| Software packages | Computer assessment | Laboratory packages | We can help! |
| Software packages |
The following items of software are widely used in the teaching of introductory physics in Australian universities.
A US based commercial application for setting up and solving computer models for problems. Very powerful and a good graphical interface. Used extensively at UTS, also Adelaide and Wollongong.
Developed in Britain (a TLTP project), in hyper-encyclopedia style. Eventually will be a complete introductory physics course. Some was developed at QUT and used there with mixed results.
A US based, hypermedia environment to permit the development, delivery, and distribution of interactive physics education software. Recommended by the promoters of Studio Teaching and used at Curtin.
A set of software tools in Pascal that make it simple for students and teachers to solve physics problems using procedural programming in Pascal. Used at Sydney in computational physics courses.
Sets of programs and textbooks on 9 broad areas (Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics, etc). Intended for upper level classes. Used at ADFA and Sydney, and at other places as demonstration simulations.
Mathematica is a powerful package for doing numerics, symbolic algebra, and graphics. Used extensively at UWA and many other places in higher level courses on computational and theoretical physics. Analytica distributes Mathematica software and related packages.
| Computer assessment |
The following systems are used in some Australian departments.
Runs under Windows. Developed at Swinburne and used in several science departments. Multiple choice tests generated and marked. Also used at RMIT and Sydney.
Runs on Unix. Developed at Wollongong and used by several science departments. Multiple choice questions generated; students take them away and come back and enter results.
Can be used in the management of open learning courses and programmes. Used at Queensland
The following have developed their own systems.
QUT have a centrally run, campus-wide facility.
New England developed one using Authorware.
| A discussion of and information about the use of computer based assessment in other science departments in Australia can be found in our publication: Proceedings, Computer Assessment Workshop. See our web page: http://science.uniserve.edu.au/pubs/procs/ |
| Laboratory packages |
The following are used in association with experimental exercises in teaching labs.
A series of lab interfaces and software (IBM). Useful for use in lecture demonstrations. Used at Edith Cowan, Murdoch, Canberra.
A package with interface and sensors to teach experimental design at high school or university. Developed at UniSA. Also used at Newcastle.
A software package for use in laboratory computing. -- instrument and process control, data acquisition, simulation and data analysis. Used at UTS.
An interactive system to solve numerical problems quickly without the need for actual programming. Used at James Cook, New England.
A tool for applying mathematical analysis to data or creating mathematical models. Allows very complex calculations to be performed simply. Used at Curtin, Edith Cowan.
| A discussion of and information about the use of software packages to replace laboratory exercises can be found in our publication, Proceedings, Dry Labs Workshop. See our web page: http://science.uniserve.edu.au/pubs/procs/ |
| We can help! |
Our searchable database contains information about over 300 software items that can be used in teaching introductory physics. Here are some of the fields covered.
Mechanics: (There are 32 items.) We recommend the US award winning Graphs & Tracks, an interactive package for giving students an intuition for forces and acceleration.Electricity and Magnetism: (26 items). The US award winning Electric Field Hockey is recommended for building student intuition, and the simulation ChgDist (developed at Sydney) for showing how charges redistribute on a conductor.
Heat and Thermal Physics: (13 items). A useful simulation to demonstrate the kinetic theory is Gassim (written at QUT and used at Flinders). A useful website is: Teaching Resources for Thermal Physics (a CAUT project at Sydney)
Astronomy: (127 items). Of special interest is Contemporary Laboratory Exercises in Astronomy (CLEA) from the USA. Laboratory exercises that simulate modern astronomical techniques. This is used successfully at Swinburne.
Waves and Optics: (14 items). We recommend Raytrace, which can be used in a laboratory to practise concepts in geometric optics (written at QUT and used at Flinders). Also of interest is Optrans (RMIT) a simulated optical Fourier bench.
Modern Physics: (26 items). Of special interest Understanding the Unobservable, seven interactive tutorials on modern physics, CBL style. Designed for electronic and electrical engineering students. Developed at Canberra (a CAUT project).
| For further information contact Kaye Placing |
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