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.