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Home Minds On About

What is Minds On Physics?

Minds On Physics is difficult to describe because Minds On Physics is like nothing else. At first glance, it appears to be an exercise in answering questions. But it is indeed much more than that. Learners will certainly answer questions and they will definitely get an exercise. The exercise is an exercise in ...

  • reading carefully
  • thinking deeply
  • pondering the meaning of a concept
  • probing the relationship between ideas
  • making sense of physics language
  • reflecting on one's own understanding

Learners will get a mental workout as they think about how they conceive of a topic. Common misconceptions are often targeted. Superficial thinking is quickly challenged. And a deeper understanding of a concept is most often the end result of this exercise in Minds On Physics.


 

How Does It Work?

Minds On Physics (MOPs for short) was designed to be a learning and assessment tool. Each topic is broken down into a collection of missions. The missions focus on one to three specific objectives or learning outcomes. When working on a mission, a collection of questions are presented to learners one question at a time and in a random order. Answers are immediately evaluated and feedback is given. Learners continue to answer questions in an effort to progress through the mission.

 

Behind the scenes, the program is constantly analyzing answers and looking for patterns of missing. When a pattern is observed, learners are alerted of the pattern and provided links to help that is specific to the questions being missed. When a learner completes a mission, a Trophy is rewarded and a record of completion is recorded in our Task Tracker database (for those with a paid subscription). 


 

How Are Questions Organized?

Each mission in Minds On Physics consists of a collection of up to 40 questions. Many questions are very similar, perhaps differing only in the order of the choices. Similar questions are organized into Question Groups. You must answer one question from each Question Group in order to complete the mission. If you miss one question within a group, another question from that same group will eventually be presented to you.



Why Not Try It Yourself?

The best way to get the sense of what Minds On Physics is about is to try it yourself. Whether a teacher who is contemplating incorporating it into their classroom or a student wishing to improve their physics understanding, giving it a try is the best way to find out why there are so many MOP-aholics roaming our society. The program is available at no charge and without a paid subscription.  (Paid subscriptions provide premium features.) Once you get your mind on a few missions, you will have a feel for the type of mental workout that we are referring to.



 

Why Do I Need An Account?

First things first: you don't need an account. If you're a student who is looking to improve their understanding, you don't need an account. Just select your topic and begin. Utilize the help function, learn, and enjoy while you earn a deeper understanding of the topic. And if you're a teacher who simply wants to provide students a learning resource - either in or out of class - you don't need an account. The Minds On Physics Internet Modules are freely accessible (emphasis on FREE-ly).


Now for the account part: Teachers (and Schools) can purchase annual subscriptions to the Minds On Physics Internet Modules that allow them to integrate Minds On Physics with our Task Tracker system. This integration provides a variety of premium features such as

  • creation of classes
  • assigning MOP missions with due dates, partial credit rules, and point values
  • ability to view questions and their organization into Question Groups
  • ability to customize a mission by eliminating Question Groups from the student experience
  • ability to set the miss penalty for a mission
  • student progress is saved mid-mission
  • student completion records are view-able through the Task Tracker system

To learn more about the use of a Teacher Account for Minds On Physics, visit our Teacher Account page.