| Product Name: |
The Video Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations |
| Level: |
a Year 12 class/ First Year Tertiary |
| Platform: |
Videodisc |
| Supplied Information: |
The Video Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations, the first comprehensive series of videotaped physics demonstrations, producde for use in teaching Physcs to high school and college students. Each a stand alone demonstration of a particular principle of Physics. Concisely produced and narrated at the University of Washington. Augmented by slow motion photoghraphy and animation; interactivel aserdisc format allows student participation in questions and in calculations done "off the screen". Written scripts, bibliography, formulas and other material provided as a part of The Encyclopedia. All demonstrations keyed to popular textbooks. |
| Possible Use: |
This product is suitable for a Year 12 class/ First Year Tertiary courses for use by teachers during lecture classes. |
| Price: |
US$2995 + p/h |
| Developer/s: |
Dr Jearl Walker, B Caroll, J Davis, Dr R Berg |
| Review: |
The Video Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations is a set of 25 twelve-inch laserdiscs containing an archive of 600 standalone Physics demonstrations. The target audiences are high school and junior year university students. The whole range of physics at this level is covered; mechanics, waves, sound, fluid dynamics, heat and thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics, modern physics.
The physics content and its presentation is excellent. In the School of Physics, University of Sydney, the Encyclopedia is used in two ways. To provide alternatives to lecture demonstrations when the equipment for a live presentation is unavailable, and as a inspirational resource for a lecturer preparing a new course. The demonstrations on the laserdisc show what apparatus is required to illustrate a particular point and how it can be used to greatest effect.
The twelve-inch laserdisc is not a common medium in Australia. This has two consequences. Firstly, each individual lecturer must become familiar with the use of the laserdisc player and remote control to select the particular demonstration on the disc. Although it is possible to quickly move from one item to another on a single disc, it is not as easy as using a mouse to select an item on a computer screen.
Secondly, the financial outlay goes well beyond the cost of $US2995 (plus shipping and handling) for the laserdiscs and will cause many to have second thoughts. We spent an additional $A1172 (tax-exempt price in 1995) on a Sony MDP-A3 CD/CDV/LD player with remote control. A large screen television receiver that accepts the US standard output from the laserdisc player may be an additional expenditure. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from this outlay we purchased another set of three laserdiscs Physics: Cinema Classics, a compilation of film loops from 1960's high school courses such as PSSC and Project Physics, from another company ZTek Co at a cost of $US899 (plus shipping and handling).
|
|
Ferg Brand, School of Physics, The University of Sydney |
| |
| Supplier: |
Echoscan Inc
2930 Pine Ave
Niagara Falls
New York 14301
PO Box 2111
Niagara Falls ON L2E 6Z2
Canada |
|
echoscan@becon.org |
|
http://people.becon.org/~echoscan/ |
|
phone: 1-905-371-1645 |
|
fax: 1-905-371-1647 |
| Date Record Last Modified: |
5/10/2000 |
