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Re: Empiry



At 09:54 PM 1/8/98 -0600, Herb wrote:
*************
At 09:32 PM -0500 1/8/98, John Gastineau wrote:
...
Students know that the underlying rules of the simulation are the very
rules that they are expected to learn in their physics course. As a
result they have _considerable_ respect for the simulation--it allows
them a tool to explore those rules in a way that complements physical
experiments particularly well. It might help their grades, after all.
(!)


I'm not at all convinced that students "know" that at all; it's all a big
electronic game to them. And knowing that doing the simulation and
"believing it" might help their grades is NOT and inducement to learning.

*****************

I guess I should have used ;-) (a wink) rather than (!). Grades have
nothing to do with it. On what are you basing your assertion that
students believe it is all a game?

How do I know that students know the rules behind the simulation are the
ones that they are supposed to be studying? By asking them. They affirm
this after testing the simulation against their own calculations, and by
comparing the simulation results to experiment. Then, they have
confidence and trust that the simulation works within the domain tested.

And, that attitude is NOT unreasonable or unscientific; it is the same
thing NASA or Boeing does when doing computer modeling of flight systems.
Yes, the simulation can still fail unexpectedly, but that doesn't happen
often. When you get an unexpected result in simulation, the next step is
to explore further, not to just believe the result.

Aside: I use Interactive Physics a lot when I teach mechanics. EVERY time
I've doubted an IP result, other than patently obvious integration error
problems, I have learned something in discovering that IP was right after
all.

Used as just one component of an experience-rich physics course,
simulations can be very, very helpful. Used as an authority, without
support as to why one might believe the simulation, simulations can be
dangerous. But I already said pretty much that.

I will buy the assertion that some (a minority) feel it's all an
electronic game, but then the same students feel that all of physics is a
game, with rules to be learned so the exams can be passed. Then, the
rules can be forgotten after the MCATs. It's not just the simulations.

JEG

__________________________________

John E. Gastineau mailto: gastineau@mindspring.com KC8IEW
900 B Ridgeway Ave. http://gastineau.home.mindspring.com
Morgantown WV 26505 (304) 296-1966 voice (304) 296-5035 fax
USA