Peer Review

ActivPhysics OnLine

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Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This web site is a very complete set of tutorial problems with integrated java simulations and videos to demonstrate concepts in introductory physics. The simulations enable the user to change a variable, predict the outcome, and then check their result. An introductory learning objective and summary comments are provided with most of the topics.
Type of Material:: Online interactive tutorial to explore physical concepts.
Recommended Uses:: Pre–, post-, and in-class demonstrations and tutorials, reinforcement of material discussed in class or assigned reading, and help on homework problems. This material is a very good resource for an online class.
Technical Requirements:: Java and Quicktime enabled browser
Identify Major Learning Goals:: To gain a comprehensive foundation and understanding in classical physics and problem solving. Both quantitative and qualitative understanding is developed.
Target Student Population:: This website is appropriate primarily for students enrolled in a calculus-based physics class at either the college or high school level. However, many of the examples can be used in a trigonometry-based physics class and in some examples, an intermediate mechanics class.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: These problems apply physical concepts and problem solving methods. They are not meant as a stand-alone learning tool but supplement other aspects of a typical physics course.

Rating:
Strengths:: These tutorials use applied problems to motivate the understanding of physics concepts. Each tutorial starts with a learning objective and uses guided questions to help students practice the problem solving process. Java animations illustrate the concepts and allow learners to change parameters in the problem. Most of the problems include hints for students.
The completeness of this collection of tutorials is noteworthy. Materials are available the cover all of introductory physics, although there are more resources for mechanics than other topics. Many of the tutorials are standard problems and experiments in introductory physics, but the author also provides many new and interesting examples.
Concerns:: None noted.

Rating:
Strengths:: This website provides a good combination of qualitative and quantitative exercises. The simulations allow the user to change the variables. Furthermore, it uses series of structured questions for the learner to answer. The procedure is to have the user make predictions or answer the questions before running the simulation to check their response, providing immediate feedback. Lastly, the author uses many representations to illustrate the same problem such as a physical picture, a graphical representation, and a mathematical equation.
Concerns:: The tutorials may be more structured than some instructors would prefer. The simulations allow free exploration on the part of learners, but some questions have very specific directions on the steps to be followed.

Rating:
Strengths:: This website runs fairly smoothly and is easy to navigate. Each lesson is listed along with a detailed description of the simulations. An introduction (i.e. objective) and a summary are included with most lessons. Changing parameters in the simulations and running them is simple and straightforward.
Concerns:: Some of the simulations are rather small, making it difficult to observe the results.
One reviewer had some difficulty with the tutorials recognizing the Quicktime browser plug-in.

Other Issues and Comments:: Note that the home page for this web site covers mechanics. Other topics, such as Electricity and Magnetism, Waves, and Thermodynamics can be accessed through a drop-down menu in the upper left of the page.
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