Quality Curriculum

Having just moved back to Alberta this year I received my first taste of the new Alberta Physics curriculum. At first glance I was impressed with the level of technical difficulty in the course, particularly the Physics 30. However when I started looking at the specifics of the course some things started to bother me.
I've noticed several topics where students are asked to accept a number of brute facts. They are asked to know something without understanding it. A perfect example of this is the Compton effect. On of the big changes in many course materials is the inclusion of a new formula for calculating the wavelength change of photons when they interact with electrons:



On the face of it this isn't a problem, however all the resources I've looked at (which includes materials from Alberta Learning, Edmonton Public Schools and the Alberta Distance Learning Center) tell students they can use this equation to determine the change in wavelength. Never any explanation on how the equation was developed or why it works. And the reason? Its too difficult. That's not actually said, but to derive this particular expression you need to use relativistic mass & energy concepts which are not part of Physics 30.
As educators its important to remember that Quality Curriculum isn't necessarily Difficult Curriculum (or Easy Curriculum for that matter). Quality Curriculum in the 21st century is one that encourages students to think critically, engages them in what they are learning and is relevant to their lives. In the case of Science Education, and Physics in particular, this should be a curriculum that is free of brute facts. We shouldn't be telling our students to remember this or know that. We should be explaining why things are the way they are and the reason they need to know something. And yet, over and over I see curriculum and lessons where students are told to "use this formula to solve this type of question" without explaining why it works or more importantly why they should even care.
Hopefully the new push for 21st Century Learning will also look at ways we can continue to deliver a Curriculum rich in knowledge and ideas but also in critical thinking and engagement.