Modeling has been shown to correct weaknesses of traditional instruction by engaging students in the design of physical models to describe, explain, and predict phenomena.1 Although the modeling method can be used without computers, the use of computers allows students to study problems that are difficult and time consuming, to visualize their results, and to communicate their results with others. This combination of computer modeling with theory and experiment can achieve insight and understanding that cannot be achieved with only one approach. This paper describes the Easy Java Simulations (Ejs) modeling and authoring tool and shows how it can be used to teach mechanics concepts with computer modeling.
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F.E. Cellier and J. Greifeneder, Continuous System Modeling (Springer, New York, 2006).
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W. Christian, Open Source Physics: A User's Guide with Examples (Addison Wesley, New York, 2007). Simulations developed using the OSP library and OSP tools are available at http://www.opensourcephysics.org. Resources for Ejs modeling are located in the modeling subdirectory; http://www.opensourcephysics.org/ modeling.
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Java is freely available under the GNU open source GPL license and installing it is no more difficult than installing other third-party software such as Acrobat or Flash readers. The most popular Java implementations are available from Sun Microsystems at http://java.sun.com/javase. The Apple Computer OS X operating system ships with Java installed.
6.
F. Esquembre, Creación de Simulaciones Interactivas en Java (Prentice Hall, Madrid, 2005). The Ejs program, documentation, and examples can be downloaded from http://www.um.es/fem/Ejs.
7.
The BQ Learning database contains many Ejs models. These models can be accessed at http://www. bqlearning.org.
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© 2007 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2007
American Association of Physics Teachers
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