TATI - A Logo-like interface for interface for microworlds and simulations for Physics teaching in Second Life

Objective

To present TATI – The Amiable

Textual Interface for Second Life

TATI which allows easy creation of TATI which allows easy creation of

physical microworlds as proposed

by Papert (1980).

Physics learning

Student difficulties in learning

Physics are well known.

In ‘real life’, if you stop pushing it,

Papert (1980): instead of

teaching Physics by manipulating

actual Newtonian objects schools

do it by manipulating equations.

In ‘real life’, if you stop pushing it,

it will stop moving!

Piagetian learning sequence

Papert (1980): microworlds where learners could progress from Aristotle’s ideas to Newton’s Laws through as many intermediary [micro]worlds as many intermediary [micro]worlds as needed.

Piaget & Garcia (1989): The genesis of knowledge in the subject is isomorphic to the evolution of Science!

Virtual worlds

WALK

FLY

PLAY

TALK

SIMULATOR

FLY

DRIVE

TALK

BUILD

HAVE FUN

Simulations in SL

‘me’

Brownian motion

Simulator

Immersion: “students can be part of the system that is being ‘me’

First-person learning(Bricken, 1992):

•Experiential,•Interactive,•Multisensory•[Kinesthetic]

system that is being studied” (dos Santos, 2009)

LSL (Linden Scripting Language)

default {

state_entry() {

llSay(0, "Ready!");

}

touch_start(integer total_number) {

integer touched_button =

llDetectedLinkNumber(0);llDetectedLinkNumber(0);

if(touched_button ==

GetPrimLinkNumber("Buridanian_button"))

llSay(-142679, "Aristotelian

Cannonball");

else if(touched_button ==

GetPrimLinkNumber("Newtonian_button"))

llSay(-142679, "Cannonball");

}

}

Obstacles

It takes a long time to learn to move the avatar, go through doors, manipulate objects, etc..

Huge learning curve that discourages teachers to invest in SL (Sanchez, 2009).

etc..

Development

1. Objects definition:

a. 4 ‘turtles’ (PAPERT, 1980, pp. 127) +

b. 2 ‘standard’ SL objects: physical & non-

physical physical

2. TATILogo language:

a. EBNF

b. Validation w/ RPA Toolkit

3. Parser (in LSL)

a. Predictive (top-down) (Aho et al., 1986

“Red Dragon Book”)

4. TATILogo to LSL translator (in LSL)

Object types

NOROBJECT non-physical

SL object

immune to gravity; kinematic

function (llSetPos, llSetRot,

etc.)

GEOOBJECT geometric

turtle

geometrical components :

position & orientation

VELOBJECT velocity turtle commands to define velocity; VELOBJECT velocity turtle commands to define velocity;

position changes as a

consequence

ACCOBJECT acceleration

turtle

commands to change velocity

NEWOBJECT Newtonian

turtle

commands that apply forces

& torques

PHYOBJECT physical SL

object

subject to gravity; dynamical

function (llSetForce, etc.)

Object compatibility

NOROBJECT GEOOBJEC

T VELOBJECT ACCOBJECT NEWOBJECT

PHYOBJECT

GETPOS, GETROT � � � � � �

FORWARD, BACKWARD,

RIGHT, LEFT, UP, DOWN, CLOCK,

ACLOCK,

� � � � � �

SPEEDUP, SPEEDDOWN � � � � � �SPEEDDOWN � � � � � �

SPINUP, SPINDOWN � � � � � �

GETVEL, GETANGVEL � � � � � �

GETACCEL � � � � � �GETFORCE,

GETTORQUE, APPFORCE,

APPIMPULSE, APPTORQUE,

APPROTIMPULSE

� � � � � �

TATILogo

CREATE object_id object_type? object_shape? colour? DELETE object_idSETCOL object_id colourSETPOS object_id positionFORWARD object_id distance ONGO? RIGHT object_id angle ONGO?

APPFORCE object_id force ONGO?APPTORQUE object_id torque ONGO?APPROTIMPULSE object_idrotational_impulse ONGO?GETCOL object_idGETTYPE object_idRIGHT object_id angle ONGO?

UP object_id angle ONGO?CLOCK object_id angle ONGO?SETVEL object_id velocity ONGO?SPEEDUP object_id speed ONGO?SPINUP object_idangular_velocity ONGO?SETANGACCEL object_idangular_aceleration ONGO?

