Colloquium: Jason Harlow

Less Math, More Wonder - Physics Courses for Non-Scientists

Abstract

At the University of Toronto, all undergraduate students are required to specialize in one or more disciplines while also completing a small number of “breadth courses” outside their primary areas of study. These courses are intended to broaden students’ perspectives and introduce them to different ways of thinking and constructing knowledge. Physics breadth courses, in particular, give students pursuing non-science degrees an opportunity to see how physicists model the world, reason from evidence, and grapple with uncertainty.  

In this talk, I will discuss the kinds of topics and ideas that can be effectively explored in introductory physics courses without requiring extensive mathematics. I will present findings from educational research on the impact and effectiveness of these courses. I will also share some teaching strategies that have proven effective for today’s learners, and I will conclude with reflections on designing new breadth courses in physics.

Bio

Jason Harlow is a Teaching-Stream Professor in Physics at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, where he has taught since 2004. He has received multiple teaching awards, including from the University of Toronto and the Canadian Association of Physicists. Jason developed two of the university’s most popular physics breadth courses - The Physics of Everyday Life and The Physics of Music - each enrolling over 300 students annually. He has also published on the effectiveness of breadth courses in Physics in Canada.

Host: Joanne O'Meara