Using Computer Simulations as Pre-training Activity in a Hands-on Physics Lab

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using computer simulations as a pre-training activity to a hands-on lab to improve students’ understanding of induction topics in physics. The computer simulation activity was compared to an overview lecture. Conceptual understanding and spatial ability were measured. A two-group descriptive repeated measures design was implemented with a convenience sample of 35 community college physics students in the Bay Area. Participants were randomly assigned to a simulation group (n = 17) or a lecture group (n = 18). A 30-item spatial ability assessment was given to all participants one week before the day of the experiment. On the day of the experiment, the simulation group completed a 30-minute induction simulation activity while the lecture group received a 30-minute overview lecture. Both groups then completed a 90-minute hands-on lab. Before completing the simulation activity or receiving the overview lecture, an 18-item conceptual understanding test was given to all participants. The same test was given as a posttest after participants completed the simulation activity or received the overview lecture, and again as a second posttest after participants completed the hands-on lab. Overall results suggest that the overview lecture was more effective in improving students understanding of induction topics in comparison to completing the simulation activity. When stratified by spatial ability level, high spatial ability participants seemed to have benefited more from completing the simulation activity while the low spatial ability participants benefited more from receiving the overview lecture. When stratified by gender, both male and female participants benefited similarly from the overview lecture. However, male participants seemed to have benefited more from completing the simulation activity. Results also suggest that there was a small negative relationship between spatial ability and conceptual understanding. Although the overview lecture was more effective in improving students understanding of induction topics, the 30-minute computer simulation activity still made a difference in student learning. This result can be seen as a positive finding suggesting that 30-minutes of working with simulations could help students improve their understanding of physics concepts even if they had not used the simulations before.