What is needed by the physics education community is not another computer program (although programs are important), but a synthesis of curriculum development, computational physics, computer science, and physics education research that will be useful for students and adaptable for teachers wishing to write their own simulations and develop their own curricular material. The Internet, Java, and extensible markup language (xml) may enable such a synthesis. The Open Source Physics (OSP) project has created a Java library and an easy to use xml vocabulary for the teaching of computational physics and the distribution of web-based curricular material. This technology enables us to:
We have used the OSP framework to author and organize curricular material from computational physics,
classical mechanics, E&M, and quantum mechanics. [Online version.]
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE-0442581).
We have produced and class-tested interactive Physlet- and Open Source Physics-based curricular material in support of introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses in quantum mechanics. These exercises address both quantitative and conceptual difficulties encountered by many students in such topics as wave function shape, momentum space, time evolution, and classical/quantum-mechanical correlations. Because the materials are Web based and extremely flexible, these exercises are appropriate for use with a variety of levels and pedagogies. Examples of the curricular materials, the results of our preliminary assessment of their effectiveness, and future directions of this project will be discussed.
Part of this work was supported by a Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award (CC5470). Physlets and Open Source Physics are generously supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE-0126439 and DUE-0442581).
Spacetime has fascinated both specialist and layman for over 100 years. Spacetime geometry is a difficult topic for student understanding despite popularizations such as Albert Einstein’s Relativity and Edwin Abbott’s Flatland. There are many reasons to create computer-based material for relativity. Special relativity is the first topic presented in modern physics. It is full of (apparent) paradoxes, and, like quantum mechanics, captivates students’ interest in physics. Because relativity focuses on abstract concepts, visualization is especially valuable. We report the development of new simulations that allow the exploration of spacetime and the role of the observer. Special relativity examples include: visualizing simultaneity, length contraction, time dilation, and spacetime diagrams. General relativity examples include the gravitational red shift, trajectories of particles and light rays, and the observer’s view in the vicinity of non-spinning black holes. [Online version.]
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE-0442581).