Coherent teaching of mechanics with an amusement park physics project

In preparing future physics graduates for tackling complex challenges, we need to equip them not only with expert knowledge but also a deep understanding of how concepts relate to one another and the ability to apply these in real-world contexts. However, in many university curricula, physics, mathematics, and programming are taught separately with only implicit connections, which could lead to a transfer problem: students’ inability to apply the knowledge acquired in one course to problems in another course. Here, we report our attempt for fostering curriculum coherence using an integrated project connecting three parallel courses. Using a survey, interviews, and a reflective focus group with students, we examine how coherence is perceived by students as well as their learning experiences. The quantitative findings of the survey reveal a significant correlation between the integrated project and students’ perceived coherence. The qualitative findings provide complementary insights that students valued the balance between autonomy and structure, the connections between theory and practice, and they reported developing both technical and professional skills. We conclude with teachers’ observations and reflections on how to support students through guidance and plan teamwork to ensure engagement with challenging tasks.