Role of computers in physics education – A review

Physics is said to be difficult subject. Physics learning is not an easy task. There is strong evidence all over the world that physics students are not learning the concepts necessary for a good understanding of the physics world. Their learning of scientific facts remains in the classroom only. The computer is one of the most brilliant gifts of science having characteristics of speed, accuracy, reliability and integrity. It can execute over a million instructions per second without any mistake. It can carry our calculation in just a few minutes that would require month If carried out manually. The computational techniques have provided a friend and servant to science, technology and industry. In the present learning process computers are being used for enhancing physics learning also. They can be used to analyze and visualize data, communicate results, run experiment and monitor equipment. Computing can play an important and varied role in advancing physics learning. We point out role of computational techniques namely Simulations, Multimedia, Virtual Reality, Telematics and computer based labs which may deal with those difficulties and increase the learning process. Some good computer programs for learning physics exist. Emergent computational tools and new development in learning theories have contributed to change in education. But we are still in the middle of change process. The main objective of this paper is to discuss role of computer to understand physics and strengthen science and technology.