Flexible learning – helping first year students make the most of an interactive software package

Abstract

Physics Concepts and Simulations is a 34 module package for first year science and engineering students which spans introductory physics concepts (Part A) and many standard tertiary level topics in Part B (Mechanics, Waves, Oscillations) and Part C (Electricity, Magnetism, Modern Physics). Its key feature is the level of student interactivity in animated examples, self-review items and virtual experiments using detailed simulations. How it is to be used by students and how it fits with laboratory, lectures, and assessment was a challenge when designing it. When used as an optional resource, most good students used it extensively and found it valuable. The current approach requires all students to do two minor assignments, each on selected aspects of two or three modules, with an emphasis on deeper learning. This has led to a marked improvement in student approaches to learning.