Developing a methodology for the computerization of experiments in physics at tertiary level

Abstract

Computer technology is continuously developing and has recently made its way in many areas of education including physics. Simulations, educational games and data logging hardware and software are widely available and are currently being used in various educational institutions in Malta. However, the full potential of computers in experimentation is still unexplored. The study is aimed at discovering and analyzing the use of computers in experimentation not only data-logging devices but also as control devices: the control of experiments. In the first part of the study, a literature research about the present application of computers to experimentation was carried out. This section focusses on the use of computers and the different ways in which experiments could be aided by computer technology. The second part explores the need for computer-controlled experiments, the physical properties that could be controlled, together with the implications both from the pedagogical and the practical aspect. The third part is a report on a survey conducted in the Physics Department at the Junior College and in the Faculty of Science at the University of Malta. The survey consisted in a classification of the experiments that are currently conducted by students and the procedure involved to enable them to be conducted through the use of computers. The results of the survey were useful in designing and constructing computer software that could be used together with existing hardware to computerize these experiments. The applications and features of this software are discussed in the fourth section while the conclusion contains a general overview of the issues related to the use of computers in experimentation.