Forskning

PhET gennemfører undersøgelser af både design og brug af interaktive simuleringer for at fremme forståelse af:

Hvilke karateristika gør disse værktøjer effektive til indlæring og hvorfor?
Hvordan bruger elever disse værktøjer for at lære, og hvad har betydning i processen?
Hvornår, hvordan og hvorfor er disse værktøjer effektive i et varierende læringsmiljø?

PhET's simulerings-designprincipper tager afsæt i forskning i hvordan de studerende lærer (Bransford et al., 2000) og fra vores simuleringsinterview (se PhET Design Process).
Der er fremstillet mellem fire og seks tænk-højt interviews med enkeltelever, for hver simulering. Disse interviews giver en rig datamængde til at studere interfacedesign og elevers læring. PhET's udseende og fremtræden beskriver kort vores interface designprincipper og en komplet diskussion findes i par afhandlinger af Adams et al., 2008 .

Bransford, J.D., Brown, A. L. And Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn, Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press

Videnskabelige svar på ofte stillede spørgsmål:

"Kan PhET-simulerienger erstatte rigtigt laboratorieudstyr?"

Vores studier har vist, at PhET-simuleringer er meget effektive til at give eleverne en konceptuel forståelse; ikke desto mindre er der mange formål ved praktiske eksperimenter, som simuleringer ikke tager højde for. For eksempel specifikke kompetencer i betjening af udstyr. Afhængigt af kvaliteten at dit laboratorie, vil det være mere effektivt kun at bruge simuleringer eller en kombination af simulation- og rígtigt udstyr.

"Lærer eleverne noget ved at jeg lader dem gå hjem og lege med en simulering?"

De fleste studerende har ikke den nødvendige motivation til at bruge tid på at lege med en videnskabssimulering (det er sjovt, men ikke så sjovt) i deres fritid, medmindre der er en direkte motivation såsom deres prøver. Dette er en af grundene til at vi forfølger projektet, for at undersøge hvordan man bedst integrerer sims i lektier.

Hvor er det bedst at bruge PhET-simuleringer i undervisningen?

Vi har fundet PhET-simuleringer meget effektive til brug ved foredrag, i klasseaktiviteter, laboratorieforsøg og som lektier. De er designet med minimal tekst, så de nemt kan integreres i alle aspekter af undervisningen.

Vores indsatsområder er:

Brug af efterligninger til at konstruere en forståelse: Eleverne bruger analogier i simulationer, for at få kendskab til ukendte fænomener. Repræsentationer spiller en afgørende rolle i elevernes brug af efterligninger.

Simuleringer som redskab til at ændre undervisningens normer: Simuleringerne er formet af socio-kulturelle normer for videnskab, men kan også bruges til at ændre de traditionelle normer for, hvordan de studerende engagerer sig i klasseværelset.

Særlige egenskaber ved simuleringerne, der fremmer læring og engageret udforskning:Vores designprincipper indkredser vigtige karakteristika ved simuleringer, som gør dem til produktive værktøjer for at fremme elevernes engagement. Nu ønsker vi i detaljer at studere, hvordan de enkelte funktioner påvirker elevernes forståelse.

Integration af simuleringer i lektier:Simuleringer har unikke features, som ikke findes i de fleste læringsredskaber (interaktivitet, animation, dynamisk feedback, og giver mulighed for produktiv efterforskning)

Effektiviteten af kemisimuleringer: Vi har netop indledt undersøgelse af, hvor og hvordan kemisimuleringer kan være effektive læringsværktøjer.

