scio10: Connections with mathematics and programming through modeling

Led by Maria Droujkova and Blake Stacey.

We started with a pretty basic discussion of how to show math on the web. I use the math sandbox on mediawiki and use a png. B recommends replacemath.js http://mathcache.appspot.com/static/docs.html â it also provides an alt tag that has the LaTeX in it. Sitmo â LaTeX equation editor is one M has had some success with.

Example â Radiometer â the very simple thing- requires very complex analysis using kinetic theory of gases⦠so visualization from Greg Egan.

B took a bunch of computers they bought for some unsuccessful physics education initiative and redesigned the first few courses to have a modeling and simulation problem that required the computers each week. This gives more of a real feeling for how physicists work. M makes the point that it doesnât matter that it might be simplistic â the students make it themselves and it fascinates them. B shows an example using python which is quite easy to use (M says itâs like the new basic).

M went over her mindmap on Natural Math (see the wiki page). Need attention to how to learn math and the psychology of math, and things like science fairs for math â not with set problems to solve, but to set a problem and work it out.