PhET: Simulations That Enhance Learning

682 EDUCATIONFORUM R esearch on learning shows that students learn better when they construct their own understanding of scientific ideas within the framework of their existing knowledge (1). To accomplish this process, students must be motivated to actively engage with the content and must be able to learn from that engagement. Interactive computer simulations can meet both of these needs. A growing body of research analyzes their design and use (2, 3). Here, we summarize some of the research of the Physics Education Technology (PhET) project, particularly that related to simulations and student motivation. We find that an important element of educationally effective simulations is that students view these simulations much as scientists view their research experiments (3). The scientist approaches research as an enjoyable opportunity to explore basic concepts, as well as to challenge, correct, and add to his or her understanding of how the world works. Similarly, the student usually finds exploring the simulations fun and, through this exploration, discovers new ideas about the science. A well-designed simulation focuses the student’s attention on the basic scientific concepts. When something unexpected happens, the student questions her understanding and changes parameters in the simulation to explore and improve her understanding—approaches similar to those taken by a scientist working with an experiment. This behavior is in contrast to the way students approach hands-on experiments typically used in classes. Students often think that their goal with such experiments is to reproduce a preordained result as fast as possible, without making a mistake. Many factors of simulations contribute to this contrast. Identifying these factors is important for effective design and use of educational simulations and could help improve typical in-class experiments. The PhET project (http://phet.colorado. edu) has developed more than 80 interactive simulations. These cover various topics in physics and real-world applications, such as the greenhouse effect and lasers. There are 16 simulations on chemistry topics, as well as several simulations for math, biology, and earth science. PhET simulations run through standard Web browsers and they can be integrated into a lecture, used with laboratories or as homework assignments, or used as informal resources. A PhET simulation requires several months to create, has 10,000 to 20,000 lines of code, and is tested through a series of student interviews. These simulations are used worldwide and at all levels—from grade school through upper-level university courses. The ” Wave Interference ” simulation (see figure above) illustrates …