International Journal of Modern Physics C

In this article we discuss the effort made by the Internet Pilot to Physics (TIPTOP) project to develop a uniform and open information infrastructure for physics research and education. We discuss concepts such as communication in research and education, the importance of distributed indexing and catalogs, and briefly the use of new technology such as VRML and Java. We also stress the importance of developing and using standardized protocols and formats such as the Summary Object Interchangeable Format (SOIF) and Thematic Uniform Resource Agents (TURA). TIPTOP has rapidly grown to be one of the most popular physics Internet knowledge servers, and the recently established collaboration with the European Physical Society is an important step forward in developing a stable framework of high quality information for researchers and educators.

Since the introduction in 1993 of the World Wide Web and the associated multimedia technologies numerous projects are underway introducing the new tool into introductory physics teaching. This paper will describe two such undertakings: The Cockpit Physics project at the United States Air Force Academy and the WebPhysics project at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis.

TechTools™ is a professional development program for science and mathematics teachers for purposes of promoting a constructivist pedagogy with modern technologies: probeware, image processing, multimedia, e-mail, and the WWW. We report preliminary results on (1) changes in teachers' use of technology tools, classroom pedagogy and attitude, and (2) systemic ingredients which are catalytic and inhibitors to the technology reformation necessary in the educational system.

We illustrate the use of World Wide Web technologies for the teaching of general science topics to undergraduate non-science majors. The newly developed course, Science for the 21st Century, consists of modules each presenting scientific topics of current interest and broad appeal. Network- and computer-based tools are used by instructors to: 1) present multimedia material in lectures; 2) produce and store Web-based modules; 3) communicate notices about the course. Students use computers to: 1) access and review lecture material; 2) explore information sources (located on our server or elsewhere) for term projects and homework assignments; 3) obtain information about the course and communicate with instructors. We describe our experiences with this course and formulate some general conclusions which might be of interest to others wishing to use network-based resources for teaching.

Animations of introductory physics material are now widely available on the World Wide Web. They are available in two forms: those that need a resident application to run them and those that are Java-based. Although the latter offer advantages over the former (superior graphics, no proprietory software etc.) they suffer from the drawback that they cannot be easily modified. This restriction may not be important to many educators but it can affect those who are trying to tailor their efforts to a specific audience. If this is the case, the disadvantage of Java-based simulations may be so important as to render them of minimal use.

We describe our efforts at the University of Oregon to use Web-based Instructional Technology (IT) supplemented with interactive Java virtual experiments to change the standard pedagogy associated with large, introductory undergraduate classes in physics and astronomy. We begin by examining some of the problems associated with the standard pedagogy in these classes and how these problems motivated our development of networked courseware. Although we identify and describe five empirical positive outcomes associated with IT, we conclude that the use of HTML-based course material and assignments does not substantially alter the standard pedagogy as this medium alone is not conducive to interactive exercises. To build interactivity into our courseware, we have undertaken a vigorous effort of creating Java-based experiments which are grounded in physical reality and duplicate the kinds of experiments that are done in the physical lab. In so doing, we build experimentation into a curriculum for large lecture-based classes in which the standard pedagogy and resource constraints normally preclude lab sections. The main goal is to create a networked environment where the student can easily retrieve the notes and the demonstrations that were done in class as well as to engage in experiments that are designed to illustrate basic principles. In so doing, we hope to move to a more learner-centered environment which is driven by student inquiry. Five specific Java experiments are described here and each is accompanied by a snapshot of the experimental apparatus and controls. An appendix contains the relevant URLs of the experiments, courseware, and animation described herein.

The students in an introductory physics class for non-science majors are not likely to have sophisticated computer skills. However, many of them have become Web surfers and can be enticed to use the Web as part of their study of physics. Our initial efforts have focused on using the Web to improve courses for elementary and secondary education majors. Materials available to the students include both academic and administrative activities. Students may have access to items such as the course syllabus and up-to-date information on their grades. On the academic side, practice tests, textbook pages, and some interactive programs are available. In developing these materials we have incorporated a variety of techniques including HTML files, C programs, the Macromedia Director Shockwave plug-in, and the Adobe Acrobat plug-in. In all of the efforts we have attempted to minimize the amount of time spent on software development.

Web-based distance education technologies may improve education and support totally new educational systems. Web technologies present new opportunities for delivering multimedia information and interacting with physical simulations. This paper describes some infrastructure and human interaction issues, a text-indexed video, and a Web-based image storage and presentation system, and three on-going distance education projects.