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



John,

As usual I agree with your comments about physical labs vs. simulations. However, as a "PhET person" I'd like to offer one minor correction to your comments. We do not feel that they work better than physical labs. There are a range of learning goals that most instructors have when teaching labs. One of those is often conceptual understanding. We do find that the sims work quite well for this goal but that's not the only goal of labs.

I personally use simulations in my intro algebra based phys labs. But I do not use them alone. I always (with rare exceptions) use them with real equipment. We've found that the two together have a synergistic effect. The sims typically are working best coming first. The students explore the concepts and often do calculations with data from the sims. Then they work with the real equipment.

From our observations it seems that the simulations allow students to explore the concepts with less cognitive load. No real equipment to figure out. Then they practice the calculations with reliable data. Then they use the real thing. We've seen that students are more efficient using the real equipment with this sort of preperation and they are happier about it. Students report on an end of course survey that they like both and would prefer labs that use both and list many sophisticated reasons that match with our observations. In particular they list that they like the real equipment for the connection to the real world. That is something we had not previuosly seen in PhET studies but it is something we'd heard from faculty in the past. Now that we're using them regularly in an actual class, the student reponses are filling out.

Wendy Adams
University of Northern Colorado

---- Original message ----
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:57:46 -0600
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu (on behalf of "John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>)
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Traditional Labs and Online Simulations
To: "'Forum for Physics Educators'" <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>

It certainly is a good concern that the simulation might give away the
answer, but this is mainly a problem with many of the simulations on the web
where the author gives the theory as part of the simulation. Knowing the
theory first makes the students less attentive to the results and according
to PER research is probably one of the reasons for low gain.

But the PHET designers have published research that shows that some
simulations produce superior results. For example using circuit simulations
were superior in that students who used them could wire up a real physical
circuit faster than the students who used only physical apparatus. I
incline to the showing the physical apparatus as part of the "concrete
preparation" for using the simulation to get the results.

An example here is the Modeling momentum lab where students are supposed to
do collisions and make a graph of Sum(mv) after collision vs before
collision. Students are not told what to expect from such a graph. Using a
simulation makes the lab go much faster. Then students have more time for
the wrap up where the concept is developed.

Another great use of simulations is where students can be shown what is
going on microscopically, so the PHET gas simulation allows them to develop
the ideal gas equation at the same time that they can see the molecules.
Then they can gain better understanding of why they get the results.

Finally one of the best uses of simulations is where the students can do
labs that are otherwise impossible, very dangerous, or extremely difficult
and lengthy. So I have them develop Newton's general equation of
gravitation and also look at what happens inside of a planet by using a
simulation of a mass where you can put it at arbitrary distances and find
the force on it. They can also put it inside the planet, and they can vary
the mass of the test object and also that of the planet.

I have gotten gain on the FCI/FMCE consistent with an IE course by using
simulations, so I have no proof that they are inferior to physical labs as
learning experiences. Certainly there is the issue of learning how to use
physical equipment to measure things, but that is a separate issue. Anyone
who will be an experimentalist should encounter physical labs. But since
they are only a small minority of students in early physics courses, that is
not a major concern. In either case one can mix a variety of simulations
and physical labs.

A big problem with physical labs is that students tend to mispercieve what
they see and draw unwarrented conclusions. Simulations can be setup so as
to dampen this problem a bit.

The PHET people seem to be convinced that simulations work equally as well
or better than physical labs. They certainly fit into the mindset of a lot
of students. They are "virtual" reality labs, and are believable to many
students.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX


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