Qualities of an Effective Physics Simulation for Teaching; A Case Study in Physics Learning

WSU Vancouver Honors ThesisMany kids in today's schools struggle with the subjects of math and science, and this problem spans all levels of schooling. My intention is to test a virtual set of lessons that can guide students through an interactive learning process. In this way, the abstract can be brought to students' attention and into the realm of experience so that it will interest students, pique their curiosity, and teach them without lecturing them. Though this is a pilot study, the addition of computers with interactive simulations into classrooms should dramatically boost kids' understanding of the usually abstract material in sciences