Computer Intensive Physics Robert G. Fuller

Portugal Conference

March 6, 199826 University of Nebraska - Lincoln

lost. You can just turn the computer off and start over again. Frequently they lock the keyboard. They hit a key and nothing happens . The instructor needs to be there to provide some help for them. It turned out to have been very beneficial

the students had experience with the physics before they saw the mathematics, that turned out to be a very powerful learning experience for the students.

We did not properly reduce the amount of physics to cover when we asked them to do all this software. It was too much. It turns out you cannot teach software and the same amount of physics that you have always taught. When you start putting these additional things in, like searching the CD-ROM, you have to change the way you do the physics.

If you are teaching new software as well as new physics concepts, and new mathematics, you can not just do that what you used to do, you have to modify the physics you are going to do. You also need to state explicitly what the new requirements for the course are (See Figure 47). For example at the Universities in the United States attendance at lectures is an optional activity. Students do not need to come to a physics lecture. They can read the book. Students cannot miss a

Paperless Class. Nothing happens if the students are not there doing it themselves. If they have missed the class they have missed everything! There are no lecture notes, there are no data for them to analyze.

26