Review for:Ripple Tank simulation

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posted: on June 4, 2007 at 2:00PM

My rating of this resource: *****

My experience using this resource:

Physics

Topic I was teaching:

Waves

My learning goal for which this resource was used:

Understanding Wave behaviour

Course Level:

Honors or Advanced, Intro or Regular

How I/my students used the resource:

I ask students to work with a wave tank in lab, and then go home and look at wave tank simulations for homework.

Value Added:

Provides visualization or animation, Increases modeling skills, Increases data collection & analysis skills, Provides a virtual lab, Provides practice or tutorial, Increases student engagement and motivation

Strengths:

I can only agree with others; this site does an excellent job of showing what the waves WOULD look like in the wave tank if the lab actually worked! I like for students to try to see the real waves first, but it really helps to have the computerized version to clearly show what I want them to notice about wave behaviour. The "stopped" button is key!

Weaknesses:

I find that students often do not really believe that software that models the real world really is relevant; in the same way folks will argue that students who drive fast cars in video games will not drive cars fast in real life. They create their own disconnect. However, this simulation really clears things up for strugglers.

Researching the Wireless High School: Effects on Science Teaching and Implications for Professional Development, Copyright 2013 TERC.
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