Experiments In Rigid Body Mechanics Using A Remote Laboratory

EXPERIMENTS IN RIGID BODY MECHANICS USING A REMOTE LABORATORY
H. Kofman1, R. Pérez Sottile2, S. Concari1,2, A. Sarges Guerra2
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Facultad de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral (ARGENTINA) Facultad Regional Rosario - Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (ARGENTINA) hugo.kofman@gmail.com, rpsottile@frro.utn.edu.ar, sconcari@gmail.com, rubensguerra@gmail.com

Abstract
Remotelaboratories are one of the most advanced ways to implement new computer technology in education. Real experiments are mounted in the laboratory of a certain university, and the access can be done via the Internet. The link is remotely done through the Web, in some cases it is even possible to observe the development of the experiment through a TV camera also connected to the Internet. This allowsstudents to be placed in the actual laboratory. Undoubtedly, these systems represent a huge advantage in science teaching since many laboratories do not have enough equipment to make certain experiments. Once the technological problem of developing the experiment and designing the remote access to it is over, the main questions that arise are didactic in nature: How to approach the implementationof these devices in the teaching environment? How to do instructional design? How to evaluate the results in learning physics? In this paper, we present a general description of the architecture of the devices as well as some didactic strategies for their use in experiments in rigid body mechanics. We also show the results of the implementation of one of the developed strategies with a group ofengineering students. They show a meaningful learning of physics concepts and laws related with dynamics and energy of a rigid body rolling down on an inclined plane. Keywords: Remote laboratory, experiment, mechanics, energy, rigid body, physics education.

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN HIGH EDUCATION

Laboratory at the University is one of the places where the new technologies have been located toimprove experimental practices. The laboratory is defined as a place provided with the necessary means to carry out investigations, experiments and scientific works and also to like experiment or elaborate something [1]. At a time when the number of university students is growing, more sophisticated laboratories and equipment are needed. Apart from real laboratories, virtual and remote ones havebeen developed through the last decades and are being used in engineering education. [2]. The remote laboratory is one of the most advanced ways to implement new computer technology in education. Real experiments are mounted in a laboratory at a university, and the access can be done via the Internet. The link is remotely done through the Web, it is even possible to observe the experiment through aTV camera also connected to the Internet. This allows students to be placed in the actual laboratory. Undoubtedly, these systems represent a huge advantage in science teaching since real laboratories do not have enough equipment to make different experiments. We present a general description of the architecture of the devices as well as some didactic strategies for their use in experiments inrigid body mechanics. We also show the results of the implementation of one of the developed strategies with a group of engineering students. They show a meaningful learning of physics concepts and laws related with dynamics and energy of a rigid body rolling down on an inclined plane.

Proceedings of INTED2011 Conference. 7-9 March 2011, Valencia, Spain.

005994

ISBN:978-84-614-7423-3

1.1Remote laboratories

The “remote laboratory” or “real laboratory with remote access” is made up by a series of devices, materials and instruments organised in a certain place to allow the execution of experiments directed by a distant operator through a communication system, in this case the Internet. Thus, it is different from the virtual laboratory which consists of computer simulations...