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How Technology Can Help Your How Technology Can Help Your Students Build a Deeper Students Build a Deeper Understanding of the Subject and Understanding of the Subject and Enjoy Learning PhysicsEnjoy Learning Physics
By Dr. Marina Milner-Bolotin
Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of British Columbia
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You cannot teach a
man anything, you can
only help him to find it
within himself.
Galileo Galilei
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Inquiry-Based Physics TeachingInquiry-Based Physics Teaching
Applications: Problem solving, everyday life uses, new predictions
Prediction
IF-THENUnsuccessful
Observational experiments
Physical model
Testing
Experiment
Successful
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Technology – What is it Good for?Technology – What is it Good for?
Enhanced Experiments
MBL
Video
Visualization Simulations WWW
Dialogue Beyond the Classroom
Interactive Lessons Lectures
Problem Solving
Is it all? What else?
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Physics Problem Data-BasesPhysics Problem Data-Bases
• Mastering Physics (Free with Knight Textbook purchase – or $28 per semester per student): www.masteringphysics.com
• The University of TX Database – Free
• Database (The Department and the students pay) www.webassign.com
• Many other databases – some are free
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Interactive Problem-Solving - MPInteractive Problem-Solving - MP
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Online Resources - ActivPhysicsOnline Resources - ActivPhysics
Physics problem solving: simulations, advice, strategies, graphs, diagrams, charts, interactive problems…
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Technology and Multiple Technology and Multiple RepresentationsRepresentations
1 - i1 R1 - i3 R3 = 0
2 - i2 R2 - i3 R3 = 0
i1 + i2 = i3
i1 i2 i3
R1 R2 R3
1 2 ActivPhysics helps
students create and connect
different representations
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ActivPhysicsActivPhysics
Students visualize a problem, build energy bar charts, solve it, make and test predictions…
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Peer Response SystemsPeer Response Systems
• Systems which allow students answer multiple choice questions and transmit their answer to instructor’s computer
• The answers can be displayed during the lesson and analyzed later
• There are many different systems available– PRS – EduCue – Addison Wesley
http://www.aw-bc.com/catalog/academic/product/0,1144,0321267354-DS,00.html
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Peer Response SystemPeer Response System
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Interactive Lectures – Using PRSInteractive Lectures – Using PRS
A sample starts with 1000 radioactive atoms. How many half-lives have elapsed when 750 atoms have decayed?
1. 0.252. 0.753. 1.54. 2.05. 2.5
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PRS: Who Does More Work?PRS: Who Does More Work?
1. Bob2. Joe3. Both did the same amount of work
Both men pick up the barrels with const speed
Assume the rolling friction is very small
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PRS: Applying Gauss’s LawPRS: Applying Gauss’s LawThese are two-dimensional cross sections through three-
dimensional closed spheres and a cube. Rank order, from largest
to smallest, the electric fluxes a to e through surfaces a to e.
1. Φa > Φc > Φb > Φd > Φe
2. Φb = Φe > Φa = Φc = Φd
3. Φe > Φd > Φb > Φc > Φa
4. Φb > Φa > Φc > Φe > Φd
5. Φd = Φe > Φc > Φa = Φb
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Immediate Feedback: PRS ResultsImmediate Feedback: PRS Results
Instructor and students get immediate feedback on the material comprehension. Large lecture becomes interactive
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Enhanced Experimentation - MBLEnhanced Experimentation - MBL
Exploring the meaning of the area and slopes of graphs in 1-D Kinematics
Using available equipment, design an experiment which will test the model of 1-D motion
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Enhanced Experimentation - VideoEnhanced Experimentation - Video
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Dialogue Beyond the ClassroomDialogue Beyond the Classroom
• Discussion on problem solving via the interactive software – MP, WebAssign, WebCT, Discussion Boards, etc.
• Getting immediate feedback on problem solving
• Experimenting at home with the real data collected during the class time
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Technology and Physics TeachingTechnology and Physics Teaching
Technology:Technology:
• Is a tool and its effectiveness depends on how you use it
• Doesn’t replace a teacher, but it opens new opportunities
• Helps students to learn interactively outside of the classroom
• Provides opportunities for more effective data analysis (video experiments, MBL, data analysis in Excel, Graphical Analysis)
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Some Online ResourcesSome Online Resources• Technology Enabled Active Learning – TEAL
http://web.mit.edu/giving/spectrum/winter04/teal-teaching.html
• Physics Teaching Technology Resource - Online Videos: http://www.pt3.gse.rutgers.edu/physics/frontp.html
• Mastering Physics: www.masteringphysics.com
• ActivPhysics: http://wps.aw.com/aw_young_physics_11
• Set of PRS problems: http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~milnerm/Phys_100/Conceptual_Questions.html
• PRS Information: http://www.gtcocalcomp.com/index.htm
• MIT – Open Courseware: (video of lectures) http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html
• Interactive applets for teaching physics: http://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/cgi-bin/ss/main