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Guided by recent AAPT guidelines, reorganization of the lab sequence at Creighton University resulted in a new, intermediate-level course designed to teach the six skills that practicing scientists rely on: constructing knowledge, modeling, designing experiments, developing technical and practical lab skills, analyzing and visualizing data, and communicating physics. As a way of introducing fundamental programming skills, students are tasked to integrate a microprocessor (Arduino Uno) with simple sensors to create basic data acquisition and control systems that can automate measurements. Here we highlight two examples. The first is a simple temperature controller used to maintain the temperature of an aluminum block. The second is a large angle pendulum whose amplitude and half period are measured using a rotary encoder. In both instances, students are challenged to design the program and troubleshoot its final application in the real world.

AAPT SM 20

Arduinos as a platform for integrating programming skills into an advanced lab

intermediate lab

programming

arduino

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. The program featured plenary speakers, sessions, workshops and many special activities.

For more information please visit the 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting page at: https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/SM2020/index.cfm.


The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. 

poster

Public access to archived geoscience databases and open source software programs provide opportunities for students to apply and expand conventional high school physics content in new contexts. These experiences invite opportunity for original science research projects that require nothing more than a computer with an internet connection. Examples from multiple geoscience fields of study will be outlined, with a focus on students' use of computation.

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I used the thread of saving the Earth from a collision with an asteroid to introduce several concepts in mechanics. Through successive approximations to the situation, students analyze situations involving constant velocity, conservation of momentum, constant acceleration, and kinetic energy as they try to determine how best to deflect the asteroid. The tools used include computer programming with the motivation of performing computations iteratively to determine closest approach

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Click and drag digital worksheets were created on which students can click and drag vectors, lines, text boxes, and symbols to create motion, force, and torque diagrams, as well as analyze graphs for biomechanics scenarios. These were made for use by student groups during an online synchronous introductory physics for life science class, but could be used in a myriad of other ways.

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Arduinos as a platform for integrating programming skills into an advanced lab

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Application of Secondary Physics Content through Modeling of Geoscience Data

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