Oersted medal lecture 2007: Interactive simulations for teaching physics: What works, what doesn't, and why

American Journal of Physics

Volumn 76, Issue 4-5, 2008, Pages 393-399

  Wieman, Carl E ^a,b   Perkins, Katherine K ^b   Adams, Wendy K ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA   (Canada)

^b UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 41849143800     PISSN: 00029505     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1119/1.2815365     Document Type: Article

References (23)

1. See 〈phet.colorado.edu〉.
2. 〈www.colorado.edu/physics/2000〉.
3. K. K. Perkins, W. Adams, M. Dubson, N. Finkelstein, S. Reid, C. Wieman, and Ron LeMaster, "PhET: Interactive simulations for teaching and learning physics," Phys. Teach. 44, 18-23 (2006);
4. M. Linn, H.-S. Lee, R. Tinker, R. Husic, and J. Chiu, "Teaching and assessing knowledge integration in science," Science 313, 1049-1050 (2006);
5. T. deJong, "Computer simulations: Technology advances in inquiry learning," Science 312, 532-533 (2006).
6. Wolfgang Christian and Mario Belloni, Physlet Physics: Interactive Illustrations, Explorations and Problems for Introductory Physics (Pearson, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2004), and 〈webphysics.davidson.edu/Applets/ Applets.html〉.
7. See, for example, How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School, edited by J. Bransford, A. Brown, and R. Cocking (National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 2000).
8. L. C. McDermott and E. F. Redish, "Resource Letter on physics education research," Am. J. Phys. 67(9), 755-767 (1999);
9. C. Clark and R. Mayer, E-Learning and the Science of Instruction (Pfeiffer, San Francisco, 2003).
10. W. K. Adams, S. Reid, R. LeMaster, S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, "A study of educational simulations, Part I - Engagement and learning," J. Interactive Learning Res., to be published; W. K. Adams, S. Reid, R. LeMaster, S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, "A study of educational simulations, Part II - Interface design," J. Interactive Learning Res., to be published. Preprints are available from 〈www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/research/papers_talks.htm〉.
11. N. D. Finkelstein, W. K. Adams, C. J. Keller, P. B. Kohl, K. K. Perkins, N. S. Podolefsky, and S. Reid, "When learning about the real world is better done virtually: A study of substituting computer simulations for laboratory equipment," Phys. Rev. Special Topics, Phys. Educ. Res. 1, 010103-1-18 (2005).
12. C. J. Keller, N. D. Finkelstein, K. K. Perkins, and S. J. Pollock, "Assessing the effectiveness of a computer simulation in conjunction with Tutorials in Introductory Physics in undergraduate physics recitations," 2005 PERC Proceedings, edited by P. Heron, L. McCullaugh, and J. Marx (AIP, Melville, NY, 2006).
13. N. D. Finkelstein, W. Adams, C. Keller, K. Perkins, C. Wieman, and the PhET Team, "High-tech tools for teaching physics: The physics education technology project," J. Online Teaching Learning (2006).
14. PhET's suggestions for creating guided inquiry-based activities available at 〈phet.colorado.edu/new/teacher_ideas/contribution-guidelines.pdf〉.
15. C. Crouch, A. Fagen, J. P. Callan, and E. Mazur, "Classroom demonstrations: Learning tools or entertainment?," Am. J. Phys. 72, 835-838 (2004).
16. W.-M. Roth, C. J. McRobbie, K. B. Lucas, and S. Boutonne, "Why may students fail to learn from demonstrations? A social practice perspective on learning in physics," J. Res. Sci. Teach. 34, 509-533 (1997).
17. E. Mazur, Peer Instruction: A User's Manual (Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1997).
18. R. K. Thornton and D. R. Sokoloff, "Assessing student learning of Newton's laws: The force and motion conceptual evaluation," Am. J. Phys. 66(4), 228-351 (1998).
19. L. C. McDermott, P. S. Shaffer, and the University of Washington Physics Education Research Group, Tutorials in Introductory Physics (Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2002).
20. S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, "Reforming a large lecture modern physics course for engineering majors using a PER-based design," in 2006 PERC Proceedings, edited by L. McCullaugh, L. Hsu, and P. Heron (AIP, Melville, NY, 2007).
21. S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, M. Dubson, C. Malley, S. Reid, R. LeMaster, and C. E. Wieman, "Developing and researching PhET simulations for teaching quantum mechanics," Am. J. Phys. 76, 406-417 (2008).
22. S. B. McKagan, W. Handley, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, "A research-based curriculum for teaching the photoelectric effect." Preprint 〈www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/research/papers_talks.htm〉.
23. R. N. Steinberg, G. E. Oberem, and L. C. McDermott, "Development of a computer-based tutorial on the photo-electric effect," Am. J. Phys. 64, 1370-1379 (1996).