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

Abstract

Student difficulties in learning Physics have been thoroughly discussed in the scientific literature. Already in 1980, Papert complained that schools teach Newtonian motion by manipulating equations rather than by manipulating the Newtonian objects themselves, what would be possible in a 'physics microworld'. On the other hand, Second Life and its scripting language have a remarkable learning curve that discourages most teachers at using it as an environment for educational computer simulations and microworlds. The objective of this work is to describe TATI, a textual interface which, through TATILogo, an accessible Logo language extension, allows the generation of various physics microworlds in Second Life, containing different types of objects that follow different physical laws, providing a learning path into Newtonian Physics.