Publikationer og præsentationer

Vigtige egenskaber ved effektivt simuleringsdesign (overvejende interview data)

Factors promoting engaged exploration with computer simulations , N. S. Podolefsky, K. K. Perkins, and W. K. Adams, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ., Res. 6, 020117, 2010.
Computer simulations to classrooms: tools for change , N. S. Podolefsky, K. K. Perkins and W. K. Adams, 2009 Physics Education Research - Conference Proceedings. AIP Press, in review , 2010.
Student Choices when Learning with Computer Simulations , N. S. Podolefsky, K. K. Perkins and W. K. Adams, 2009 Physics Education Research - Conference Proceedings. AIP Press, in review , 2010.
What Levels of Guidance Promote Engaged Exploration with Interactive Simulations? , W. K. Adams, A. Paulson and C. E. Wieman, PERC Proceedings, 2009.
A Study of Educational Simulations Part I - Engagement and Learning , W. K. Adams, S. Reid, R. LeMaster, S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, M. Dubson and C. E. Wieman , Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 19(3), 397-419 , July 2008.
A Study of Educational Simulations Part II - Interface Design , W. K. Adams, S. Reid, R. LeMaster, S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, M. Dubson and C. E. Wieman, Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 19(4), 551-577 , October 2008.
Developing and Researching PhET simulations for Teaching Quantum Mechanics , S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, M. Dubson, C. Malley, S. Reid, R. LeMaster, and C. E. Wieman, American Journal of Physics, 76, 406 , May 2008.
Research-Based Design Features of Web-based Simulations , W. K. Adams, N. D. Finkelstein, S. Reid, M. Dubson, N. Podolefsky, C. E. Wieman, R. LeMaster, Talk presented at AAPT Summer Meeting, 2004.

Forskning i brug i klassesammenhæng

Teaching Physics using PhET Simulations , C. Wieman, W. Adams, P. Loeblein, and K. Perkins, The Physics Teacher, in press, 2010.
A Research-Based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect , S. B. McKagan, W. Handley, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, American Journal of Physics, 77, 87, January 2009.
High-Tech Tools for Teaching Physics: the Physics Education Technology Project , N. D. Finkelstein, W. K. Adams, C. K. Kller, k. K. Perkins, C. E. Wieman and the PhET Team, Journal of Online Teaching and Learning, September 2006.
Assessing the Effectiveness of a Computer Simulation in Introductory Undergraduate Environments , C. J. Keller, N. D. Finkelstein, K. K. Perkins, and S. J. Pollock, PERC Proceedings, 2006.
When learning about the real world is better done virtually: a study of substituting computer simulations for laboratory equipment , N.D. Finkelstein, W. K. Adams, C. J. Keller, P. B. Kohl, K. K Perkins, N. S. Podolefsky, S. Reid, R. LeMaster , Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 1, 010103, 2005.
Assessing the effectiveness of a computer simulation in conjunction with Tutorials in Introductory Physics in undergraduate physics recitations , C. J. Keller, N.D. Finkelstein, K. K. Perkins, and S. J. Pollock, PERC Proceedings, 2005.
Incorporating Simulations in the Classroom - A survey of Research Results from the Physics Education Technology Project , K. K. Perkins, W. K. Adams, N. D. Finkelstein, M. Dubson, S. Reid, R. LeMaster and C. E. Wieman, Talk presented at AAPT Summer Meeting, 2004.
Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories? , N. D. Finkelstein, K. K. Perkins, W. Adams, P. Kohl, and N. Podolefsky, PERC Proceedings, 2004.

