FYYSIKA.EE

Elu, loodus, teadus ja tehnoloogia

Using Tracker to understand ?toss up? and free fall motion: a case study

by

This paper reports the use of Tracker as a computer-based learning tool to support effective
learning and teaching of ?toss up? and free fall motion for beginning secondary three (15?year-old)
students. The case study involved ( N = 123) students from express pure physics classes at a
mainstream school in Singapore. We used eight multiple-choice questions pre- and post-test to gauge
the impact on learning. The experimental group showed learning gains of d = 0.79?????0.23 (large
effect) for Cohen?s d effect size analysis, and gains with a gradient of?< g >? total =
0.42?????0.08 (medium gain) above the traditional baseline value of?< g >? non interactive = 0.23
for Hake?s normalized gain regression analysis. This applied to all of the teachers and students who
participated in this study. Our initial research findings suggest that allowing learners to relate
abstract physics concepts to real life through coupling traditi…

Moving toward centre

by

Centripetal acceleration, linear and angular speeds are three mathematical quantities that are of
primary interest to analyze the uniform motion of objects in circles. The formula of centripetal
acceleration is usually derived from the difference ? V…

Using Tracker to understand ‘toss up’ and free fall motion: a case study

by

This paper reports the use of Tracker as a computer-based learning tool to support effective
learning and teaching of ‘toss up’ and free fall motion for beginning secondary three (15 year-old)
students. The case study involved ( N = 123) students from express pure physics classes at a
mainstream school in Singapore. We used eight multiple-choice questions pre- and post-test to gauge
the impact on learning. The experimental group showed learning gains of d = 0.79  ±  0.23 (large
effect) for Cohen’s d effect size analysis, and gains with a gradient of < g >  total =
0.42  ±  0.08 (medium gain) above the traditional baseline value of < g >  non interactive = 0.23
for Hake’s normalized gain regression analysis. This applied to all of the teachers and students who
participated in this study. Our initial research findings suggest that allowing learners to relate
abstract physics concepts to real life through coupling traditi…

Gauge invariance in simple mechanical systems

by

This article discusses and explains the Hamiltonian formulation for a class of simple gauge
invariant mechanical systems consisting of point masses and idealized rods. The study of these
models may be helpful to advanced undergraduate or graduate stu…

The double pendulum: a numerical study

by

Analysis and characterization of dynamical systems is a common task in computational physics. It
frequently demands new algorithms for finding solutions and new techniques for analysing the
results. Here we review some of these algorithms and techniques in the study of the double pendulum,
which, despite being a very simple mechanical system, can display complex behaviour. Even though it
has been studied before (Yu and Bi 1998 J. Sound Vib. 217 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jsvi.1998.1781]
691736 ; Stachowiak and Okada 2006 Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 29
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2005.08.032/1367-2630/15/2/023027] 417422 ; Rafat, Wheatland and
Bedding 2009 Am. J. Phys. 77 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3052072] 216-23 ; Levien and Tan 1993 Am.
J. Phys. 61 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.17335] 103844 ), here we present a deeper discussion of the
several methods and algorithms t…

New shape resonances in one dimension

by

Hitherto, a finitely thick barrier next to a well or a rigid wall has been considered the potential
of simplest shape giving rise to resonances (metastable states) in one dimension: x∈ (−∞, ∞). In
such a potential, there are three real turnin…

On the work of internal forces

by

We discuss the role of the internal forces and how their work changes the energy of a system. We
illustrate the contribution of the internal work to the variation of the system’s energy, using a
pure mechanical example, a thermodynamical system and…

Subtleties of the Thomas precession

by

The rarely mentioned fact that a pure boost in general distorts the axes of the boosted frame is
shown to influence significantly the Thomas precession effect as observed in the laboratory frame.
As a result the Thomas precession appears to be accomp…

The pendulum wave machine

by

There are many examples on the internet of videos of ‘pendulum wave machines’ and how to make them
(for example, www.instructables.com/id/Wave-Pendulum/
[http://www.instructables.com/id/Wave-Pendulum/] ). The machine is simply a set of pendula of…

Dynamics of a sliding ladder leaning against a wall

by

This study is about the dynamics of a sliding ladder leaning against a vertical wall. The results
are understood by considering the motion divided in two parts: (i) for ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0031-9120/50/3/329/ped510699ieqn001.gif] {$0leq tleq {{t}_{s}}$} with
one degree of freedom, and (ii) for ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0031-9120/50/3/329/ped510699ieqn002.gif] {$t>{{t}_{s}}$} with two degrees
of freedom, where the separation is determined by the instance ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0031-9120/50/3/329/ped510699ieqn003.gif] {${{t}_{s}},$} when the ladder
loses its contact with the wall. The observed experimental details are explained by appealing a
simple model based on elementary notions of mechanics. We emphasize some features, such as a maximum
of the x component of the velocity and of the acceleration of the centre of mass in the first part,
and a minimum of the normal react…

