PRIMARY SCHOOL ENERGY COMES ALIVE WITH CUSTOMIZED OPEN SOURCE SIMULATION

What is simulation?

•“software programs that allow students to explore complex interactions among dynamic variables that model real-life situations” (Park, Lee, & Kim, 2009, p. 649)

• Interactivity• Difference from the non-interactive based animations

Why is science simulation so popular?

•Data Processing•Multiple representation • Interactivity

Guided Inquiry with Simulation

Why is science simulation so popular?

• PhET• OpenSource Physics• NTNUJAVA Virtual Physics Laboratory

Freely Available Online

What is this study all about?

Explore the design, customization and use of customized energy simulation in elementary classroom

Why is this study significant?• Literature review conducted by Smetana and Bell (2012)

• Conducted in ERIC and Education Fulltext database• Only 2 of the 61 (3.3%) studies were conducted in elementary school

• Triangulated by searches in Web of Science• Using “simulation” and "elementary school" and “science• 3 studies in primary school context

• Google Search : Not much simulations in primary school context

Lack of Research in Elementary School

What are the research questions?• What guides the customization process?• How does the simulation enhance learning?

Explore how the use of guided inquiry approach with customized energy simulation in elementary classroom

How are the simulation customized?• Open Source Physics Simulation• Customized using Easy Java Simulation

How is the study conducted?

• Exploratory pilot case study• Primary 4 and Primary 5• CCA (After school)• 2 sessions (about 2 hour each)

What are the data sources?

•Document review • Research articles, the current and previous simulations designed

• Lesson observations•Students’ artifacts•Survey.•Focus Group Discussion

What guides the simulation design?(Paper Design)•Existing good energy simulations • Inquiry learning principles•Learning outcomes

Begin with the end in mind

What guides customization design?(Actual Design)• Principles for reducing extraneous processing

Coherence Removal of extra information which is not necessary for learning

Signaling Inclusion of cues to facilitate the organization of information

Spatial Contiguity

Placing of related representation (i.e., words, diagrams) close to one another

Sound Multimedia Principles

How is the lesson conducted?Phase Description Activities Implemented

Engage Elicit their prior understanding

You Tube Videos

Explore Develop their understanding

Exploring the Energy Simulation

Explain Demonstrate their understanding

Google Form Submission and Inquiry-based Worksheet

Elaborate Deepen their understanding

Roller Coaster to challenge the students’ perceived perception on energy

Evaluate Assess their understanding

Change the settings of the Roller Coaster Simulation or Pendulum Simulation to record the highest kinetic energy

How has the students’ learning be enhanced?•Self-Directed Learning with Simulation““I like the fact that we can experiment with the simulation by ourselves, and the simulation is very interactive.” T”

““We don't understand we can check ourselves”.

• Enhanced learning with the Design Features

“The indication of height (blue line) helps me to see the relationship between GPE and height”

“KE depends on the speed. The yellow arrow on the simulation shows that when the speed is low (like 7.3 m/s), the KE is 26.3J. But when the arrow is longer (faster) (like 11.3m/s) the KE is 60.5J.”

“The total energy is made up of KE and GPE. The bar at the sides

shows the bar. The TE bar shows both KE and GPE”

Other simulations

• Primary School Speed• Cooling Simulation• Friction Simulation

Acknowledgement• Francisco Esquembre, Fu-Kwun Hwang and Wolfgang

Christian for their contribution to the open source physics simulation.

• Michael Gallis for creating and sharing his original simulation

Open Source Physics Community

Acknowledgement

This research is made possible thanks to the eduLab project NRF2011-EDU001-EL001 Java Simulation Design for Teaching and Learning, awarded by the National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore in collaboration with National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore and the Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore

Website

NUJAVA Virtual Physics Laboratory

http://weelookang.blogspot.sg/p/physics-applets-virtual-lab.html

Sze Yee

Remember this URL!!

iwant2study.org/sharing