Last updated November 4, 2003.
Project CLEA in the 21st Century: Observational Astronomy
Simulations in the Instructional Laboratory
Dick Cooper, Gettysburg College, dcooper@gettysburg.edu
Though the value of hands-on learning has long been recognized by educators,
it is difficult to design laboratories in astronomy classes that present realistic
astrophysical techniques to undergraduate students. Unlike most other sciences,
astronomy is largely observational, not experimental, and making useful observations
involves expensive equipment over time scales incovenient for pedagogy. In recent
years, however, astronomy has gone almost completely digital, and the advent
of large on-line data bases and fast personal computers has made it possible
to realistically simulate the experience of research astrophysics in the laboratory.
Since 1992, Project CLEA (Contemporary Laboratory Experiences in Astronomy) has been developing such computer-based exercises aimed primarily at the introductory astronomy laboratory. These exercises simulate important techniques of astronomical research using digital data and Windows-based software. Each of the 9 exercises developed to date consists of software, technical guides for teachers, and student manuals for the exercises.
CLEA software is used at many institutions in all 50 States and over 60 countries world-wide, in a variety of settings from middle school to upperclass astronomy classes. We will describe and demonstrate some of the CLEA materials and talk about our design philosophy. The workshop will focus on the two newest labs, Object X and Solar Rotation, but all participants will receive a CD with all the LATEST CLEA software and documentation. Hopefully, it will be of value to be used in your curriculum.
Plans for future development will be presented. Project CLEA is supported by grants from Gettysburg College and the National Science Foundation. http://www.gettysburg.edu/academics/physics/clea/CLEAhome.html
Creating Interactive Applets with Macromedia Director
Raman Pfaff, ExploreLearning
Web-based physics applets allow students to actively explore concepts
in classroom demonstrations or independent study, and can be integrated with
online assessment to increase student learning. Creation of the applets (similar
to those at www.ExploreLearning.com
and www.ExploreScience.com) is possible
with many techniques (JAVA, Flash, VRML, etc.). This interactive tutorial will
focus on Macromedia Director (for the Mac or PC platform). The tutorial will
present the fundamentals of Director, and the Director programming language
(Lingo) that enables advanced simulations. Topics will include creation of an
interactive applet, importing cast members, developing scripts, and placing
completed files on the Web, along with discussion of the Havok Physics Xtra
and 3D support that are included with Macromedia Director. While demonstrating
the software, we will step through the entire development process for a simple
simulation. Each participant will receive a CD with sample files.
Gravitation Geometry Liberal Arts Idea
Lincoln E. Bragg, lbragg@comcast.net
I suggest a presentation for students who would not respond well to
formulas, and who have not yet developed a strong ability to visualize a flat
surface, such as a sheet of paper or white/black board. The goal is to have
more people go through life feeling good about themselves because they understand
the basic geometric idea underlying relativity.
On Detecting the Four Dimensional Alien among your
Students of Introductory Astronomy
Rev. Frank R. Haig, S.J., Loyola College, fhaig@loyola.edu
Ian Stewart has published two books based on the famous work FLATLAND
by Edwin A. Abbott. Revisiting Abbott's fantasy under the guidance of Professor
Stewart can produce strange questions with which to tantalize students.
Fan Cart Physics and Newton's First and Second Law:
An Interactive Demonstration
Robert A. Morse, St. Albans School, robert_morse@cathedral.org
New lighter low friction carts and ducted fan model airplane motors
make construction of moderate cost fan units even simpler. A new design of homemade
fan units will be demonstrated along with a discussion of fan unit use in teaching
Newton's laws.
Commerical Presentation: ExploreLearning
Raman Pfaff, ExploreLearning
The ExploreLearning library (a web based subscription service for teachers,
schools, and home users) currently contains over 280 Gizmos (interactive simulations),
approximately 220 in math and 60 in science. Our goal over the upcoming months
is have complete coverage (i.e., Gizmos plus curricular material and standards
correlation) for middle school math for grades 6, 7, and 8, Pre-Algebra, Pre-Calculus,
and middle and high school level Physical, Earth and Life Sciences. We'll show
you a small demo of what ExploreLearning has to offer you or your school.
