Using Tracker to Engage Students’ Learning and Research in Physics

Information and communication technologies (hardware and software), have become an important part in classroom learning because they allow diversity in learning styles and make learning more flexible. This study focuses on Tracker, a free video analysis and modeling software, which offers an alternative route to discuss concepts that are otherwise difficult to grasp. Using the popular game, Angry Birds, we demonstrate the ongoing research on the application of Tracker in three cases: 1) motion of exploding projectile, 2) free fall with air resistance, and 3) calibration of a home-made spectrometer. Findings reveal that such visualizations can offer an alternative way to explain concepts that are otherwise rather difficult to grasp in Physics. Findings from these experiments open up exciting possibilities on the need for future research in more advanced research themes like determining diffusion coefficient and absorption spectra of materials.