…
abacus introduction

An Introduction to the Traditional Abacus of China and Japan

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7 Comments
Introduction Abacuses are commonly seen in ancient civilizations around the world as a convenient tool to do simple calculations. In this article, we…
workethic

Why Work Ethic Is a Key to Success for Science Majors

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25 Comments
After earning a 4.0 GPA in his first semester as a Physics major at an esteemed state university, our son (and homeschool grad) attributes his…
undergradresearch

Finding Niches for Publishable Undergraduate Research

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6 Comments
Undergraduate interest in research is a good thing; it's even better if they aspire to publish their work for review and consideration from a broader audience.…
coldquestioning

How to Ask Questions Effectively and Avoid Cold Questions

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71 Comments
We frequently get questions such as these:"What is energy?""What are Cooper Pairs?""What is conservation of momentum?"etc...etc.And…
physicslab

Revamping Undergraduate Introductory Physics Laboratory

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19 Comments
This is a compilation of my blog entry on this singular "project" to change the way we conduct the introductory physics laboratory in most US universities.…
learned

What Is The Most Important Thing That You Learned?

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10 Comments
I mentioned in an earlier Insight what I think are the most important things you can learn by being on Physics Forums. This time, I tackled the question…
boatramps

Real Research in Unexpected Places; Boat Ramps

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4 Comments
Read part 1 -Backyards, Barns, BayousWhen I was offered a job at the Air Force Academy, it seemed like an opportunity to exercise both my commitment…
fakenews

The Problem of Fake News and Science Reporting

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107 Comments
During and even after the recent US election campaign, numerous reports of fake news, made-up news, and other kinds of news were deemed either outright…
fishresearch

Real Research in Unexpected Places: Backyards, Barns, Bayous

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2 Comments
21st-century science labors under the myth that good experimental science requires expensive lab facilities in a university or institutional setting.…
whystudyphysics

Why Study Physics? A Bit Goes a Long Way!

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6 Comments
If you don’t plan to become a scientist or an engineer, is there a good reason to study physics?  I say, “Yes,” because knowing just a little bit…
govandteachers

Blaming Government for Teacher and Scientist Failures in Integrity

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46 Comments
The article, "Governmental policy is wrecking science," makes some interesting points but is fundamentally in error, because government policy is only…
quantumhard

Why Is Quantum Mechanics So Difficult?

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254 Comments
Quantum Mechanics Key points:Quantum mechanics (QM) is often perceived as difficult, especially by non-physicists. The difficulty lies in the…
imagination

Why Imagination Without Knowledge Is Ignorance Waiting to Happen

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15 Comments
Introduction My feelings on people who think that imagination is more important than knowledge are well-known. These people simply are parroting Einstein's…

Why You Should Not Use Wikipedia As Your Primary Source

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108 Comments
It is no secret to anyone who has read my posts in this forum for a while that I do not like Wikipedia. I think that there's a fundamental flaw with the…
learnfrompf

The Most Important Thing You Can Learn from Physics Forums

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15 Comments
It is a bit pompous of me to think that I can tell you the most important thing you can learn from Physics Forums (PF). After all, each one of us here…
theoex

False Physics Major Dichotomy: Theorist or Experimentalist?

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27 Comments
Many physics majors believe that pursuing a Ph.D. in physics requires them to choose between theory and experiment. Due to my weaknesses in math, I…