Executive Summary:

This briefing document reviews the "EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet" created by Fu-Kwun Hwang and its context within the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore (OER/OSP@SG) platform. The applet serves as an illustration of 3D GUI elements within the Easy JavaScript Simulations (EJS) environment, specifically applied to a rotational pendulum model. The OER/OSP@SG platform hosts a vast collection of interactive physics and mathematics applets and resources, emphasizing open educational resources and the use of simulations for learning. The platform covers a wide range of topics and educational levels, primarily targeting junior college and primary school education in Singapore.

Main Themes and Important Ideas/Facts:

1. Focus on Interactive Learning through Simulations:

• The core of the OER/OSP@SG platform is the provision of numerous interactive simulations, primarily built using JavaScript and often employing the EJS authoring toolkit. The "EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet" is a prime example of this approach, allowing users to visualize and interact with a physical phenomenon.
• The platform emphasizes active learning by providing tools that students can manipulate and observe the resulting changes.

1. Specific Example: EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet:

• This applet, created by Fu-Kwun Hwang, is designed to illustrate the behavior of a 3D rotational pendulum.
• It highlights the capabilities of EJS in creating 3D graphical user interface (GUI) elements for educational simulations. The description explicitly states: "This EJS applet illustrates how to use 3D GUI elements: 3D Rotational Pendulum".
• The applet can be easily embedded into web pages using an iframe code snippet provided on the page: <iframe width="100%" height="750" src="'.\)fields["SIMU_EMBED"https://www.um.es/fem/EjsWiki/" provide access to the underlying tools used for creating these resources.

1. Integration with the Student Learning Space (SLS):

• Several applet descriptions include "SLS" (e.g., "SLS Bohr's Theory of the Hydrogen Atom JavaScript Simulation Applet HTML5"), indicating integration with Singapore's national Student Learning Space platform. This suggests that these resources are intended for use within the formal curriculum.

1. Recognition and Impact:

• The platform mentions receiving the "2020 Excellence in Physics Education Award from American Physical Society" for the Open Source Physics Team, indicating the international recognition of the work being done.
• It also notes being "Recommended in Journal Paper as One of the Top Three Websites for COVID-19 virtual labs education," highlighting the platform's relevance and utility, especially during periods of remote learning.
• Innergy Awards received in 2019 further acknowledge the innovative pedagogical approaches employed by the creators.

Quotes from Original Source:

• "This EJS applet illustrates how to use 3D GUI elements: 3D Rotational Pendulum"
• <iframe width="100%" height="750" src="'.$fields["SIMU_EMBED"https://www.um.es/fem/EjsWiki/Main/EJSLicense and contact fem@um.es directly."

Conclusion:

The Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore platform, exemplified by the EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet, provides a rich collection of interactive simulations and resources for physics and mathematics education, primarily targeting the Singaporean context. The platform's commitment to open educational resources, the use of the EJS toolkit, and its integration with national learning platforms like SLS make it a valuable tool for educators seeking to enhance student engagement and understanding through interactive learning experiences. The wide range of topics and educational levels covered, along with the recognition received, underscores the platform's significant contribution to STEM education.

Study Guide: EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet

Overview

This study guide is designed to help you understand the EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet by Fu-Kwun Hwang, hosted on the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore website. The applet is identified as a tool for illustrating the use of 3D GUI elements in the context of a rotational pendulum, likely for educational purposes at the junior college level within the subject of Rotational Motion. This study guide will help you review the information provided about the applet and its context.

Quiz

Answer the following questions based on the provided source material in 2-3 sentences each.