The Rotation of the Sun: An Introductory Astronomy
Lab for the Undergraduate
Dick Cooper, Gettysburg College, dcooper@gettysburg.edu
This exercise enables students to measure the rate of rotation of the sun
at various latitudes using an archive of 368 images of the sun obtained over
a four month span in 2002 obtained by the GONG project. These are the best images
to date from which students can determine the solar rotation rate. The program
will be demonstrated.
Commerical Presentation: Pasco
Robbie Garnett, Pasco
Integrating technology into the Classroom with the aid of software,
hardware, curriculum materials, and professional development.
Rocket Motion: Beyond the Velocity-Increment Equation
William H. Ingham, James Madison University, inghamwh@jmu.edu
Many physics texts derive an equation for the velocity increment of
a single-stage rocket assuming zero gravitation and air drag. Thoughtful students
recognize these assumptions as terribly restrictive. We discuss vertical launches
using more realistic equations and we utilize standard mathematics software
to solve these equations and visualize the results.
The AAPT Conference on Calculus-Based Physics
Bill Warren, Lord Fairfax Community College, lfwarrb@lf.vccs.edu
The AAPT recently held a national conference about reforming the way
the introductory calculus-based physics course is taught. The proceedings of
this conference will be summarized and the various ideas for improvement will
be discussed.
Teaching/Learning Changes – What is the Basis
for Change?
John W. Layman, University of Maryland, JL15@umail.umd.edu
PhysTEC is an APS, AAPT, AIP project to get physics departments in collusion
with their colleagues in education to improve their programs in support of preparing
more and better K-12 teachers. One of the recommendations is to improve the
introductory physics course in which many preservice teachers would be enrolled.
When this is done, what is the basis for the methods employed for change or
improvement? Discussion of this question is one of the goals of this paper.
Conceptual and Hands-on Learning for Introductory
Astronomy
Brett Taylor, Radford University, betaylor@radford.edu
Introductory astronomy is a class which is often used to satisfy general
education requirements and hence offers physicists and astronomers a chance
to influence the attitudes and learning of science of the general public. In
recent years, astronomers are beginning to look at using the conceptual techniques
used in introductory physics classes as well as giving students hands-on experience
in their classes. In this talk, I will discuss the efforts I've made to include
these types of activities in Radford University's introductory astronomy courses
and the results I've seen so far.
Demo: A Color Wheel That Really Turns White
Bob Williamson, retired HS Physics Teacher
Demo: Color Images from a Black and White CCD Camera
David Wright, Tidewater Community College, tcwrigd@tcc.edu
Demo: A Quick Digital Camera Adapter for a Telescope
Rhett Herman, Radford University, rherman@radford.edu
Bundt for the Score
Mike Pagel, Collegiate School, mpagel@collegiate-va.org
I have developed a series of physics Olympic-type experiments that can
be performed by high school students in 45 - 60 minutes. The great thing is
that the students find that their predictions actually work! If time permits
I will share four experiments from projectile motion, circular motion, and conservation
of energy.
Polarization Sundials
Harold Williams, Montgomery College, Harold.Williams@montgomerycollege.edu
Learn about a type of sundial that will work when the sun is covered
by a cloud and there is no shadow for a sundial gnome or an hour before the
sun has risen or an hour after the sun has set as long as there is a patch of
blue sky in the north. White clouds depolarize sunlight and hide the information
about where the sun is that is encoded in the polarization pattern of the blue
sky! Sundials of the polarization type were first made by Charles Wheatstone
(1848). Improvement in technology has made polarization sundials much easier
and cheaper to make now than in Wheatstone's time.
The Schoolhouse is Burning
Eric Kearsley, High Point High School, ekearsley@erols.com
This talk will report impressions of a new teacher to the three major
issues in secondary education: the No Child Left Behind legislation, Physics
Pedagogy, and the Physics First movement.
Physics and Meteorology -- Lessons Learned by All
Involved
Rhett Herman, Radford University, rherman@radford.edu
In teaching meteorology for the first time, several things have become
apparent. Included in this list are the fact that meteorology is a great example
of applied physics, with special empahsis on thermodynamics and mechanics. Meteorology
is a very quantitative field, and thus the prerequisites for the course should
reflect this. Several useful meteorological calculations can be done via spreadsheet,
including solutions of differential equations through finite differences. Some
of these will be presented in this talk.
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Last updated November 4, 2003. |