Physlet Physics 3E is a comprehensive set of interactive learning activities covering introductory physics. It uses small, simple, focused HTML 5 and Javascript simulations of physical systems, organized to help student learning. The simulations can be used to simulate or demonstrate a wide range of physical phenomena. The student-driven activities are divided into Illustrations, giving an introduction to topics, Explorations, allowing students to investigate the physics, and Problems, that test the quantitative understanding of the students. Materials covered by these applets includes mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and waves.
Type of Material:
Online textbook and collection of student activities and simulations.
Recommended Uses:
This material can be used to supplement a standard textbook to provide more interactive engagement. These materials can also be used as pre-laboratory activities.
Technical Requirements:
Physlet Physics, 3rd edition uses HTML5 simulations so can run on most devices with a javascript-enabled browser.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Physlet Physics 3E materials can be used in many ways, but the simulation-based activities are particularly suited for hands-on, interactive conceptual learning. The large number of simulations covers topics typically found in introductory physics at either High School or College levels. A guided learning inquiry method is recommended.
Target Student Population:
High School and College introductory physics, at all levels.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Depends on the use of the material and the expectations of instructors. The materials can be used as a demonstration or to display conceptual information, or students can be given detailed instructions on how to set up parameters for using a specific simulation. These activities will usually be used in conjunction with other textbooks or lecture notes. No other prerequisite knowledge beyond capacity to interact with web browser window and follow instructions is required.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The comprehensiveness and flexibility of this collection of applets sets it apart from similar tools. Of particular note is the ability to take measurements by interaction with the simulations. While this capacity does not replace laboratory activities, it does bring a highly interactive analytical process to the use of the simulations. For example a user might point and click on an object to measure positions at various times, or might read data off of a graph. Physlets can be used in just about any physics class, as well as math, engineering, and chemistry courses. The material covered includes some of the most fundamental in physics. Although these applets can be used for a wide range of presentation styles, the authors stress their use for fostering conceptual understanding. Use in situations where laboratory equipment is scarce or otherwise impractical can be highly valuable.
Concerns:
Students may need some help with understanding and using the representations in the simulations, such as graphs, motion diagrams, etc. This is generally true for students in introductory physics.
The computational engines underlying the applets do not, by necessity, include units. Instructors should be careful to include units and dimensions in problems for students and to discuss how units may or may not be embedded into simulations.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The fundamental paradigm for these resources is to engage students in exploration, proven to be crucial for student learning and understanding. This material is very modular and flexible, so that it can be used in multiple ways. The compreshensive nature of the collection is another significant strength.
Concerns:
There is not an immediate way in which to assess students' use of this content. Instructors will need to develop assessment methods, if they wish to use these instructional materials in this way.
Some of the interactions may lead students to the conclusion that experiments work without a real world difficulty all the time. Often times real world measurements contain “traps” or “sources of errors” that are avoided in Physlet Physics 3E, That is of course both a concern and benefit that users must be aware of.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Physlets 3E, include a wide range of user interface elements that allow students to interact with the Physlets demonstrations. For example, objects in the simulation can be dragged, with positions, potentials, or other information displayed. The use of any given physlet within Physlet Physics 3E is fairly simple and direct to use. There is no setup required, no installation, nor are there complicated settings or background software to be installed within a browser. Physlets run “out of the box”. Another advantage of Physlet Physics 3E is that the web page source code may be viewed, and with proper background knowledge, can be edited and rewritten/rescripted. While the programming specifics have changed since the first iteration of Physlets, the ability to script different scenario’s is highly valuable. Information regarding the development of such resources can be found at the Open Source Physics site on Compadre.org (https://www.compadre.org/osp/ ). The open source physics community has invested significantly into making such resources available to users.
Concerns:
If an instructor wants to go further than Physlets 3E, and customize the use of Physlets, there may be significant work or learning curve required by the instructor. Creation or editing of html pages for students will generally be necessary for such customized use. Writing javascript is necessary for advanced use of Physlets, and requires some practice. The creation of or editing of additional Physlets materials will require continued revision as technologies continue to evolve.
As with most simulations, accessibilty for the visually impared is a problem.
Creative Commons:
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