scholarly journals Programming and its affordances for physics education: A social semiotic and variation theory approach to learning physics

Author(s):  
Kim Svensson ◽  
Urban Eriksson ◽  
Ann-Marie Pendrill
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Cowling ◽  
Robert Vanderburg

Physics Education is a popular application for Virtual Reality (VR), with many simulations being available for students to manipulate objects in virtual space. However, most of these applications take a Piagetian approach to learning, instructing first in a traditional way and then exposing students to VR in a sandbox environment without the instructor present. This paper proposes a design for a VR physics simulation that takes a Vygotskian approach using Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and scaffolding to teaching physics, allowing the students and instructor to collaborate in virtual space. Using gravity and circular motion as a case study, this paper discusses a design to facilitate this learning comprising a virtual universe with control of planet placement and size, external satellite placement and size, as well as gravitational forces acting on these objects, along with a design-based research (DBR) research design to evaluate both usability and learning for the intervention.


2013 ◽  
Vol 167 ◽  
pp. 240-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Yan Wang ◽  
Quan-Wu Xiao ◽  
Ding-Xuan Zhou

Author(s):  
Xudong Weng ◽  
O.F. Sankey ◽  
Peter Rez

Single electron band structure techniques have been applied successfully to the interpretation of the near edge structures of metals and other materials. Among various band theories, the linear combination of atomic orbital (LCAO) method is especially simple and interpretable. The commonly used empirical LCAO method is mainly an interpolation method, where the energies and wave functions of atomic orbitals are adjusted in order to fit experimental or more accurately determined electron states. To achieve better accuracy, the size of calculation has to be expanded, for example, to include excited states and more-distant-neighboring atoms. This tends to sacrifice the simplicity and interpretability of the method.In this paper. we adopt an ab initio scheme which incorporates the conceptual advantage of the LCAO method with the accuracy of ab initio pseudopotential calculations. The so called pscudo-atomic-orbitals (PAO's), computed from a free atom within the local-density approximation and the pseudopotential approximation, are used as the basis of expansion, replacing the usually very large set of plane waves in the conventional pseudopotential method. These PAO's however, do not consist of a rigorously complete set of orthonormal states.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 290-303
Author(s):  
P. Charlie Buckley ◽  
Kimberly A. Murza ◽  
Tami Cassel

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of special education practitioners (i.e., speech-language pathologists, special educators, para-educators, and other related service providers) on their role as communication partners after participation in the Social Communication and Engagement Triad (Buckley et al., 2015 ) yearlong professional learning program. Method A qualitative approach using interviews and purposeful sampling was used. A total of 22 participants who completed participation in either Year 1 or Year 2 of the program were interviewed. Participants were speech-language pathologists, special educators, para-educators, and other related service providers. Using a grounded theory approach (Glaser & Strauss, 1967 ) to data analysis, open, axial, and selective coding procedures were followed. Results Three themes emerged from the data analysis and included engagement as the goal, role as a communication partner, and importance of collaboration. Conclusions Findings supported the notion that educators see the value of an integrative approach to service delivery, supporting students' social communication and engagement across the school day but also recognizing the challenges they face in making this a reality.


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