RETURN



 
BLACK BOX VS. TOOLBOX:

Three types of courses are indicated at the entrance stage. They may be characterized as follows:
  • Numerics for the teacher, physics for the students
    • At this stage, computation is used by the teacher as a didactic tool. Physical insight is promoted by well-picked simulations or visualizations.
    • Students need not know details of the numerical algorithms. All that is required of them is the trust the simulations and visualizations are true to the physics.
    • Attention: Do not "over-visualize"! Use the laptop only where the neck-top may honourably fail.
    • TOOLS: Applets, Demos, Graphics, ...
    • EXAMPLE: StatPhys Tutorial (see later)


  • Numerics for the software, physics for the students
    • Students are provided with numerical software that solves difficult items for them: nonlinear differential equations / unsolvable integrals / matrix inversions / Fourier series / etc.
    • Students still need not know details of the numerical algorithms.
      But: they can go exploring on their own, putting the physics into equations that may or may not be analytically solvable, then invoking the help of the software tool.
      Thus they know that their mathematical model is true to the physics.
    • TOOLS: Matlab, Octave, Mathematica, Maxima, ...
    • EXAMPLE: In Vienna, we have little experience with this - so far only in medical informatics -, but it seems a viable and promising way.

  • Numerics and physics for the students
    • Here we go: numerical algorithms are explained and used in solving real (if simplified) problems.
    • TOOLS: Fortran, C, F, ...
      A Fortran- or C-type language should be used, possibly both in parallel. JAVA is rather hard for students. Experience with F (a subset of Fortran) is good.
    • EXAMPLE: SciComp Course Vienna
      So far a voluntary course. But: "... should be made obligatory." (This from a student!)


vesely sep-2005