[bombcar]

> I imagine many of the students there don't really care about physics.

This has been my experience, time and time again. If the student is interested in the subject matter, almost any educational method works tremendously well, because the failings are compensated for by the student.

If the student is just there to get past the class because of a requirement, it's quite hard for any method to work tremendously well. However, some methods (say small seminar vs large lecture) can be more conductive to triggering that interest "for its own sake".

But I well know I went through seminar-style classes of 15 or so students in subjects I didn't care about and didn't want to care about, and I performed as necessary to get through without repeating.

[aidenn0]

This study would seem to contradict that sentiment, unless you suggest that interest in specifically statics or fluids (the two subjects taught on the days studied) was narrowly triggered over an interest in mechanics in general.