1. What is the primary purpose of the EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet, according to the text?
2. Who is credited with the creation of this specific applet?
3. Under what broader topic or subject is the Rotational Pendulum Applet categorized on the website?
4. What type of graphical user interface elements does this applet specifically demonstrate the use of?
5. Where can users potentially find more information about the specific version of the applet mentioned?
6. Besides the embedded model, what other way is suggested to obtain the applet for use?
7. What is the target educational level mentioned in association with this Rotational Pendulum Applet?
8. Where is the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics project based, according to the website's name?
9. What type of license governs the content of the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore website, as stated at the bottom?
10. What is the name of the toolkit mentioned at the very bottom of the page in relation to commercial use?

Quiz Answer Key

1. The primary purpose of the EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet is to illustrate how to use 3D GUI elements. It serves as an example within the field of Rotational Motion.
2. Fu-Kwun Hwang is credited with the creation of the EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet. This information is explicitly stated under the "Credits" section.
3. The Rotational Pendulum Applet is categorized under the broader topic of "Rotational Motion." This is indicated in the breadcrumbs and the section headers.
4. This applet demonstrates the use of 3D graphical user interface (GUI) elements. This is clearly stated in the description of the applet.
5. More information about the specific version of the applet can be found at the provided URL: http://phy01.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=1824.0, as listed under "Version."
6. Besides embedding the model in a webpage using the provided iframe code, users can download the applet as a JAR file named "ejs_users_examples_RotationalPendulum.jar."
7. The target educational level mentioned in association with the Rotational Pendulum Applet is Junior College. This is listed under the applet's title.
8. The Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics project mentioned in the context of this applet is based in Singapore, as indicated by "@ Singapore" in the website's name.
9. The content of the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore website is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License. This is stated at the bottom of the page.
10. The toolkit mentioned in relation to commercial use is the EasyJavaScriptSimulations Library. Users are directed to read its license and contact fem@um.es for commercial applications.

Essay Format Questions

1. Discuss the potential educational benefits of using a 3D rotational pendulum applet like the one described for junior college students studying rotational motion. Consider the advantages of interactive simulations in physics education.
2. Based on the information provided on the website, what can be inferred about the goals and scope of the "Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore" project? Support your answer with specific examples from the text.
3. Analyze the significance of providing both an embeddable model and a downloadable JAR file for the EJS Rotational Pendulum Applet in terms of accessibility and usability for educators and students.
4. Considering the list of "Other Resources" on the page, discuss the breadth of educational tools and topics covered by the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore platform. What does this suggest about their approach to science and mathematics education?
5. Explore the implications of using open educational resources and open-source physics applets in the context of modern education. What are the potential benefits and challenges for both educators and learners?

Glossary of Key Terms

• Applet: A small application, often written in Java or JavaScript, designed to run within another application (like a web browser) to provide interactive functionality.
• Rotational Motion: The movement of an object around a fixed axis or point. This involves concepts like angular velocity, angular acceleration, torque, and moment of inertia.
• 3D GUI Elements: Three-dimensional Graphical User Interface elements are visual components in software that allow users to interact with the program in a three-dimensional space, often enhancing visualization and understanding of complex concepts.
• Open Educational Resources (OER): Teaching, learning, and research materials that are in the public domain or released under an open license, permitting no-cost access, use, adaptation, and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.
• Open Source Physics (OSP): A project that develops and promotes the use of open-source software and resources for physics education, often involving interactive simulations and modeling tools.
• Embed: To integrate content, such as a video or an interactive simulation, from one source into another, for example, embedding an applet into a webpage.
• JAR File: Java Archive file; a package file format typically used to aggregate many Java class files and associated metadata and resources (like images and audio) into one file for distribution.
• Junior College: In some educational systems, this refers to a level of education typically bridging secondary school and university, often focusing on pre-university academic studies.
• Rotational Pendulum: A pendulum that, in addition to swinging back and forth, also rotates around its suspension axis, exhibiting more complex motion than a simple planar pendulum.
• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License: A specific type of open license that allows others to freely distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the work, even commercially, as long as they credit the original creator and license their new creations under the identical terms.

Credits

Fu-Kwun Hwang

Version:

http://phy01.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=1824.0

Other Resources

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