Enbang Li, in his letter “Teaching traditional physics in a rapidly changing world” (Physics Today, February 2016, page 10), has rightly stated that one of the main challenges of teaching electromagnetism (EM) is its heavy mathematical machinery, which many undergraduates find quite abstract. However, in my experience, delivering the main concepts of EM does not require reliance on mathematics.
I have been teaching EM theory for the past four years, and the last time I taught it, I used the Socratic or discussion method, with good results. The students showed an increased interest in reading in general, and they actually tried to understand concepts rather than studying for exams. Many became quite comfortable with EM, a great achievement since the course is traditionally considered to be difficult. I also found that students were applying the concepts they’d learned to things they experienced every day.
Instead of writing and solving equations, the students engage in a more intuitive discussion of the main concepts and their relevance to natural phenomena and the applications and devices that we use regularly. Here are the main points of how I teach by the Socratic method:1
• Start the class with an interesting, relatable, and answerable question.
• List all the students’ answers and discuss them broadly for a few minutes. If students have missed a crucial answer, give them hints that lead to it.
• From the list of answers, pick those directly related to the particular topic and continue the discussion.
• Gradually introduce concepts by asking thought-provoking but not difficult questions. If necessary, give the students additional clues. If the method is done well, students will pose questions, other students will answer them, and the teacher effectively becomes a moderator in a panel discussion.
• Do not try to finish a set amount of material during each class. Discuss only as much as the students can understand.
The approach also fosters a deep sense of connectivity between scientific concepts and our own perception of reality. I urge all physics teachers to give the method serious consideration.
