[BUG] The Net

[Smith, Alexander J.]

Ideas on using Vector Field Analyzer
 
 
1. Certainly Vector Field Analyzer is great to use as an ongoing
prop during lectures on vector field basics, flux, circulation,
Green's theorem, etc.
 
2. When I assign textbook homework problems from these sections,
I ask students to turn in a screenshot showing they used VFA to
"verify" their result. (If a textbook problem calls for doing a
circulation integral and the answer is 2*Pi, then they need to
calculate this and figure out how to use VFA to show a numerical approx. With
Windows OS, you will need to teach them to use "Print Screen" and
paste into something tacky like Word.)
 
3. As an extra credit sort of assignment I have been asking
students to fiddle around with the "Area-Ratio" business in VFA
and figure out what the point of these measurements are. Often
times they come with some observations of what's going on when the
divergence is constant.
 
4. Another extra credit assignment is to figuratively "describe
what a Vector Field Analyzer for 3 dimensional vector fields would
do." (So your zoom box would be a zoom cube, etc, etc.)  They come
up with novel ideas...some completely wrong--but that's part of learning.
 
Alex Smith
 
Univ. Wisconsin-Eau Claire
 
 
 
 

________________________________

From: bug-bounces at science.oregonstate.edu on behalf of Martin Jackson
Sent: Tue 5/18/2004 5:32 PM
To: BUG at science.oregonstate.edu
Subject: Re: [BUG] The Net



Well finals and, more importantly, my grading are done so I've got
time to clear some of the backlog on my desk.  In the last month, a
number of comments came through BUG to which I hope to respond in the
next day or two.

The first is a comment Alex made at the end of a message:

At 9:27 AM -0500 4/29/04, Smith, Alexander J. wrote:
>
>As far as whether or not to cover Green's theorem, I think that given
>the existence of Vector Field Analyzer, it is a no brainer. Do it. It is
>worth it.
>


I agree that Vector Field Analyzer is a very nice tool, or at least I
suspect it is.  I encourage my students to use it outside of class.
I give them some written instructions on how to use specific features
and encourage them to explore examples.  I have never systematically
surveyed students about their experiences.  I do get positive
responses when I ask informally.

  I would like to hear from others who use this in teaching.  How do
you use it?  In the classroom or as homework?  As a demonstration or
hands-on?  Optional or required?  What instructions or directions do
you give students?

Martin
--
Martin Jackson
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA 98416
(253) 879-3567
martinj at ups.edu
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