Week Twelve October 5 – October 11, 2008

UTEP-UMCE News – Dr. Bill Robertson, Fulbright Scholar, UTEP Assistant Professor

 

Week Twelve October 5 – October 11, 2008

 

The following is a summary of the activities that I have been engaged in during the week of October 5 – 11 as they relate to the work I am doing here at UMCE as part of my Fulbright Scholarship.

 

Physics Instruction at Liceos

 

On Monday, October 6, I worked at the 2 local high schools implementing the physics project from la UMCE. The first school, Liceo Juan Antonio Ríos, has approximately 15 students in the project. The second school, Liceo Capitán de Corbete Pedro Gonzáles, has 2 sections of students, the first with approximately 30 students and the second with 35 students. In these classes, we worked with students on the use of Modellus in developing mathematical models for the project we have been doing concerning the velocity and acceleration of a skater.  Modellus has a free download version that is quite useful and robust for making mathematical models and is also available in both Spanish and English versions.

 

Previous to this work, we have helped the students to gather the data, and then use class time to calculate the velocity and acceleration on paper. We then showed them how to use vectors on the tangents of the curves as well. Next, we used Excel with the data in order to generate the mathematical equation that we could use in Modellus. Then, we could actually make animations from this material and insert graphics that could act in the manner of the data collected. This is a great way to integrate technology tools in a practical manner, and the students worked on this project with great energy and enthusiasm, the like of which I have not seen in all my interaction with these students to date.

 

Explora Meeting Conference on

 

On Tuesday, October 7, I attended a meeting with José Arrellano from Explora here in Santiago. Explora is a science education entity that partners with various educational institutions including university and governmental organizations in order to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.   We are currently exploring ways to collaborate and he is interested in using the ideas of action science as a bridge to work with students in the first and second years of high school, which would be equivalent to ninth and tenth graders back in the US.

 

Explora Web site: http://www.explora.cl

 

UMCE Notes

 

There have been a number of interesting people who have attended la UMCE over the years, which included the poet Pablo Nerudo, who attend la UMCE, but never graduate.  In the past, la UMCE was a part of the University of Chile system.  At some point, the pedagogical aspects were separated out and UMCE became its own entity. The school today is a primary point for the development of teachers in a number of disciplines including the College of Science, where I am currently working.