Virtual and physical resources: a case of synergy in studying tides and rotation
Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2010, Vol 24, Issue 10
Abstract
Because of their very nature, virtual models are usually more abstract than physical ones. Physical models may facilitate the use of virtual models, by making links to physical world. Tides come into play in a wide variety of curricular scopes, but they are not easy to understand, both in basic education and in initial teacher training. In addition to this, simple physical classroom experiments about tides are not easy to conceive, and they may even be misleading. In a previous work, one of the authors developed a virtual model: a computer simulation of tides. It reveled to be useful, although not covering some students’ learning needs: it was too abstract and mathematical for most of the students. There was a need of complementing the virtual model with material ones (“added reality”). Two physical devices were then developed: a “physical model for tides” and a “physical model of grass growing in artifcial gravity”. The two physical models proved to be feasible and useful. The set of three models revealed to create synergies in learning.
Authors and Affiliations
António Barbot Silva, Cláudia Abrantes, Elisabete Oliveira, Carla Chumbo, António Alberto Silva, Maria João Silva
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP34876
- DOI -
- Views 309
- Downloads 0
SOME IDEAS ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION ACTUALITIES AND PERSPECTIVES
Science Education (hereafter-SE) actuality in the world is not only not decreasing but on the contrary, it is constantly increasing. As you know, very interesting and contradictory results were received in 2004 having ca...
MATLAB AND SIMULINK LABORATORY – A BASIS FOR LEARNING REAL CONTROL APPLICATIONS
A laboratory for teaching computer programming and engineering concepts related to control applications was recently established in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics at the Ariel University Cente...
CHANGING PUPILS’ CONCEPTIONS ABOUT WEIGHT APPLYING VARIATION THEORY
In phenomenography the aim is to describe and classify people’s conceptions. Teachers have to be aware of the various alternative conceptions on which pupils are relying in their reasoning when they try to understand a...
TEACHERS MOTIVATION TOWARDS ASSESSMENT OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES
A relevant feld of research in teacher’s professional competence assessment is taking the factor of motivation into account, as this enables teachers to differentiate between, i. e. to be aware of the signifcance of the...
INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING AND COLLABORATIVE METHODS ON JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS SOCIAL STUDIES LEARNING OUTCOMES IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA
Learner-centred methods of teaching are rarely used in most Nigerian classrooms. Pedagogic practices at the basic level of education encourage teacher-dominated methods that do not allow for students’ active participati...