From Probability, Dynamics, and Modeling to Biology, Physics, and Instrumentation: Constructing an Upper-Division Course That Majors and Nonmajors Actually Take

Despite great progress in pedagogy, the actual content of upper-division Physics courses would in many cases be familiar to a time traveler from another century. I'll outline a strategy that I and others have used to create several new courses. Briefly, it involves: (1) Identifying an ongoing scientific revolution as a destination, then asking what classic frameworks are needed to go beyond mere description; (2) Identifying general-purpose skills that are needed for this and other current research; and (3) If necessary, asking what existing course could be remodeled to offer this new one within existing departmental constraints. For example, in a biological physics context the answers could involve (1) The current revolutions in optics; (2) Basic skills involving modeling, including probabilistic models; and (3) Revising the syllabus of "Modern Physics" or another such course. More broadly, I'll mention other case studies where this approach has worked, some rough metrics of success, and some new textbooks embodying these ideas.