GETTYPE object_idGETPOS object_idGETVEL object_idGETANGVEL object_idGETTORQUE object_idGOCONNECT object_id1 object_id2 REPEAT integer ( list_of_statements )HELP

Example 1 - NOROBJECT

/33 create b1

/33 setcol b1 blue

/33 forward b1 3

/33 backward b1 6

Example 2 - VELOBJECT

/33 create b2 velobject

plane

/33 forward b2 3

/33 speedup b2 0.5

/33 speedup b2 -0.5/33 speedup b2 -0.5

/33 setvel b2 (-0.5 0

0)

/33 setvel b2 (0 0 0)

/33 setvel b2 (0 0

0.5)

/33 setvel b2 (0 0 0)

Exemple 3 - PHYOBJECT

/33 create b3 phyobject

cylinder

/33 setcol b3 red

/33 forward b3 3

/33 speedup b3 0.5/33 speedup b3 0.5

/33 approtimpulse b3 (0

0 -0.38)

/33 appforce b3 (0.5 0

0)

/33 appforce b3 (0 0

0)

Example 4 – 3D Rotations

/33 create b1 geoobject

plane orange

/33 forward b1 2

/33 right b1 90

/33 left b1 180

/33 right b1 90

/33 up b1 45/33 up b1 45

/33 down b1 90

/33 up b1 45

/33 clock b1 45

/33 aclock b1 90

/33 clock b1 45

/33 repeat 12 ( forward

b1 1 ; up b1 5 ;

forward b1 1 ; clock b1

5 ; right b1 5 ;

forward b1 2 )

Example 5 - Circumference

/33 create b4 geoobject

plane

/33 repeat 36 ( forward

b4 0.5 ; left b4 10 )

Example 6 - VELOBJECT

/33 create b5 velobject

plane green

/33 repeat 4 (speedup

b5 10 ; slowdown b5 10

; spinup b5 162 ; ; spinup b5 162 ;

setangvel b5 (0 0 0) )

Example 7 - NEWOBJECT

/33 create b7 newobject

plane red

/33 repeat 4 (

appimpulse b7 ( 12.0 0

0) ; appimpulse b7 ( -0) ; appimpulse b7 ( -

12.0 0 0) ;

approtimpulse b7 ( 0 0

1.0) ; approtimpulse b7

( 0 0 -0.98) )

Example 8 - Collisions

/33 create c1 phyobject

sphere blue

/33 setpos c1 (214.7874

208.3379 38.48)

/33 create c2 phyobject

sphere red

/33 setpos c2 (207.5374 /33 setpos c2 (207.5374

216.3379 38.48)

/33 appimpulse c1 (-4 0

0) ongo

/33 appimpulse c2 (0 -4

0) ongo

/33 go

Conclusion

We believe that the above sequence of

object types realizes Papert's proposed

Piagetian learning sequence to

Newtonian physics (1980) from the Newtonian physics (1980) from the

geometric object to the Newtonian one

providing the exploratory and syntonic

construction of position, velocity,

acceleration, force, etc. concepts

Conclusion

TATI allows you to “relate what is new

and to be learned to something you

already know […] make it your own:

Make something new with it, play with it,

build with it (Papert, 1980, p. 120).”

Hopefully TATI and TATILogo represent a

significant contribution to Physics learning

and reduce SL learning curve.

build with it (Papert, 1980, p. 120).”

Future

1. To implement the remaining

commands (CONNECT, etc.) despite

the 64kB limitation!

2. Revise all the implementation: 2. Revise all the implementation:

design, usability, rigor, etc.

3. Alpha test w/ specialists

4. Beta test w/ voluntary users

5. Distribution

6. Registration as a Logo variant

Proof of concept?

Physics teachers willing to do an usability

test are most welcome.

Which means: HELP, PLEASE!

Links

@SLPhysicsLab

www.tatilogo.com

@SLPhysicsLab

http://www.secondlifephysics.com/

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Castelo/213/211/39/

References

• Aelson, H.; diSessa, A. A. (1981) Turtle

Geometry: Computations as a Medium for

Exploring Mathematics. Cambridge, MA: MIT

Press.

• Bricken, W. (1991). Extended abstract: A formal • Bricken, W. (1991). Extended abstract: A formal

foundation for cyberspace. In S.K. Helsel (Ed.),

Beyond the vision: The technology, research,

and business of virtual reality. Westport:

Meckler.

• dos Santos, R. P. (2009) Journal of Virtual

Worlds Research, 2(1).

References

• Harvey, B. (1993) Berkeley Logo User

Manual. Berkeley, CA: University of

California.

• Papert, S. A. (1980) Mindstorms -• Papert, S. A. (1980) Mindstorms -

Children, Computers and Powerful

Ideas. New York: Basic Books.

• Piaget, J. & Garcia, R. (1989)

Psychogenesis and the History of

Science. New York : CUP.

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