Re: Computer Interfaces in the Physics Lab

[Rick Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

As Professor, TA, Support Staff, and janitor combined, I too am wary of too
much computerization in the labs (this despite the fact that I spend most of
my day at the computer writing software and reading listserve messages.)
The real question in all of this is just what are the pedagogical goals of
the lab experience.  Some of the Physics Research folks will argue that
since they are stressing conceptual understanding, using the computer as a
black box to plot position|velocity|acceleration versus time is fine since
their goal is to have the students recognize the behavior of these variables
in conjunction with recognizable motion.  I guess I can't argue with that.
However, if you are trying to teach people to do science, to do physics,
then you really need to be sure that the students understand all of the
basics.  To me, this means they need to take some data with stopwatches,
with voltmeters and ammeters, they need to plot some data and take some
slopes by hand, etc., etc.  Later in the curriculum, once the students
really understand the simple experiments, THEN it can be appropriate to move
on to computer interfaced data collection/analysis.  Just my $.02.

Rick

**************************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Associate Professor of Physics
Department of Chemistry & Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
219-284-4664
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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----- Original Message -----
From: "mike sloothaak set L DIG" <mike.sloothaak@EXCITE.COM>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 6:12 PM
Subject: Computer Interfaces in the Physics Lab


> I'm support staff in a small college, just hired.
>
> I am surprised (and frankly, a little concerned) about how introductory
> physics labs are shifting towards computer based experiments. I have
always
> tried to adhere to the KISS philosophy. For example, to show students
linear
> relationship of a simple resistor (ohm's law), I want to use a DC power
> supply, a resistor with pretty colored stripes (or a length of resistance
> wire) a voltmeter and an ammeter, a pencil and graph paper.
>
> But I am feeling pressured to use a complete PC, a PASCO 750 interface
with
> its accompaning software, a power amplifier, a rheostat.... And of course
a
> printer to give the students a copy of the graph the software makes.
>
> I am concerned that physics educators are feeling pressure to computerize
> for the sake of computerizing. When I ask my professors why we need the
> computer to do "Ohm's Law", I do not get answers based on physics or
> pedagogy, but rather on apperances. "Other schools are doing it this way",
> or "the students expect to see computers in today's labs. They consider us
> backwards if they are not there."
>
> Now, I think computers have a place in these labs. Computers are
especially
> useful to collect and analyze big repetitive data sets, and using a spread
> sheet to analyze such data is good experience for students in a wide range
> of fields. But I really DON'T see many other educational advantages. And
> they often violate my KISS philosophy, which I feel is the cornerstone to
> good science.
>
> Students and instructors often spend more time getting the
> software/interface up and running than doing physics, and often these
> complex computer-based set-up force teacher and student to do the
experiment
> the ONE way that the software expects. It is often difficult to EXPERIMENT
> with the experiments.
>
> I'd like to read the comments of others on this trend.
>
>
>
>
>
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