Phun and Molecular Workbench

Although I enjoyed both the Molecular Workbench/nanotech and Phun activities, my favorite was the Phun tutorial. With the Phun activity, I felt like I was having more fun than learning, and with the nanotech activity, I felt the opposite and got bored quickly. Phun was much more interactive, and I felt like I actually accomplished something. It is also more appealing to look at, as it provides the use for many different colors and shapes to be used. On the other hand, nanotech was more “sciency,” and although it has shapes and different activities in which you can participate, it does not provide the eye candy that Phun provides. For these reasons, I think a majority of students would enjoy participating in Phun activities more than in Molecular Workbench activities.
Phun is immediately engaging and provides at least one easy-to-follow tutorial on how to make a stack of bricks and a catapult to knock it down. While Molecular Workbench also provides easy-to-follow activities, it is not as engaging as Phun is because the creator does not have as much control and options as they do when participating in Phun. Phun fosters much creativity, therefore tapping into the minds of the more spacial learners, while Molecular Workbench fosters more technical thinking, therefore tapping into the minds of the more mathematical/linear learners. Another positive aspect of Phun is that students, although using physics, don’t even feel like they’re learning about physics. Talk about the positive effects of experiential learning!
Students could use Phun to make a simulation and then actually try to create the simulation in reality and test it, providing that the necessary materials are available. Phun could also be used to teach about the correlation between two or more variables such as the effect that gravity has on object placement and stability. It could also be used to teach about the effects of different systems, such as a lever/pully system, specifically the effects they have on the outcomes of the specified events, such as the one presented in the tutorial. Phun is also relatively easy to use; therefore, those students who get anxiety when faced with technology can experience technology and its usefulness without the sometimes frustrating effects imposed by some applications.
Summarily, both Phun and Molecular Workbench provide engaging and interactive activities that foster learning as well as experiential learning. They both provide students with the opportunities to positively engage with technology, while also providing valuable learning experiences. What a great way to get students interested in the sciences, while also tapping into other areas of interest such as art and technology.

POV source file

#include "colors.inc"
#include "textures.inc"
#include "shapes.inc"
#include "shapes2.inc"
#include "functions.inc"
global_settings { ambient_light }// camera ---------------------------------
camera {location <0.0 , 1.0 ,-3.0>
look_at <0.0 , 1.0 , 0.0>}
// sun ------------------------------------
light_source{<1500,2500,-2500> color White}
// sky -----------------------------------
sky_sphere { pigment {gradient <0,1,0>
color_map { [0.00 rgb <0.2,0.7,1.0>]
[0.45 rgb <0.0,0.1,0.7>] [0.55 rgb <0.0,0.1,0.7>]
[1.00 rgb <0.6,0.7,1.0>] scale 2
} // end of pigment} //end of skysphere
// create a sphere shape
sphere {<0, 0.5, 0> // center of sphere
0.5// radius of sphere// scale <1,2,1> pigment {Black}}
// used in global_settings, sets an overall brightness/ambient light level in the scene ambient_light color rgb <1,1,1>
// create a rainbow arc
rainbow {angle 45// degrees width 6// degrees distance 1000direction <0,-0.5,1>jitter 0.01arc_angle 180//degrees falloff_angle 60 // degrees
// up color_map {[0.000 color rgbf <1.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.0> ]
[0.100 color rgbf <1.0, 0.5, 1.0, 0.8> ]
[0.214 color rgbf <0.5, 0.5, 1.0, 0.8> ]
[0.328 color rgbf <0.2, 0.2, 1.0, 0.8> ]
[0.442 color rgbf <0.2, 1.0, 1.0, 0.8> ]
[0.556 color rgbf <0.2, 1.0, 0.2, 0.8> ]
[0.670 color rgbf <1.0, 1.0, 0.2, 0.8> ]
[0.784 color rgbf <1.0, 0.5, 0.2, 0.8> ]
[0.900 color rgbf <1.0, 0.2, 0.2, 0.8> ]
}
}sphere{<0, 3, 0>, .1texture {pigment{color Black}}
translate 5.6*y translate 1*-z rotate 25*y}
cylinder {<0, 0.5, 0.1>,<0, 1.3, 0>,.40}
//ground{<0,1,0>,plane {y, 0texture {pigment { color Green }}
normal {bumps 1 scale 1}finish {phong .4}} fog {
fog_type2distance5color rgb 0.6 // grayfog_offset 0.3fog_alt0.2
turbulence 0.8}#include "skies.inc"sky_sphere { S_Cloud5 }

Pot-o-Gold POVray So Far

TQ #7 Gapminder

I used GapMinder to compare math achievement in 8th grade with expenditure per student at the secondary level (represented by % of GDP per capita). I compared the countries of the U.S., Iran, Australia, and Japan from the years of 1998 to 2005. It is interesting because from the graph, it can be gleaned that as the expenditure per student rose (however, only minimally), the math achievement in all countries being compared decreased a bit in all countries except for the U.S., which seemed to rise about five points.
I think that GapMinder can be a powerful tool in education that helps foster higher-level thinking in students. It provides great visuals that can be intriguing to both teachers and students, and it is relatively easy to use. After a few instructional and practice sessions, I think that students would be able to use it independently. The use of GapMinder in schools can help students understand how the countries in which they live compare with other countries around the world over time, given assigned attributes on respective axes.
Some problems I foresee are that the topics listed for the axes might not be appropriate for all age and grade levels. The topics/labels that are currently present would not be appropriate or interesting for students definitely at the elementary level, and maybe not even for the middle school level. I realize that GapMinder was developed in collaboration with universities, governmental agencies, and other adult-oriented organizations (Carnegie Council); however, I think it would be a great tool to use in public schools at all levels if appropriate topics would be available.

http://www.policyinnovations.org/innovators/organizations/data/gapminder (Carnegie Council