Brian Hornbuckle

Courses

• AGRON 2060
• AGRON 1830
• AGRON/ENSCI/MTEOR 4050/5050
• AGRON/E E/MTEOR 5180

Resource 

• PhET Simulations

Case Study

Between college and graduate school, I spent two years teaching high school Chemistry and Physics through the Mississippi Teacher Corps. TOPS Learning Systems was a great discovery: interesting science experiments that used materials I could buy the night before class at the grocery store!

When I came to Iowa State in 2003 I searched for an equivalent resource: something that encouraged curiosity but required limited resources as the classes I taught did not have a dedicated lab. PhET online simulations fit the bill. I have designed several class assignments around PhET activities in just about every class I teach. I especially appreciate how the simulations can help students develop good conceptual models of fundamental processes.