Changing how physics students approach learning with simulations: Research and development of PhET-based tutorials

马里兰州大学的研究人员正在开发教程，以补充流行的科罗拉多大学PhET模拟。这些模拟是物理学及其他领域中使用最广泛的模拟之一（每年下载量超过2500万次），部分原因是它们旨在平衡两个相互竞争的设计目标-选择引起对特定因果关系的注意的控件和表示，以及提供足够的自由，以便学生可以真正探索。相比之下，目前包含在模拟中的课程不是通过迭代测试和修改的设计周期创建的，通常用于创建帮助学生获得大量概念收益的材料。该项目通过参与研究密集型设计周期来弥补这种情况，以创建有效的教程和相关的教师指南。此外，它还提供了关于如何触发和维持学生与模拟互动的生产模式以及如何破坏非生产模式的重要见解。这些教程有可能接触到成千上万的高中和本科生，可能更多，因为这些材料将在PhET网站上推广。此外，研究学生如何框架与模拟的互动将是有用的教师谁想要写或修改与模拟相关的活动或更有效地在课堂上使用它们。

Researchers at the University of Maryland are developing tutorials to complement the popular University of Colorado PhET simulations. These simulations are some of the most widely used in physics and beyond (more than 25 million downloads every year), partly because they are crafted to balance two competing design goals---selecting controls and representations that draw attention to particular causal relations vs. providing enough freedom so that students can authentically explore. By contrast, the curricula currently included with the simulations were not created through the design cycle of iterative testing and revision typically used to create materials that help students achieve large conceptual gains. This project remedies that situation by engaging in a research-intensive design cycle to create effective tutorials and associated instructors' guides. Moreover, it is also providing crucial insights about how to trigger and sustain students' productive modes of interaction with simulations, and how to disrupt unproductive modes. The tutorials have the potential to reach tens of thousands of high school and undergraduate students, likely many more, as the materials are to be promoted on the PhET site itself. In addition, the research on how students frame their interactions with simulations will be useful for instructors who want to write or revise activities associated with simulations or to use them more effectively in the classroom.