Wim Peeters / MOSEM² / Objectives

Objectives

In essence, the purpose of the MOSEM² project is to connect the MOSEM
experiments to modelling and simulations via data video and data logging
of e.g. the currents and magnetic fields in the MOSEM experiments.

In the MOSEM² project we therefore

  • promote integrated use of data acquisition, video, modelling and simulations;
  • improve and extend materials from previous projects and develop some new
    materials (e.g. models and simulations) to complement these
  • teach teachers how to use these materials and/or adapt them to their own
    aims.

Integration takes place at the technical level: instead of an assorted bag
of tools for data acquisition, data processing and analysis, modelling and
simulation that do not work well together, teachers and students are
better off with tools that supplement each other in a user-friendly way.

Rationale

Combined with other activities, modelling can successfully lead students
towards activities in which they are actively engaged (hand-on and
minds-on) in the discovery of science. Thus engaging themselves in the
intellectual quest that makes real scientist life so exciting.

This is the starting premise of this project. We build on an important,
nice set of multimedia products from the SUPERCOMET 2 project, as well as
from the thought-provoking table-top experiments of the MOSEM project, to
try to construct a set of modelling-based activities that Physics teachers
and teacher trainers can use in their lectures. The main topics in our
project will be Electromagnetism, Superconductivity, and Quantum
Mechanics.

The activities will use real-life images, videos, and data and
will focus of the use of computer simulations to create pedagogical
material for classroom use. Simulations are powerful pedagogical tools
(more powerful than multimedia) because they force students to explore, be
active, and engage intellectually in the discovery process of learning,
which is the long-lasting, most effective way of learning science.

Aims

Our aims are therefore:
a.- to construct this ready-to-use pedagogical material,
b.- to use this material to teach Physics teachers how to implement the
modelling approach in their lectures and
c.- to trial this new form of teaching and probe how it affects the
learning and enthusiasm of teachers and students.

Objectives

Our objectives point primarily towards these aims. We need to:
1.- Define a complete set of models that consistently cover a series of
topics in electromagnetism, superconductivity, and quantum mechanics.
2.- Create a collection of real-life data in form of pictures, videos, and
data-acquisition activities from real experiments that complement the
models developed.
3.- Implement computer simulations that successfully combine models and
real-life material to create computer-based pedagogically meaningful
visualizations of the topics covered.
4.- Develop support materials (guides, worksheets, list of suggested
activities) based on these simulations and data, that will cover a set of
didactical units on the given topics for high-school and VET students, as
well as for their future teachers.
5.- Confront the materials to the different European Physics curricula and
translate and adapt them to match local needs and ways of teaching.
6.- Produce appropriated documentation and written guides.
7.- Teach a seminal group of teachers how to use the new materials to
implement modeling in their lectures.
8.- Carry out testing at the national level, and collate this into an
overall evaluation.