Physics

In 1956 a group of university physics professors and high school physics teachers, led by MIT's Jerrold Zacharias and Francis Friedman, formed the Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC) to consider ways of reforming the teaching of introductory courses in physics. Educators had come to realize that textbooks in physics did little to stimulate students' interest in the subject, failed to teach them to think like physicists, and afforded few opportunities for them to approach problems in the way that a physicist should. In 1957, after the Soviet Union successfully orbited Sputnik , fear spread in the United States that American schools lagged dangerously behind in science. As one response to the perceived Soviet threat the U.S. government increased National Science Foundation funding in support of PSSC objectives.Teaching materials created by the PSSC were designed to emphasize fundamental principles in physics, encouraging engagement and understanding as opposed to memorization, making the subject more attractive to students. The first edition of the high school textbook Physics appeared in 1960, followed by many subsequent editions. Films, teacher guides, standardized tests, and recommendations for inexpensive experimental apparatus (specially designed by the PSSC) were available for use in conjunction with the book. The motion pictures illustrated phenomena that were too complex, or took too long, for practical demonstration in a classroom. https://libraries.mit.edu/archives/exhibits/pssc/