DESIGN OF A COMPUTER-AUGMENTED CURRICULUM FOR MECHANICS

This paper describes the design and development of a set of teaching m aterials for the teaching of a topic on mechanics (as part of the rese arch carried out for the 'Conceptual Change in Science' project). The 'curriculum' comprises a series of interactive computer simulations of force and motion, a number of closely related practical activities an d associated written materials. The aim of the materials was to promot e change in learners' understandings of physical phenomena, by first m aking them aware of the limitations of their current conceptions, and then by enabling learners to develop and use a conceptual framework wh ich both fits with their experience and is internally consistent.