Accessible Science for All

Concepts in the physical and natural sciences are often difficult for students to grasp unless the concepts are supported by more than one form of cognition. Few instructors would deny the value of teaching by engaging a student’s multiple intelligences: auditory, visual, kinesthetic.The luxury for millenial students from diverse backgrounds, is free access to the internet. Students can visit a public library and armed with a list of web links ( many which can be grabbed from this wiki), can access websites where 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional graphics and motion- animation and video, all accompanied by qualifying text, can be viewed and understood as long as the student wishes to sit in front of a computer.

Teachers, using the combined functions of internet, powerpoint and/or a web browser, can integrate animated models and simulations into their lesson plans by displaying the websites and models via a SMARTBOARD or LCD projector.

Computer simulations can represent real or imaginary situations. They allow users to study or try things that would be difficult or impossible to do in real life.

Simulations are particularly useful when a real-life process:

• is too dangerous,
• takes too long,
• is too quick to study or invisible to humans
  
• is too expensive to create.

From graphical simulations of experiments to animated models (animated gifs, java applets, flash )of reactions and web pages with embedded videotaped (teacher tube and google video) lab demonstrations , the science instructor and student will find plenty to observe and interact with.

Recent Developments in Computer Generated Imagery and Sound

There is an overabundance of online resources for students of science. With the growth of immersive environments, such asSecond Life, The need for real sound and image is fueling digital creation in the arts and sciences. Below are some recent postings describing innovative digital creations:

June 2009
The sound of water
http://www.cs.cornell.edu/projects/HarmonicFluids.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090603182120.htm

The art of electronica
http://rhizome.org/ a veteran organization promoting art in the digital world