The scientific study of the physical world is a truly advantageous subject for teaching with these concerns in mind, since the structure, reasoning, and community nature of the scientific enterprise have convincing ways to develop these essential skills. The students in an introductory college science or mathematics course are from all areas of the curriculum and have very diverse backgrounds in both science and mathematics. But virtually none of them has been exposed to, or experienced, the notion that thinking about natural phenomena is a time-honored human creative activity, one that is accessible to them and full of significance for their lives. But making room for this discussion in some form or other, by eliminating one or two lectures on some factual content, may be a case of less is more.
Experiments are central to the sciences.
Experiments are planned events which can demonstrate a willingness to have your work validated by others, a feeling of confidence in an ability to think critically, and a willingness to participate in a scientific community, with its criteria and standards of communication. To capture most of the students' minds, the approach must be on broader themes, as well as on particular sets of phenomena. To make clear that scientific approaches are a particularly effective human response to the natural world. To increase understanding of mathematics as an alternate descriptive language. To make the problems, exercises and examinations, thoughtful and well-developed, and pertinent to the level of competency at which the course is aimed.