Combining computational and experimental activities: an alternative using the free fall paradox

Recent studies in the field of Science education have shown promising results in integrating experimental and computational activities, promoting both the learning of concepts and theories, as well as the understanding of the representational nature of knowledge. However, despite this, traditional experimental laboratory practices continue to be carried out without connection to computational resources. In an effort to encourage the integrated exploration of experiments and computers in the teaching of Physics, we present a didactic alternative for designing and conducting activities in which the implications of uncertainties in experimentally collected data are simulated in computational models. To achieve this, we explore the open source software Tracker and Insight Maker, exemplifying the proposed approach with an analysis of the free fall paradox. We demonstrate that the computationally conducted analyses are consistent with experimental data, and argue that the resulting discussions promote both the learning of Physics concepts and laws, as well as experimental procedures related to controlling variables and analyzing empirical data. Finally, we emphasize that similar procedures to those adopted in this article could be used to investigate other physical objects and/or events.

Keywords:
Experimental activities; computational activities; Physics laboratory; free fall paradox