Computer simulations are widely used in physics instruction because they can aid student visualization of abstract concepts, they can provide multiple representations of concepts (graphical, trajectories, charts), they can approximate real-world examples, and they can engage students interactively, all of which can enhance student understanding of physics concepts. For these reasons, we create and use simulations to teach physics,1,2 but we also want students to recognize that the simulations are only as good as the physics behind them, so we have developed a series of simulations that are intentionally incorrect, where the task is for students to find and correct the errors.3

Topics
Computer simulation, Education, Teaching, Abstracts
1.
W. Christian and M. Belloni, Physlet® Physics: Interactive Illustrations, Explorations, and Problems for Introductory Physics (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2004).
2.
M. Belloni, W. Christian, and A. J. Cox, Physlet® Quantum Physics: An Interactive Introduction (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2006).
3.
www.compadre.org/OSP/items/detail.cfm?ID=9964. Download and double-click to launch the examples. To edit the resources, Easy Java Simulations (EJS) must be installed on the computer (link on same site). The corrected versions are password protected with a password: e&m.
4.
A.
Francis
 and
M.
Couture
, “
Credibility of a simulation-based virtual laboratory: An exploratory study of learner judgements of verisimilitude
,”
J. Interact. Learn. Res.
14
,
439
–
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(Oct.
2003
).
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5.
C. E.
Wieman
,
W. K.
Adams
,
K. K.
Perkins
, “
PhET: Simulations that enhance learning
,”
Sci.
322
,
682
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(Oct.
2008
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Crossref
Search ADS
 
6.
W. K. Adams et al. “A study of educational simulations part I-Engagement and learning,” phet.colorado.edu/phet-dist/publications/PhET_Interviews_I.pdf, p. 21–22.
7.
C. J. Hieggelke, D. P. Maloney, S. E. Kanim, and T. L. O'Kuma, E&M TIPERs: Electricity and Magnetism Tasks Inspired by Physics Education Research (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2005).
8.
See, for example, the discussion and examples in the theme issue of Comp. Sci. Eng. 8 (Sept./Oct. 2006) or the theme issue of Am. J. Phys. 76 (April 2008).
9.
vpython.org/. For use of VPython in teaching introductory physics, see R. W. Chabay and B. A. Sherwood, Matter and Interactions, 2nd ed. (Wiley, New York, 2007).
10.
www.um.es/fem/Ejs/ or from the Open Source Physics Collection in the ComPADRE digital library: www.compadre.org/osp.
11.
W.
Christian
 and
F.
Esquembre
, “
Modeling physics with Easy Java Simulations
,”
Phys. Teach.
45
,
475
–
480
(Nov.
2007
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
12.
Simulations are self-executing Java archive files (jars), zipped xml files, or a local connection from EJS to the ComPADRE digital library collection of materials.
13.
With EJS running, users can also access models distributed in xml source files, zipped groups of source files, or via a local connection to the ComPADRE digital library collection of materials.
14.
D. P.
Maloney
 et al., “
Surveying students' conceptual knowledge of electricity and magnetism
,”
Phys. Educ. Res., Am. J. Phys. Suppl.
69
,
S12
–
S23
(July
2001
).
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15.
Ibid.,S17.
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© 2011 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2011
American Association of Physics Teachers
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