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Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories?
written by Noah D. Finkelstein, Katherine Perkins, Wendy K. Adams, Patrick B. Kohl , and Noah S. Podolefsky
This paper examines the effects of substituting computer simulations in place of real laboratory equipment in the second semester of a large-scale introductory physics course. The direct current (DC) circuit laboratory was modified to compare the effects of using computer simulations with the effects of using real light bulbs, meters and wires. Three groups of students, those who used real equipment, those who used computer simulations, and those who had no lab experience, were compared in terms of their mastery of physics concepts and skills with real equipment. Students who used the simulated equipment outperformed their counterparts both on a conceptual survey of the domain and in the coordinated tasks of assembling a real circuit and describing how it worked.
Physics Education Research Conference 2004
Part of the PER Conference series
Sacramento, California: August 4-5, 2004
Volume 790, Pages 101-104
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Practices
- Curriculum Development
= Laboratory
- Technology
= Computers
Electricity & Magnetism
- DC Circuits
General Physics
- Physics Education Research
- Lower Undergraduate
- Graduate/Professional
- Reference Material
= Research study
Intended Users Formats Ratings
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- Educators
- application/pdf
- non-digital
- text/html
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2084711
Access Rights:
Available by subscription and
Available for purchase
Restriction:
© 2004 American Institute of Physics
DOI:
10.1063/1.2084711
PACSs:
01.40.Fk
01.50.Lc
01.50.Pa
01.50.Ht
Keywords:
PERC 2004, circuits, computer aided analysis, computer simulations, conceptual understanding, electric current, laboratory equipment, laboratory techniques, networks, student experiments
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created October 19, 2009 by Alea Smith
Record Updated:
May 11, 2012 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
September 16, 2005
Other Collections:

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Record Link
AIP Format
N. Finkelstein, K. Perkins, W. Adams, P. Kohl, and N. Podolefsky, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, 2004, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9543&DocID=2787).
AJP/PRST-PER
N. Finkelstein, K. Perkins, W. Adams, P. Kohl, and N. Podolefsky, Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories?, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, 2004, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9543&DocID=2787>.
APA Format
Finkelstein, N., Perkins, K., Adams, W., Kohl, P., & Podolefsky, N. (2004, August 4-5). Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories?. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9543&DocID=2787
Chicago Format
Finkelstein, N, K. Perkins, W. Adams, P. Kohl, and N. Podolefsky. "Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories?." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, August 4-5, 2004. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9543&DocID=2787 (accessed 29 March 2024).
MLA Format
Finkelstein, Noah, Katherine Perkins, Wendy Adams, Patrick B. Kohl, and Noah S. Podolefsky. "Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories?." Physics Education Research Conference 2004. Sacramento, California: 2004. 101-104 Vol. 790 of PER Conference. 29 Mar. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9543&DocID=2787>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Noah Finkelstein and Katherine Perkins and Wendy Adams and Patrick B. Kohl and Noah S. Podolefsky", Title = {Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories?}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2004}, Pages = {101-104}, Address = {Sacramento, California}, Series = {PER Conference}, Volume = {790}, Month = {August 4-5}, Year = {2004} }
Refer Export Format

%A Noah Finkelstein %A Katherine Perkins %A Wendy Adams %A Patrick B. Kohl %A Noah S. Podolefsky %T Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories? %S PER Conference %V 790 %D August 4-5 2004 %P 101-104 %C Sacramento, California %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9543&DocID=2787 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2004 %O August 4-5 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Finkelstein, Noah %A Perkins, Katherine %A Adams, Wendy %A Kohl, Patrick B. %A Podolefsky, Noah S. %D August 4-5 2004 %T Can Computer Simulations Replace Real Equipment in Undergraduate Laboratories? %B Physics Education Research Conference 2004 %C Sacramento, California %V 790 %P 101-104 %S PER Conference %8 August 4-5 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9543&DocID=2787


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