Easy Implementation of Internet-Based Whiteboard Physics Tutorials

Abstract

The requirement for a method of capturing problem solving on a whiteboard for later replay stems from my teaching load, which includes two classes of first-year university general physics, each with relatively large class sizes of approximately 80–100 students. Most university-level teachers value one-to-one interaction with the students and find working out problems on a board a useful teaching method. However, in most institutions of higher education, the staff-to-student ratio precludes giving every student this learning experience. The syllabus of the algebra-based physics course at the University of Saskatchewan (Physics 111) is relatively ambitious in terms of the content covered, given the physics and mathematics background knowledge of the average student. This means that the number of problems worked on in class is rather limited if a thorough discussion of the basic principles is required. Some form of tutorial that records the essence of working out a problem on a board, with both visual and audio elements and which can be replayed over the Internet, is desirable. Obviously, this loses the interactive question-and-answer element possible in a true tutorial where the student and teacher are both physically present, but it does have the significant advantage that the tutorial can be replayed as many times as the student deems it necessary, thus allowing the lesson to proceed at a pace dictated by the student. Moreover, these lessons only have to be prepared once, can be used many times over, and can be used in distance-learning courses. In this paper, I describe the necessary hardware and software required to do this, all of which is relatively affordable and requires little specialist IT knowledge to set up.