Title: Mobile Apps for the Physics Classroom

Physics Major: Mary Chessey

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to develop software for mobile devices which could theoretically enhance the learning environment of a physics classroom. Previous research suggests that engaging students in active learning in a classroom improves academic achievement and learning outcomes. Disrupting lecture to give students the opportunity to provide feedback to the instructor and communicate with their classmates improves short-term and long-term memory of class content. The contribution of this research is to offer a new tool for physics instructors to engage their students at higher levels of learning. The additional functionality of Smartphone technology over button-clicker devices allows for exciting modes of interaction between students and course content, permitting students to express ideas by drawing vectors, dragging and dropping objects to create a desired system and seeing their predictions play out in order to further analyze conceptual physics.

Advisor: Dr. David Goldberg