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-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
[mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf
Of Donald Smith
Sent: Sunday, June 07, 2009 1:02 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Masteringphysics.com
Grfeetings,
We used it in in a very large intro course at the University
of Michigan that I was involved with (a team of five teachers
and about 300 students) in 2004. This was mechanics for
engineers, calc-based. I thought it was fantastic. It took
the students a while to master the syntax of the software,
but once they got that, the program was startlingly flexible,
did a very good job of identifying *what* mistakes the
students had made, and then shunted the students off into a
step-by-step tutortial that helped them explore why they made
the mistake and how to do it better. I was really rather
startled at how good it was at interpreting what they had written.
Interestingly enough, the next semester, I was involved in a
similarly large algebra-based E&M course for life-science
majors, and they hated it. They wanted to go back to
software that only accepted numbers as answers, and could
only tell you whether it was right or wrong, not why or how
you made your mistakes. That baffled me.
I don't use it anymore, because now I have classes with more
like 4-20 students, and I would rather spend more time on
thier writing skills and how well they can explain their
thought processes, but if you have a large group to which you
simply cannot devote that much one-on-one time, I thought
mastering physics was really phenomenally close to having a
tutor standing over your shoulder, giving you tips and
nudges, rather than just telling you right or wrong.
I can only presume they've improved it since 2004. I would
hope. :-) I also seem to remember it was very flexible in
how you could configure it, too.
On Fri, Jun 5, 2009 at 5:26 PM, Ed Seppa
<ekseppa@optonline.net> wrote:
I am considering purchasing a subscription to Masteringphysics.com,use in my
the web-based homework assignment and tutorial system, for
AP Physics B course.