Implementing VPython
Martin S. Mason
Mt. San Antonio College
Engineering Physics
Course
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Integrated Lecture/Lab course. (Workshop
Style)
Course meets three times a week for 2.75
hours or twice a week for 4 hours.
Co-Requisite of Calc2 and Pre-Requisite of
Trig based Physics
Majority of Students are UC Bound in
Engineering and Science
Course Evaluation:
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3 Midterms (30%)
Comprehensive Final (15%)
3 Projects (30%)
Weekly Quizzes (5%)
Daily Homework (Mastering Physics)
(10%)
Laboratory Documentation (10%)
Organization of Typical
Day
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QOD (Question of the Day)
– An activity designed to elicit students preconceptions about a particular topic.
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Discussion of Pre-Lab Work
Laboratory Activity
Post Discussion of Laboratory Activity
(Includes Problem Solving)
Integrate outcomes of Laboratory Activity
into Project
Computational Labs
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Can do computational modeling as
individual lab activities.
Emphasis on students DOING
programming instead of working with
simulations.
Integrate computational labs with
Traditional Labs
Use of Computational
Labs
Week 1
Intro to Vpython (Vectors)
Week 2
Week 3
Fancart (1D accelerated motion) -> non-constant
acceleration
Gravitational Force
Week 6-7
Spaceship voyage
Week 12-13
Mass on a Spring
Week 3
Intro to Vpython (Vectors -> E&M)
Week 5
E Field of Point Charge & E Field of Dipole
Week 7
EField of Rod
Week 12
Mag Force on moving charged particle
Assessment
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Why do we assess student work?
What is the purpose of
documentation?
Students maintain an online blog
about their work
Projects
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Three 5 week projects.
Six hours in class and 20-30 hours outside
of class.
Project is designed to require course
material from that five week period and
before.
Projects change every semester.
Project is presented as a formal powerpoint
presentation.
Evaluation of Projects
20 minute Group Presentation
Present PowerPoint and VPython
Rubric
10 minute Individual Meeting
Example First Project
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Model the behavior of a
foam rocket launched from
an elastic launcher.
Compare the results of your
model to the actual
trajectory determine from
video analysis.
Competition.
Example Second Project
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Create a system of three lunar orbiting
communication satellites that always
provide a link from the north pole of the
moon to the earth.
Include the gravitational effects of both the
moon and earth on the satellites.
Show that your system is stable for 10
years.
Sample Final Project
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A mass is placed on a low friction cart
attached to a spring. At what
amplitude will the mass on the cart
begin to slip?
Video of System
Computational model
Textbook solution makes many
simplifying assumptions
Outcomes:
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More students transition into summer
REU/Research programs.
Anecdotal reports are positive about the
utility of projects after transfer.
Difficult to measure impact on traditional
assessment.
Student retention was lower for first three
semester after the projects were
implemented, but has climbed back up.
Project Grades vs. Exam
Grades
Project Rank
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Projects measure
different skills then
exams.
Students who do
well on exams do
not always do well
on projects and vice
versa.
Exam Rank
1
4
2
2
3
3
4
6
5
20
6
7
7
14
8
1
9
18
10
12
11
16
12
11
13
8
14
15
15
17
16
9
17
10
18
5
19
13
20
19