Re: [Phys-l] Traditional Labs and Online Simulations

[ludwik kowalski <kowalskil@mail.montclair.edu>]

One way to simulate a lab is to perform a classroom demonstration, for  
example, lasting 30 minutes. Individual students would be called to  
read instruments and to write results on the blackboard. All students  
would be required to write  traditional laboratory reports, as if they  
did everything personally. This is probably better than an online  
computer simulation.

Ludwik
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On Feb 10, 2012, at 12:18 PM, Sean Grealis wrote:

> At my school, I teach 3 different levels of physics (Introduction,  
> Honors,
> and AP C). For my AP classes, our students come to school early two  
> days a
> week to give us extra time to do labs due to the rigorous nature of  
> the
> curriculum.  For my other two levels, however, I do not have  
> dedicated lab
> time. I do not get a double period during the week to do labs, and  
> have to
> make do with 40 minute periods.  Because of this, there are times  
> when I
> have used online simulations rather than full-blown labs simply out  
> of time
> constraints. I would much prefer not to do this, but the students  
> seem to
> really enjoy most of the simulations that I find for them.  I have  
> thought
> about incorporating them as a pre-lab activity, where students would  
> go
> through a simulation and answer some questions before coming into  
> the lab
> and having the hands-on experience.  My main concern with this is  
> that the
> simulation will “give away the answers” as it were. I always view my  
> labs
> as a way for students to investigate and explore natural phenomena,  
> and I
> fear that the simulations may take away from that experience .Does  
> anyone
> else have experience incorporating simulations into traditional lab
> experiences? Thank you.
>
>
> --Sean Grealis
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Ludwik Kowalski, whose profile is at:

http://pages.csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/my_profile.html