Ed Center on CSE continues to
Engage People In Cyberinfrastructure (EPIC)
Kris Stewart July06
The
For
our participation, we proposed researching how to use the current game engines
as a platform to develop education modules to support high school science
instruction. We established a collaboration
with two sciences teachers from
Our development team at SDSU included a professor of
computer science, Kris Stewart, a staff resources specialist, Kirsten Barber,
and two computer science majors as programmers, John Nguyen and Skylar
Hayes. Our first project was to
visualize a simple molecule to demonstrate the power of the nuclear force. This is a required topic from the California
State Chemistry Standard 11.a Nuclear Processes[2]
- Nuclear processes are those in which an atomic nucleus changes, including radioactive decay of naturally occurring and human-made isotopes, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion. As a basis for understanding this concept:
- Students know
protons and neutrons in the nucleus are held together by nuclear forces
that overcome the electromagnetic repulsion between the protons.
After preliminary
meetings with Mr. North to come to understand what he felt would be useful for
his students, our student programmers began developing a module for a “Virtual
Field Trip to the Lithium Battery”.
After several iterations with Mr. North, the computer model was
refined. The Ed Center team accompanied
Mr. North when he presented information on the partnership we had formed in the
August 2005 Chemistry Teacher In-Service workshop for San Diego City
Schools.
Figure 1 Mr. North shares Chemistry game modules with
peers
Figure 2: Skylar Hayes and John Nguyen describe the
Torque-based computer game for the Virtual Field Trip to the Lithium Battery
(the blue basketball)
Screen
picture inside the Lithium Battery itself
Later in the Fall
Semester, Mr. North used this module in the computer labs at
Hoover
High student interacting with the Virtual Field Trip to the Lithium Battery in
school lab session
We then began working with Mr. Hal Cox to find an
appropriate 3d model to support concepts his students had difficulty with in
their physics courses. The required
topic that Mr. Cox selected was 5n: Electric and Magnetic Phenomena
- Electric and magnetic
phenomena are related and have many practical applications. As a basis for
understanding this concept: n Students know the magnitude of the
force on a moving particle (with charge q) in a magnetic field is qvB
sin(a), where a is the angle between v and B (v and B are the magnitudes
of vectors v and B, respectively), and students use the right-hand rule to
find the direction of this force.
[http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/scphysics.asp]
Mr.
Cox and Skylar Hayes comparing ideas for preliminary version of the Magnet
module at the Ed Center on Computational Science & Engineering, SDSU
Skylar
Hayes and John Nguyen meeting with Mr. Cox in his Physics classroom at Hoover
High as the Torque game evolves.
Our preliminary
modules are available for download to a IBM PC computing platform as a zip-file
from
Virtual Field Trip
to Lithium
http://visservices.sdsc.edu/projects/explore/LitBattery.php
Hosted by the Visualization Services Group at
the
Our preliminary module on Exploring the
effect of Magnetic Fields on Projectile Motion is available from
http://edcenter2.sdsu.edu/Torque.zip
The player, with crossbow,
sets up to try to hit the target on the other side of the large C-magnet. Must make allowances for effective of
magnetic force on the projectile.
Score increases. Also magnet rotates after each successful
“hit”, challenging the player to make the appropriate correction for the
magnetic force effect.
To ensure continued development with the Game
Engines, Dr. Stewart taught an upper division Computer Science Elective in
Spring 2006 on 3d Game Programming for Simulation. This was well received by students from both
computer science and from graphics arts at SDSU. It will be repeated in Spring 2007.
Kris Stewart, Professor, Computer Science,
GMCS 535
Director, Ed Center on Computational Science
& Engineering, LA073
Appendix – Rough Draft by Skylar Hayes on the
Physics Game:
1.1 Proposal:
1.2 The Problem:
What is the nature of a charged particle and a magnetic field? What is the nature of a charged particle moving through a magnetic field? How is the particle affected by the magnetic field and how is the magnetic field affected by the particle?
This Problem involves magnetic fields, charged particles, and movement in 3 dimensions. Most of
1.3 The Solution:
After figuring out what would be explained to the students, we as developers had to figure out a way to convey the information effectively. We decided that most students do not have knowledge of particles or magnetic fields, but that they had a small understanding of magnets. Therefore, students could relate to virtual magnets when shown in a 3D world so we used them as the base to our development. Most students have somewhat of an understanding that magnets attract and repel other magnetic objects. So the plan of this Physics module is to place magnets throughout the environment and allow the users to control the magnetic objects moving (or in our case charged particles) through the magnetic fields. This can allow students to correlate what they already know with what they will be learning during the virtual lecture.
2.1 The Design:
The educational goal for the users, drove the design of the physics game. After contemplation, the design was created for a basic journey where the user would control an avatar and maneuver it throughout the 3d world. This style was made to mimic a field trip so that students could both learn and experience in one fell swoop. A basic map was designed such that the student walks through a series of prerequisite tutorials; these tutorials create the context of the 3D game and help the user prepare for the test period. The student who reaches the test period, will be involved in an interactive game. This interactive game quizzes the user on information just learned and also allows him/her to visualize this knowledge. The student can then understand this information in a way, such that testing in the future may seem more familiar.
2.2 Features of the Module:
Character:
The avatar allows the user to move and free look just as an individual moving through a real life science exhibit would. This creates a sense of feel that is familiar for the user and easy to adapt to.
Virtual laboratory:
Virtual Magnets and particles are created to allow the user to visualize what is normally outside of everyday life. All items have been increased in size so that the user becomes a part of what is going on in the environment.
Upon final completion of the mission, students reach a final score with an end game scenario to let them know that they have won. This leaves the user with a feeling of accomplishment and lets them know that what they just practiced was correct.
3.3 Files and Installation :
PC Installation-
1. When the PhysicsGame folder opens there should be another folder titled SDK. Open SDK.
2. When the SDK folder opens there should be another folder titled Example. Open Example
3. Double-Click the file titled torqueDemo.exe to open the physics Module.
4. When the menu screen has loaded, click on Start Lesson to begin.
