Physics and Astronomy Department The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College SETB 1.214 • 80 Fort Brown • Brownville, TX 78520 • Phone: (956) 882-6779 • Fax: (956) 882-6726

Physics Education, Graduate Students

Dr. Phillip Dukes has overseen the introduction and development into the graduate physics curriculum the methodologies of interactive learning. The Department of Physics and Astronomy now offers the Master’s of Physics with an emphasis in physics education to graduate students who are particularly interested in teaching physics using technology. This program provides physics graduate students opportunities to learn about and use computer based technology in the physics curriculum.

The first recipient of our Master’s of Physics with an emphasis on physics education was Adrienne Rodriguez-Zermeno.

Ms. Adrienne Rodriguez-Zermeno and Dr. Phillip Dukes after her thesis defense April 5, 2006.

Computer Based Simulation Experiences in the General Physics Laboratory.

By Adrienne Rodriguez-Zermeno

Committee Chair: Dr. Phillip Dukes

Committee Members: Dr. Mario Diaz and Dr. Natalia Guevara

April, 2006

Abstract

A thesis presented on the effectiveness of computer based simulations in the laboratory setting. Increasing student understanding is foundational in the area of physics education research. Resent research applied to this foundation has been in the area of computer assisted learning. Computer based simulations have been used in a variety of ways  in the physics classroom. They have been used as lecture demonstrations, as homework assignments and as pre-lab assignments.

This research looks at computer based simulations in the algebra based general physics laboratory setting. Five fundamental and conceptually abstract topics were chosen for investigation: (1) kinematics: multiple representations, (2) dynamics: Newton’s laws, (3) waves: interference, (4) electrostatics: Coulomb’s law, and (5) optics: optical devices. In the Fall 2004 and Spring 2005, this quasi-experimental research looked at the implementation of computer based simulations as an instructional treatment in the laboratory class. One of the laboratory sections, the control group, used the traditional curriculum, while the other two laboratory sections used computer based simulations for a portion of the laboratory assignments. Conceptual pre and post tests were given and a normalized gain was calculated for each laboratory group.

The kinematics evaluation showed similar gains between the active learning and the simulation based laboratory. The electrostatics and optics evaluation showed a higher gain with the simulation based laboratory. The dynamics and wave laboratories showed very low initial scores and relatively no gain from either group. By looking at the effectiveness of the laboratory curriculum in teaching the five target concepts the researcher was able to gain an understanding for the types of laboratory activities that are well suited for computer based simulation.