Physics is one of the most challenging course sequences many engineering students take. For too many, the first physics class is the last. They not only drop the course, but also leave the engineering program. Determined to keep more good students in engineering, physics faculty developed a preparatory course–now they just have to convince students to take it.

"Failure in physics has little to do with how bright students are. It has to do with the fact that physics is hard," said Gary Gladding, professor and associate head of the Physics Department. "It takes time to understand physics, and students who are not at the right level of preparation can get in trouble."

On average, 20% of students fail or withdraw from introductory physics each semester. That percentage increases for minority students--almost double for Hispanics and more than triple for African-American students.

Those numbers could change as more students take advantage of Physics 100, a new course designed to prepare students for their first physics sequence. The course is part of a broad curriculum revision under way in physics. In the past few years, faculty members have adopted new classroom instruction techniques, used more collaborative learning, Web-based interactive instruction, and introduced more experience- and concept-based problem-solving strategies. Students are reacting positively and more faculty and teaching assistants have made campus teaching excellence lists than ever before.

The Physics 100 course recognizes that students arrive with a variety of backgrounds in math and science. Although introductory physics starts at the beginning, the pace is fast and students who have not seen the material before often fall behind. Physics 100 fills those gaps and brings students up to the level expected for the Physics 111 and 112 sequence. In addition, the course continues to support students as they take the physics sequence by providing supplemental materials and small classroom instruction--a tutoring environment of sorts.

"I’ve come to understand that it’s important to have not only good instruction, but also a good support structure for the transition as students navigate changes in their environment. It’s also important for students to come together to sort out common problems. We’re hoping that takes place in Physics 100," Gladding said.

Data from four years show Physics 100 works--for those who enroll. The class is not required and draws only about 120 students, but more could benefit from it, Gladding said. A voluntary self-evaluation test on the Web can help students find out if they should enroll.

To encourage students from underrepresented groups to take advantage of the course, the college recently began providing financial aid for enrollment. The program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation administered through the college’s Minority Engineering Program.

"We know these student are good, or they wouldn’t be here. So the question becomes this: is there enough support and appropriate structure for them to be successful? It’s just not enough to admit students and say ‘good luck,’" Gladding said.

The course is not static, he added. It is one of several components of a larger research project that the Physics Education Research Group has under way to evaluate new techniques for teaching and learning. Researchers will look at indicators for success and make adjustments as needed to improve the course.

"We’ve been successful for other students and have an expectation that this course will work for minority students as well. We’ll look at data and try to figure out what we might need to do differently, if anything," Gladding said. "If we can remove the barrier of this first physics sequence, then maybe we’ll have larger retention–that’s a critically important goal."