An evaluation tool for physics applets

Abstract

Physics applets are well known appealing resources to teach and learn physics, and a large number of them are available on the Internet. Nevertheless, not all of them are of the same quality, because such applets do not fit every specific teaching/learning purpose. The start question was which features should have a physics applet in order that it can be considered a good applet according to our experience as teachers or lecturers. The answer should be based on practical evaluations of applets from the Internet, taking quality evaluation criteria already published into account. In this way, an evaluation tool was developed as a rubric which draws attention to the different aspects of an applet that are relevant for teaching or learning a physics topic, grouping these aspects into five categories. Each category is given a separate scoring based on a preparatory qualitative evaluation of the aforementioned aspects. This evaluation tool has been tested on five physics applets by four secondaryschool teachers as experts in first-year students' background. The results show the suitability degree of each of these applets as resources for different teaching/learning environments, as well as the suitability of the evaluation tool itself. In addition, the evaluation tool simplifies the interchange of information on physics applets among teachers and lecturers.

Traditional versus hypertextual index in an online course on Oscillation and Wave Physics

“…Some examples of blended representations are graphical and mathematical descriptions of oscillations (Figure ) and sound wave propagation (Figure ). Other multimedia resources used are short produced videos of hands‐on experiments, for example, about resonance, and embedded applets taken from the web, which meet the established evaluation criteria .…”

Teaching Physics to Students With Intellectual Disabilities Using Digital Learning Objects

“…A significant benefit of the instruction using the DLOs was the visual representations, as per students’ feedback from the LOES-S, which supported their learning and increased their motivation (Stephenson & Limbrick, 2015). Pejuan, Bohigas, & Jaén (2016) consider that high quality DLOs are suitable tools for exploring technical and scientific phenomena. The present study also agrees with the findings of Nurmi and Jaakkola (2006) in that DLOs can provide new possibilities for learning applications that could enhance students’ involvement in meaningful learning activities.…”

Unordinary: An evaluation of lecture-free activities using a repertory grid

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