"PHYSICS,
STEP ONE"
Software previews
Screenshots
Product Brochure
White Paper
User Guide
Buy
 |
|
| Physics, Step One CD-ROM |
Methods
realized in this product (Physics, Step One version 1.1)
are described in detail in the Methodical Approach to
Education section of our Web site. Our software bears
no resemblance to any of the "game-based" educational
software that dominates today's markets. "Physics,
Step One" is the only computer learning program
available on the market today that allows students ages
12-14 and
older to get a comprehensive insight and practical training
in introductory physics.
The underlying principle of "Physics, Step One" is the
classic notion that nothing teaches better than a great
and well-narrated story. Reading has always been the
primary channel for education and we do not believe that
it is necessary or appropriate for the makers of educational
software to try to reinvent the wheel and replace reading
by television-style delivery of information.
Introductory physics require much more than just knowledge
of various facts and this is true for any natural science.
Understanding of physics calls for building a logical
sequence explaining the physical phenomena and this is
exactly what we do in our lectures.
 |
|
| One of the many interactive models
that accompany the lectures. This model is for the
lecture of levers and simple mechanisms. |
Each lesson begins with a simple explanation of a fundamental
physical phenomenon, such as, for example, the molecular
makeup of matter. From there the lecture proceeds into
the mathematical explanation of the concept and reveals
connections among the molecular nature of matter, its
density, its mass and weight and how all of these properties
affect the mechanical nature of our world. Even at this
introductory stage, students already receive a sizeable
block of knowledge allowing them to proceed further into
the basic mechanics of motion.
Concepts of force, mechanical work, power, Archimedes
and Pascal laws constitute the core of this program and
majority of the lectures are devoted to the fundamental
mechanical principles of the Universe and touch both
implicitly and explicitly the Newtonian model of the
Universe. At this point students begin to deal with more
abstract concepts rarely encountered in everyday life.
The course concludes with a comprehensive review of
simple mechanisms and related fundamental laws of mechanics.
This is followed by a broad introductory lecture on electricity
and a detailed review of the atomic structure of matter.
 |
|
| Lectures are also supplemented with
many static and animated diagrams that illustrate
various physical phenomena. This animated diagram
explains the concept of uniform motion. You can view
more screenshots here. |
One should avoid the impression that a single reading
of the entire course will be sufficient to understand
all the presented material. The course - more than 22
lectures and related materials - requires thoughtful,
well-paced reading by the student. After each lecture,
the student should be able to explain main points of
the lecture in his or her own words.
Each lecture has highlighted sections containing important
definitions, which the student should memorize in their
entirety. However, memorizing unconnected concepts without
going through and understanding the entire lecture is
very much pointless.
Critical definitions requiring memorization are emphasized
as well with special markings and underlined text. These
are visual cues for both the student and the teacher
to quickly identify key concepts in the lecture. Students
will find this useful for memorizing concepts and definitions
that require memorization, while teachers may use the
same visual cues useful for quizzing the students on
key aspects of the lectures. Every lecture is followed
by theoretical and practical assignments accompanied
by an answer key. The correct answer is only one mouse
click away.
Once you see the volume of the theoretical academic
material and practical assignments, you should realize
the complexity of the tasked faced by your student. Numerous
animated diagrams and interactive models to help your
student to visualize particular concepts of physics accompany
the lectures. Lab assignments embedded within the lectures
also work to reinforce the learning process and make
it easier for the student to absorb all the new information.
Software
previews
Screenshots
Product
Brochure
White
Paper
User Guide
Buy
Other links:
Read our
Mission Statement
About
