Re: Physics education via the internet?

["Paul Camp" <pjcamp@coastal.edu>]

The greatest thing about computers (in my opinion) is that they 
enable you to take all the old lecture demonstration/lab stuff 
(especially in mechanics) and make it more interactive, to involve 
the students in the demonstrations while they are being carried out. 
Use the MBL materials and you can go through a 
predict/discuss/observe/reconcile cycle that goes a long way toward 
insuring that the students see the same thing you see. It is better 
for them to be able to carry out the experiments themselves but as 
Sokoloff and Thornton have shown, even simply making a demonstration 
interactive rather than show-and-tell helps a great deal.

Just an aside -- if you can, think about buying one of the 
large-monitor computers such as the Gateway Destination. With a 31" 
monitor, even the back of the room can see what is going on.

> If this plan is carried out, how will it benefit our teaching of physics?
>  Should there be less emphasis on the use of physics textbooks, teacher
> demonstrations, lab exercises, problem solving, group discussions, and
> other traditional ways to teach physics? .................. or should all
> of these items be retained and allow an extra hour or two each day for
> surfing physics via internet? 
>
> Herb Gottlieb from New York City
> (Where priority is being given to upgrade our failing schools)

Paul J. Camp                   "The Beauty of the Universe
Assistant Professor of Physics  consists not only of unity
Coastal Carolina University     in variety but also of 
Conway, SC   29528              variety in unity.
pjcamp@coastal.edu                    --Umberto Eco
pjcamp@postoffice.worldnet.att.net    The Name of the Rose
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