Om PhET-simuleringer

An interactive optical tweezer simulation for science education , T. T. Perkins, C. V. Malley, M. Dubson, and K. K. Perkins , Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7762, 776215, 2010.
Making Science Simulations and Websites Easily Translatable and Available Worldwide: Challenges and Solutions , W. K. Adams, H. Alhadlaq, C. V. Malley, K. K. Perkins, J. B. Olson, F. Alshaya, S. Alabdulkareem, and C. E. Wieman , Journal of Science Education and Technology, accepted, 2010.
Laptops and Diesel Generators: Introducing PhET Simulations to Teachers in Uganda , Sam McKagan, The Physics Teacher, 48, 63-66, January 2010.
Student Engagement and Learning with PhET Interactive Simulations , W. K. Adams, Multimedia in Physics Teaching and Learning Proceedings, 2010.
Making On-Line Science Course Materials Easily Translatable and Accessible WorldWide: Challenges and Solutions , W. K. Adams, H. Alhadlaq, C. V. Malley, K. K. Perkins, J. B. Olson, F Alshaya, S. Alabdulkareem, C. E. Wieman , Multimedia in Physics Teaching and Learning Proceedings, 2009.
Making On-Line Science Course Materials Easily Translatable and Accessible Worldwide: Technical Concerns , C. V. Malley, J. B. Olson, Multimedia in Physics Teaching and Learning Proceedings, 2009.
PhET: Simulations That Enhance Learning , C.E. Wieman, W.K. Adams, K.K. Perkins, Science, 322/682-683 , October 2008.
Oersted Medal Lecture 2007: Interactive simulations for teaching physics: What works, what doesn't, and why , C.E. Wieman, K.K. Perkins, W.K. Adams, American Journal of Physics, 76, 393 , May 2008.
PhET: Interactive Simulations for Teaching and Learning Physics , Katherine Perkins, Wendy Adams, Michael Dubson, Noah Finkelstein, Sam Reid, Carl Wieman, Ron LeMaster , The Physics Teacher, 44(1), 18 , 2006.
A Powerful Tool For Teaching Science , C. E. Wieman and K. K. Perkins, Nature Physics, p. 290-292 , May 2006.
Transforming Physics Education , C. E. Wieman and K. K. Perkins, Physics Today, November 2005. (pdf)
Free On-line Resource Connects Real-life Phenomena to Science , K. K. Perkins and C. E. Wieman, Physics Education, p. 93-95, January 2005.
The Physics Education Technology Project: A New Suite of Physics Simulations , K. K. Perkins, W. K. Adams, N. Finkelstein, R. LeMaster, S. Reid, M. Dubson, N. Podolefsky, K. Beck and C. Wieman, Poster Presented at AAPT Summer Meeting, 2004.
Should a Fortran-savvy educator learn Java, Flash, both, or neither? , M. Dubson, Talk presented at AAPT Summer Meeting, 2004.

Studerendes forestilling om læring

Students know what physicists believe, but they don't agree: A study using the CLASS survey , Kara E. Gray, Wendy K. Adams, Carl E. Wieman, and Katherine K. Perkins, Physical Review Special Topics, November 2008.
A deeper look at student learning of quantum mechanics: the case of tunneling , S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, Physical Review Special Topics: PER, 4, 020103 , October 2008.
Why we should teach the Bohr model and how to teach it effectively , S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, Physical Review Special Topics: PER, 4, 010103 , March 2008.
Reforming a large lecture modern physics course for engineering majors using a PER-based design , S. B. McKagan, K. K. Perkins, and C. E. Wieman, Proceedings of the Physics Education Research Conference 2006, 2007.
A new instrument for measuring student beliefs about physics and learning physics: the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey , W. K. Adams, K. K. Perkins, N. Podolefsky, M. Dubson, N. D. Finkelstein and C. E. Wieman, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 2, 010101, 2006.
Exploring Student Understanding of Energy through the Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey , S. B. McKagan and C. E. Wieman, PERC Proceedings 2005, 2006.
Towards characterizing the relationship between students' interest in and their beliefs about physics , K.K. Perkins, M.M. Gratny, W.K. Adams, N.D. Finkelstein and C.E. Wieman, PERC Proceedings, 2005.
The surprising impact of seat location on student performance , K. K. Perkins and C. E. Wieman, The Physics Teacher, 43, p. 30-33 , 2005.
Minimize Your Mistakes by Learning from Those of Others , C. E. Wieman, The Physics Teacher, 43, 252-253 , 2005.
The Design and Validation of the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey , W. K. Adams, K. K. Perkins, M. Dubson, N. D. Finkelstein and C. E. Wieman, PERC Proceedings, 2004.
Correlating Student Beliefs With Student Learning Using The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey , K. K. Perkins, W. K. Adams, N. D. Finkelstein, S. J. Pollock, and C. E. Wieman, PERC Proceedings, 2004.

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