Demonstrating a concept

Consider videoing the phenomena and providing the video file to students using a virtual learning environment or online file store. This is an example of providing a digital artefact.

Get students to perform a simple demonstration using materials they have at home, for example, determining a value for g by timing a pendulum (RT). This is an example of performing the procedure in an alternative environment.

If more equipment is required than student might reasonably be expected to have, consider a video demonstration of the concept. For example, demonstrations of processes such as photolithography, that occur in a teaching clean room, such as the one in the Diamond at the University of Sheffield, couldn’t be carried out at home. This is an example of a providing a digital artefact or synchronous remote participation. Synchronous sessions allow students to ask questions in real time which is important for clarifying concepts.

Provide students with an experimental dataset to analyse and compare with theory. Pair this with details or video of protocol including information on measurement and equipment uncertainties.

For example, experimental data from gas thermometer provided, this investigates gas volume changes at different temperatures. Students graph and use relationship to calculate absolute zero.

This is an example of providing a digital artefact.