The tablecloth pull revisited

by

A very old and well-known magical trick is the so-called tablecloth pull. A table is covered with a
tablecloth, on top of which are certain objects. The task is to remove the tablecloth while the
objects—which must not be touched—stay on top of …

Behaviour of a bouncing ball

by

The bounce of a ball is a seemingly innocuous event that can be used to illustrate many aspects of
elementary and even advanced mechanics. Both normal and oblique bounces on a rigid surface are
considered in this article, emphasizing qualitative feat…

Reaching higher goals by means of a reflecting wall

by

A student realizes that a point particle that is able to rise at a given point P 0 at height H when
launched vertically from the origin O of a Cartesian plane at a fixed initial speed V 0 cannot
reach, by means of a direct shot from a small spring cannon, a point P positioned at the same height
H and distance d from P 0 , with 0 < d ≤ R , where R is the maximum horizontal distance attainable
with an optimum throw at an angle of 45°. However, the student realizes that, in the absence of air
resistance, conservation of energy does not prevent this possibility. Therefore, in order to reach
point P , the student uses a perfectly reflecting surface, opportunely inclined with respect to the
horizontal. The full story of how this is done will be narrated in this article.

A snapshot of online learners: e-Readiness, e-Satisfaction and expectations

by

The popularity of online programs that educational institutions offer is continuously increasing at varying degrees, with the major demand coming from adult learners who have no opportunity to access traditional education. These adult learners have to be sufficiently ready and competent for online learning, and have their own varied expectations from the online learning process. Hence, this mixed method study is conducted to explore the participants’ readiness and expectations at the beginning and their satisfaction levels at the end of an online learning experience. An e-readiness scale and an e-satisfaction scale was administered as quantitative measures, with open-ended questions gathering qualitative data. Participants of the research were registered to different e-learning programs at Ankara University Distance Education Center, Turkey, during the 2013-2014 academic year. Analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data revealed facts about online learners, which should prove useful to both e-instructors and e-program administrators.

A generic framework for extraction of knowledge from social web sources (social networking websites) for an online recommendation system

by

Mining social web data is a challenging task and finding user interest for personalized and non-personalized recommendation systems is another important task. Knowledge sharing among web users has become crucial in determining usage of web data and personalizing content in various social websites as per the user’s wish. This paper aims to design a framework for extracting knowledge from web sources for the end users to take a right decision at a crucial juncture. The web data is collected from various web sources and structured appropriately and stored as an ontology based data repository. The proposed framework implements an online recommender application for the learners online who pursue their graduation in an open and distance learning environment. This framework possesses three phases: data repository, knowledge engine, and online recommendation system. The data repository possesses common data which is attained by the process of acquiring data from various web sources. The knowledge engine collects the semantic data from the ontology based data repository and maps it to the user through the query processor component. Establishment of an online recommendation system is used to make recommendations to the user for a decision making process. This research work is implemented with the help of an experimental case study which deals with an online recommendation system for the career guidance of a learner. The online recommendation application is implemented with the help of R-tool, NLP parser and clustering algorithm.This research study will help users to attain semantic knowledge from heterogeneous web sources and to make decisions.

An item response theory analysis of the Community of Inquiry Scale

by

The aim of this study is to examine validity and reliability of Community of Inquiry Scale commonly used in online learning by the means of Item Response Theory. For this purpose, Community of Inquiry Scale version 14 is applied on 1,499 students of a distance education center’s online learning programs at a Turkish state university via internet. The collected data is analyzed by using a statistical software package. Research data is analyzed in three aspects, which are checking model assumptions, checking model-data fit and item analysis. Item and test features of the scale are examined by the means of Graded Response Theory. In order to use this model of IRT, after testing the assumptions out of the data gathered from 1,499 participants, data model compliance was examined. Following the affirmative results gathered from the examinations, all data is analyzed by using GRM. As a result of the study, the Community of Inquiry Scale adapted to Turkish by Horzum (in press) is found to be reliable and valid by the means of Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory.

Influencing factors in OER usage of adult learners in Korea

by

Open Educational Resources (OER) is terminology that refers to educational resources (content and software) distributed through the Internet, free of charge and freely accessible, expanding learning opportunities for adult learners. This terminology first appeared around 2002, although its roots can be traced to the open architecture of the Internet. Until recently, OER development has focused more on quantity of contents rather than quality. In this study, we have examined the factors influencing the learning intention of adult learners in the OER context. Based on the relevant literature, we have identified a number of factors influencing a learner’s intention to use e-learning content. We have also developed a questionnaire for conducting a survey on such influencing factors. The survey results show that ease of use and relation to immediate workplace needs affect the intention of adult learners in using OER. The findings of this study can inform those developing and designing a learning environment that employs OER while also providing general guidance for developers and educators on how to design OER content.

