Re: [Phys-l] PDF Based Laboratories

[Peter Schoch <pschoch@nac.net>]

I had an amazing group last year, who opened me to the new generations' idea of "sketches".  They all had cell phones with cameras.  So, once they had the equipment correctly set-up/wired, they took a picture!  Then, they printed it and placed it in their lab notebooks (yes, for one semester I have them do lab reports and one half lab notebooks -- it gives them a more complete skill set).

I WAS a bit skeptical, until one week, someone had to make up a lab and they were confused about a wiring set up.  Before I could say anything, one of the other students (who was working on a different experiment) said -- "Just look in my notebook, the picture is there and I can explain it to you if you are confused."  So, I just sat back and watched.  Sure enough, the student doing the makeup got confused, and the other student came over and said how things should be referring only to their notebook image and the notes accompanying it -- all from a second semester FRESHMAN class!  Those are the moments I strive to get more of -- luckily (or through shear cussedness) I seem to be succeeding.

Peter Schoch

On Jul 19, 2011, at 3:03 PM, DMathies@tulsacc.edu wrote:

> As Bernard says you can do almost all of this with Word. You can paste 
> images by using the screen capture (ctrl-alt-prnt screen in Windows) and 
> pasting it into Word. One thing you want that it does not do well is 
> sketching. If all you want to do is vector drawings it is not too 
> difficult use the insert - shapes - arrow to created the arrows. If you 
> want a drawing of the experimental setup or a schematic it is very hard 
> and time consuming. I have been using a similar system with Word for 
> years. I no longer require sketches because of the hassle.
>
> Don Mathieson
> Tulsa Community College
> dmathies@tulsacc.edu
>
>
>
>
> Paul Corbitt <pcorbi1@umbc.edu> 
> Sent by: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> 07/19/2011 10:56 AM
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> [Phys-l] PDF Based Laboratories
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> I am a grad student at UMBC <www.umbc.edu> working on revising the
> introductory algebra based physics labs.  One of our goals is to be able 
> to
> distribute the labs as pdf files.  In the lab we are using Mac computers 
> and
> Logger Pro software.
>
> I have been able to make some pdf forms using Adobe Acrobat X.  The 
> problem
> is that with Adobe Reader you cannot save the form once it is filled out;
> you can only print a paper copy which defeats the purpose of doing things
> electronically.  So we have been searching for an application (preferably
> free) that can do 3 tasks with a pdf: insert text, paste images from 
> Logger
> Pro, and do basic sketching (drawing vectors, etc).  So far our search has
> found only software that does only part of the three features mentioned
> above.  The main problem appears to be inserting the graphics.  I have 
> tried
> using Skim Reader <http://skim-app.sourceforge.net/> which is very nice
> except for the fact that the I have as yet not been paste in an image.
>
> If anyone has any suggestions as to either the software or a work around I
> would like to hear from you.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Paul Corbitt
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