New Modeling Tools
The TIPTOP or the Internet Pilot to Physics is a world-wide consortium for physicists, mainly at the university level...
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The Interactive site offers interactive physics/math applications in Java for high school students. Well-designed site.
Plasma physics is the area of concentration at IPPEX. Its new modeling tool is a virtual fusion reactor into actual data can be imported for experimentation. Matter, electricity, magnetism are other topics. The site is billed as challenging for advanced middle school students. How many students can study this topic in the real world?
Simulations Plus, a software CD, also offers experiments in optics, gravity, and circuits in its FutureLab which could not be conducted by students in the real world. Its illustrations are called "photorealistic" because the latest imaging techniques have been used. Note also that this sw package can be used with physically disabled and is one of Stephen Hawking's favorite teaching tools.
The Visual Physics ThinkQuest entry, developed at Caraboo Hill Secondary School, contains basic topics, such as force, work, torque, kinematics, etc. and a challenge question of the week. The explanations are clear and students can experiment with the parameters on their own, while watching the image adjust. All in all, though, this site may not be more effective than packaged software except that it could be accessible to more students.
Another ThinkQuest entry, the Soundry Laboratory, uses Java applets to simulate and demonstrate the science of sound, including the ear's construction, history of the study of sound, and applications from physics. Its main audience should be K-6.
The University of Colorado's physics education site includes historical roots of many current theories as well as INTERACTIVE applets of these theories. Students can manipulate the parameters and, thereby, observe the consequences of their decisions. This site, in comparison to other sites reviewed here, is good but probably not great.
At Hazelwood School teachers have collected simulations, including applets, for many physics' topics. Altogether, almost 500 simulations with simple depictions and parameter manipulation will clarify concepts and challenge advanced studednts to explore on their own.
ExploreLearning has borrowed sound learning features from the video game world, such as collaboration and multiplayer, to guide their "gizmos" or math and science simulations.The content collection for K-14 is so comprehensive that other curricula would supplement rather than supplant these modeling tools. The graphics are pleasing without being overly complex. It is a subscription service but the fees, in contrast to other online collections, are very reasonable ($149/year)for one class.
Some relatively new software programs (Videopoint and Tracker) can be downloaded such that students can compare variables in measurement of motion (position, velocity, acceleration, force, momentum and energy) and multiple representations (pictorial, mathematical formulae and descriptive).
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For K12, in particular, these new visualization tools will be a boon for understanding complex phenomena.
