Employing real experiments and modern viewpoints in the teaching of modern physics

Abstract: This is a report of a course on modern physics designed and taught to undergraduate science and engineering students in the Spring of 2013. The course, meant for freshmen, attempts to integrate statistical mechanics into non-classical physics and introduces some novel teaching ideas such as the field approach in contrast to typical wave and particle viewpoints traditionally covered in usual textbooks. The various modern applications of quantum theory in realizing practical devices are recounted in a way that is amenable to beginners. Especially, we describe the inclusion of visually appealing and carefully designed robust experiments inside the formal classroom environment. This collection of applications and demonstrations serves as a useful collection of teaching aids and can be easily transformed into active learning exercises. The impact of this teaching strategy on student learning and its role in exciting an interest in physics is assessed.