A Game-Centered, Interactive Approach for Using Programming Exercises in Introductory Physics

ORAL

Abstract

Incorporating computer programming exercises in introductory physics is a delicate task that involves a number of choices that may have a strong affect on student learning, especially for absolute beginner programmers. We present a series of hour-long activities for classical mechanics that resemble well-known games such as "asteroids," "lunar lander," and "angry birds" as well as more sophisticated interactive visualizations. These activities use an browser-based programming framework that provides a game-like environment to give students a feel for the physics. We discuss experiences from using these programming exercises in freshman physics classes at OSU’s Marion campus, classes at the University of Mt. Union and high school physics classes in Ohio. This will include results from animated assessments such as the animated Force Concept Inventory developed by M. Dancy and other animated questions. As an aid for implementing coding activities into high school and early college physics classes we also launched the STEMcoding youtube channel (go.osu.edu/STEMtube), which features a high percentage of students from underrepresented groups.

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Authors

  • Chris Orban

    Ohio State Univ - Columbus

  • Michael Schmitt

    Old Dominion University, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, KAIST , CAPP/IBS, CAPP/IBS, New Mexico State University, Goddard Space Flight Center, Caltech, Cornell University, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy Northwestern University, Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute), University of Ottawa, Northwestern University, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Chinesse Academy of Sciences, Zentrum fur Astronomie und Astrophysik, TechSource Inc., Purdue Univ, KAIST, CAPP/IBS, CAPP, IBS, IBS/CAPP, KAIST, KAIST, IBS/CAPP, Cal Poly, Ohio State University, Kenyon College, Embry-Riddle (Prescott), Univ of California - Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Univ of Toronto, Montana State University, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Heidelberger Institut für Theoretische Studien, Georgia Institute of Technology, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Universit\'a di Parma, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, University of Mount Union, Univ of Florida - Gainesville, DESY, Vinca Institute, University of Belgrade, Fermilab, Ohio State Univ - Columbus, Indiana Univ - Bloomington, FUZZYICS, Interactive Research Institute for Science and Education, Western Michigan University, West Virginia University, Morgantown, Marshall University, Huntington, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Instituto de Fisica, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Departamento de Ciencias da Natureza, Matematica e Educacao, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, UVA, University of Virginia, Brown University, Central Michigan University, U. S. Army Research Laboratory, U. S. Army Research Laboratory/ORAU, The Australian National University, Air Force Institute of Tech - WPAFB, IMPU, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State Univ, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, University of Manitoba, University of Notre Dame, Argonne National Laboratory/University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory/University of Manitoba, McGill University, Ohio University, Technical University Dortmund, Czech Technical University, Lancaster University, University of Tennessee, Tennessee Technical University, Max-Planck Institute, Oak Ridge National Lab, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Univ of South Carolina, Stanford University, Univ of Wisconsin, Madison, Harvard, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Long Island University, Brigham Young University, Radboud University, University College Dublin, Louisiana State University, University of Chicago, University of California, Irvine, Soreq NRC, Yavne 81800, Israel, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Kentucky, Retired, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory L-414, Livermore, CA 94551, USA, California State University, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, University of Texas at San Antonio, California Institute of Technology, Vanderbilt University and Fisk University, Instituto de Astronomy UNAM, CIERA and NorthWestern University, Hillsdale College, Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oberlin College, West Virginia University, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, KU, MIT, LANL, Univ. of Chicago, Leiden University, Albert Einstein Institute, University of Amsterdam, Montana State Univ, CIERA-Northwestern University, MIT, Rochester Inst of Tech, Princeton University, Institute for Advanced Study, None, Department of Physics, Florida State University, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA, Department of Physics, Florida A\&M University, University of Florida, Gainesville, Washington Univ, Los Alamos Natl Lab, Shahid Beheshti University Tehran Iran, NIST, U. Waterloo, Tulane U., NCState, Institute for Quantum Computing, RIKEN, Nagoya Univ, Tulane Univ, North Carolina State Univ, The University of Manitoba, Jefferson Laboratory, Yerevan Physics Institute, North Carolina Central University, Massachusetts Inst of Tech-MIT, Tel Aviv University, International Institute of Physics - UFRN, University of Houston, Rutgers University, University of Sao Paulo, UC Berkeley, UMass Amherst, Indian Institute of Technology, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Max Planck Institute, Hannover, INAF Padova, Univ of Pisa, Univ of Trento, Hampton University, University of South Carolina, Ohio Univ, Ohio University, CLAS Collaboration, Lamar University, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Franklin and Marshall College, NASA/GSFC, NASA/GSFC & CRESST, University of Arkansas, University of Utah, Johns Hopkins University, Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay, Department of Physics, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, 65409, University of Glasgow, GANIL, Dept. of Chemistry and Physics, Washington University, St. Louis MO 63130, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing MI 48824, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Washington University, U Minnesota, NASA/GSFC $\&$ CRESST, Washington University, St. Louis, University of Minnesota, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Institute of Technology, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Sapienza University Rome, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, University of Mississippi, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisbon, Albert Einstein Institute Golm, Salisbury U., Ohio State U., Ohio U., Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universit\"at, National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, UW-Madison, Eureka Scientific, Cambridge University, Wayne State University, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Michigan State Univ, Binghamton Univ, Youngstown State Univ, Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Boyce Research Initiatives and Educational Foundation, Brilliant Sky Observatory, San Diego Mesa College, Indiana Univ, Columbia University, UCLA, Univ. of Kentucky, Air Force Research Lab., Argonne Nat'l Lab., Michigan State Univ., Michigan State University, USA, TRIUMF, Canada, Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany, Institut Laue-Langevin, France, Physikalisch-Technische Bundenstalt, Germany, Julich Centre for Neutron Science, Germany, University of Michigan, USA, Syracuse University, Syracuse, Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Cornell University, Budapest Neutron Centre, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Osaka University, University of Groningen, University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Tohoku University, Konan University, Ankara University, University of Michigan, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Univ of Washington, Aichi University of Education, eXtreme Gravity Institute - Montana State University, The Ohio State University, Universidade Federal Fluminese, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Frankfurt Institute of Advanced Studies, Duke University, Univ of Texas, Arlington, Magdalena Ridge Observatory, New Mexico Tech, Florida State Univ, Univ of Maryland-College Park, Univ of Cincinnati, Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Pisa, ICTS-TIFR, AEI, Hannover, University of Connecticut, Storrs, ANL, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge, Brigham Young University - Idaho, Fermi National Accelerator Lab, University of Colorado Boulder, Northwestern Univ

  • Christopher Porter

    Ohio State Univ - Columbus, The Ohio State University