Computers in Physics Instruction. Proceedings of a Conference (Raleigh, North Carolina, August 1-5, 1988) (original) (raw)
Related papers
Using computers in teaching physics
1989
The computer has revolutionized the way we do physics, but surprisingly, it has not significantly altered the way we teach physics. Talks and papers on teaching with computers fill the meetings and journals of the American Association of Physics Teachers, and workshops on the topic abound, yet the real impact of computers in the classroom is slight. In physics research, change comes quickly, disseminates rapidly and is widely appreciated.
1994
The 15 conference papers in this report address a variety of issues such as computer applications in mechanics and optics, three-dimensional representation in physics teaching, computers in the physics laboratory, information technologies, the perceptual approach in physics education, improving students' conceptual understanding in physics, using computers in teaching physics to medical students, physics curriculum
Contribution of the Computer Technologies in the Teaching of Physics: Critical Review and Conception
2013
in the present research, we will synthesize the main research results about the development of interactive computer environments for physics teaching and learning. We will see that few types of software propose environments that take into account the user's erroneous representations in order to make him become aware of his mistakes. The majority of these softwares present modelling activities that are restricted to the automatic collection of experimental data and their analysis under graphical form. As a consequence, we will present the design of computer environments for the learning of the phenomenona of absorption and diffusion of light which will take into account the user's initial representations. The design of these environments is divided in five steps: (1) diagnostic of the user's initial representations; (2) confrontation of the user's initial representations by the simulation; (3) reconstruction by the user of his representations following the completion by the user of the simulation; (4) reconstruction of the user's representations following the presentation by the software of scientific information related to the case studied and (5) assessment of the current state of understanding of the user by the software.
Developing A Computer-Rich Physics Curriculum at a Liberal-Arts College
Computers in Physics, 1997
T he oft-quoted assertion that the advancement of physics is now equally dependent on experiment, theory, and computation has had little impact on undergraduate pedagogy.l The paddle-shaped scholar's pallet-now a notepadupon which a student transcribes a lecture, supplemented by 19th-century experiments in mechanics, optics, electricity, and magnetism, is still the principal method used to introduce the vast majority of students to physics in the undergraduate curriculum. This is not to say that computers have not found widespread use in the curriculum. Many programs have been improved using microcomputer-based laboratories (MBLs) for data acquisition and analysis, and there is evidence of cognitive gains as a result ofthis approach.2,3 Some professors have computerized their lectures to provide broad accessibility, but it is not clear that they have proceeded beyond electronic versions of annotated class notes. What has not happened is a systemic revision of the curriculum that takes into account the importance of computation in our profession. If the computer has changed professional practice and offers advantages over the technologies of previous generations, what are the advantages and how can they be incorporated into an education that has its roots in the seven original liberal arts: logic, grammar, geometry, arithmetic, rhetoric, music, and astronomy? Thinking about these questions has led to a decade-long revision of the Davidson College physics curriculum. This process has forced us to learn new skills and think about what our students and we do for a living, and how the computer fits into the big picture. The lessons that this process has have taught us are summarized briefly in "What Works (For Us)" (this page).
Physics Education: The Role and Benefits of Cutting-Edge Technology
Pahale Pahal Prakashan, 2023
The integration of modern technology into the teaching-learning process has revolutionized education across various disciplines, including physics. This article explores the application and utility of modern technology in enhancing the teaching and learning of physics. We discuss how technologies such as simulations, virtual laboratories, and interactive multimedia, and online platforms have transformed the traditional pedagogical approaches. By leveraging these advancements, educators can create more engaging, interactive, and personalized learning experiences for students, fostering deeper understanding and critical thinking skills. Moreover, the article highlights the potential challenges and considerations associated with the implementation of technology in physics education. The insights presented here emphasize the importance of a balanced and strategic incorporation of technology to maximize its benefits in the physics classroom.
The Computerized Models in Physics Teaching: Computational Physics and ICT
Computational Physics is considered as a multidisciplinary field which includes Computational Science Engineering and Mathematics. Physics Instruction has incorporated Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a fundamental part of Instruction. Despite this incorporation, it lacks of certain typology about what modelling and simulation is and what are the basic characteristics which should be involved in Physics Instruction.
1999
Reform initiatives call for increased use of computers in K-12 science classrooms. It therefore becomes increasingly important to understand how particular types of computer software and pedagogical structures can support interactions that lead to meaningful learning by students. The role that the computer plays in students' learning in a collaborative environment depends not only on the ways that students use the computer and software but also on how they interact with each other as they use the computer. In this paper, we present some research results of studies that were conducted in collaborative guided-inquiry physical science courses for prospective elementary teachers. In these courses, each group of three students had access to its own computer. We first describe how the computer can be used as a representational tool to support meaning-making conversations in small student groups. Second, we discuss how special computer simulators make it easier for groups of students to construct robust conceptual models. It does so by providing the opportunity for students to make model-like observations that can help them bridge the phenomenological and conceptual domains. Finally, we discuss the design of this pedagogy, how the computer is embedded within classroom activities, and how these activities are based on prior research in science learning.