Linking learning styles and learning on mobile Facebook

by

With continued development of related technologies, Web 2.0 has become an important site of learning innovation. In particular, social networking sites such as Facebook, which have become popular, have the potential to function as an educational tool enabling peer feedback, interaction, and learning in a social context. Preparing appropriate environments for learners with different needs is essential to learning in general and online learning in particular. Yet, in order to create such learning environments, educators must understand differences in students’ learning styles. Although some research focuses on the effects of individual differences such as age and gender on the use of social networking sites, experimental research related to students’ learning styles is still limited. This study used Kolb’s Learning Style Model to investigate differences in student learning outcomes and satisfaction using mobile Facebook for learning, according to learning style. Results showed that participants with “Assimilating” and “Diverging” learning styles performed better than those with “Accomodating” and “Converging” learning styles did and had higher self-efficacy, observational modelling and habit strength toward learning in mobile Facebook. The paper also makes suggestions for integrating mobile Facebook into class and recommendations for future research.

A usability evaluation of a blended MOOC environment: An experimental case study

by

In the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as a new form of Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL), in higher education and beyond. Recognizing the limitations of standalone MOOCs, blended MOOCs (bMOOCs) that aim at bringing in-class (i.e. face-to-face) interactions and online learning components together have emerged as an alternative MOOC model of teaching and learning in a higher education context. In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation details of a bMOOC course on “Teaching Methodologies” at Fayoum University, Egypt in cooperation with RWTH Aachen University, Germany, provided using the bMOOC platform L2P-bMOOC. In order to gauge the usability and effectiveness of the course, we employed an evaluation approach based on Conole’s 12 dimensions rubrics, ISONORM 9241/110-S as a general usability evaluation, and a custom effectiveness questionnaire reflecting the different MOOC stakeholder perspectives.

Guidelines towards the facilitation of interactive online learning programmes in higher education

by

The creation of online platforms that establish new learning environments has led to the proliferation of institutions offering online learning programmes. However, the use of technologies for teaching and learning requires sound content specialization, as well as grounding in pedagogy. While gains made by constructivism and observational learning are well documented, research addressing online practices that best encourage constructivist and observational learning in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) contexts is limited.

Using a phenomenological methodological approach, this research explored the lived experiences of online learning programme facilitators at an Open and Distance Learning higher education institution. The findings of this research study revealed that facilitators did not use constructivist and observational learning pedagogies to a large extent in their interaction with students. It is concluded that during the curriculum planning phase, facilitators should decide on methods and media to arouse the students’ attention and stimulating constructivist and observational learning amongst students during online courses. This also implies a more reasonable facilitator-student ratio because large numbers of students per facilitator proves not feasible in online learning. The paper concludes by providing guidelines for the facilitation of interactive online learning programmes.

Measuring disorientation based on the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm

by

This study offers a new method to measure navigation disorientation in web based systems which is powerful learning medium for distance and open education. The Needleman-Wunsch algorithm is used to measure disorientation in a more precise manner. The process combines theoretical and applied knowledge from two previously distinct research areas, disorientation and string-matching. String-matching algorithms provide a more convenient disorientation measurement than other techniques, in that they examine the similarity between an optimal path and learners’ navigation paths. The algorithm particularly takes into account the contextual similarity between partly relevant web-pages in a user’s navigation path and pages in an optimal path. This study focuses on the reasons and the required steps to use this algorithm for disorientation measurement. Examples of actual student activities and learning environment data are provided to illustrate the process.

Coursera’s introductory human physiology course: Factors that characterize successful completion of a MOOC

by

Since Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are accessible by anyone in the world at no cost, they have large enrollments that are conducive to educational research. This study examines students in the Coursera MOOC, Introductory Human Physiology. Of the 33,378 students who accessed the course, around 15,000 students responded to items on the pre-course survey about their age, educational background, proficiency in English, and plans for participating in the course. We categorized students who completed the pre-course survey into groups based on the number of exams completed and corresponding course achievement level. We used Chi-square goodness of fit tests to analyze the distribution of students’ responses on the pre-course survey and associated achievement level. Of the students who responded to the pre-course survey and passed with distinction, a larger percentage self-identified as fluent in English while a smaller percentage self-identified as beginners. Students with graduate degrees were more likely to pass the course or pass with distinction than students with only some college experience or a bachelor’s degree. Students who completed either some or all exams were more likely to self-report intention to complete all course activities than students who did not take any exams. A greater proportion of students who passed the course or passed with distinction posted two or more times on the course discussion forum. Understanding MOOC students and the characteristics that lead to their success will enable modification to courses for increased student achievement and may also inform teaching in the traditional classroom.