Student Exploration: Reverse the Field (ANSWER KEY)
Student Exploration: Reverse the Field
Vocabulary: inversion, mean, retina
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
When you see an object, light from the object is focused on the retina, a thin tissue on the back of your eye. This image is upside-down and reversed.
How do you think you are able to see a right-side-up image?
Suppose you wore a special pair of goggles that turned everything you see upside-down. Do you think you would be able to adjust to this new reality? Explain why or why not.
Gizmo Warm-up
Normally, the cursor on a computer screen follows the movements of your hand. If you move your hand to the right, the cursor moves right. But what would happen if the cursor did the opposite of what you intend? Would you still be able to use your computer? The Reverse the Field Gizmo™ allows you to experience a situation in which your mouse cursor does not react to your movements in a normal way.
To start, see how well you can use your cursor in normal circumstances. Check that test A is selected and press Begin test. Type the word “gizmo” by clicking on the letters with your mouse.
How long did it take you to type “gizmo”?
Type “gizmo” four more times. What were your times?
What do you notice about your times?
Activity A:
Adjusting to inversions
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Get the Gizmo ready:
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Introduction: An inversion is a reversal of position and direction. The Reverse the Field Gizmo allows you to work with situations in which the function of your mouse is inverted.
Question: How well do you adjust to inversions in mouse function?
Predict: The Reverse the Field Gizmo allows you to experiment with three different inversions: left-right (test B), up-down (test C), and left-right-up-down (test D).
Which inversion do you think you will adjust to most easily?
Which inversion do you think will be the most difficult?
Gather data: For each test, run six trials with the word “gizmo.” Record all times in the table.
Analyze: What patterns do you see in your data?
Calculate: Cross out the slowest time in each column. Calculate the mean for each test by adding the remaining times and dividing the sum by five. Record the mean times in the bottom row of the table.
(Activity A continued on next page)Activity A (continued from previous page)
Compare: Look at the results and mean for each test.
Which inversions yielded the best and worst individual times?
Which inversions yielded the best and worst mean times?
If possible, share your results with those of your classmates. Did they experience similar results? Explain.
Draw conclusions: Based on your data, which inversion was the easiest to adjust to? Which was the hardest? Why do you think this was? _____________________________________
Think and discuss: Why do you think it is sometimes a good idea to drop the most extreme result when calculating the mean of a data set? ___________________________________
Activity B:
Long-term adjustments
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Get the Gizmo ready:
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Question: How well can we adjust to inversions that occur for a longer period of time?
Form hypothesis: Given unlimited practice, do you think you can function as well with an inversion as you can without? Explain why or why not.
List: Click Change goal. What word is your goal now?
Gather data: With test A (no inversions) selected, type this word five times. Record the times below, and circle your best time.
Select a test: Your challenge is to try to adjust to the most difficult inversion for you.
Which inversion will you try?
Gather data: Click on your chosen inversion, and then type the word 30 times. Record your results in the table. (Fill in each row from left to right, starting at the top.) Circle the best time.
Gather data: Now select test A and try writing the word five more times. Record the times:
(Activity B continued on next page)
Activity B (continued from previous page)
Analyze: Consider your results in the three experiments.
Were you able to perform as well with the inversion as you were without? Explain.
How much did you improve over the course of 30 trials with the inversion?
Compare your times in question 3 to your times in question 6. How did practicing with the inversion affect your ability to function without the inversion?
Think about it: Do you think you collected enough data to truly answer the question posed at the beginning of this activity? In other words, how well do you think you would do given unlimited practice for many days?
Describe: Explain what it was like to type the word with an inversion. Did you have to use a particular strategy to get to the next letter? Did that strategy change over time?
On your own: If you like, continue to practice with the inversion until you can type the word as fast with the inversion as without.
Extension:
Design an experiment
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Get the Gizmo ready:
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Introduction: The Reverse the Field Gizmo can be used for a science fair project or other experiment. The first step is to come up with an interesting question to investigate.
Choose a question
Here are a few suggestions to get you started. You can choose a topic from this list or come up with a topic on your own.
Which type of inversion is easiest to adjust to?
Which type of inversion is the most difficult to adjust to?
Does gender affect the ability to adjust to inversions?
Does age affect the ability to adjust to inversions?
How do various distracters (music, flashing lights, or background noise) affect a person’s ability to adjust to inversions?
How does putting someone in a stressful situation affect their ability to adjust to an inversion?
Do video-game enthusiasts adjust more easily to inversions?
Which is better able to adjust to inversions, the right hand or the left hand?
Which question are you going to investigate? “How do various distracters (music, flashing lights, or background noise) affect a person’s ability to adjust to inversions?”
Design your experiment
The key to designing a successful experiment is to control your variables. Everything in your experiments should be the same except for the one variable you are investigating. For example, if you are comparing different inversions, then each subject should have the same goal word.
Before beginning the experiment, explain your project and experimental design.
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