Computer-Based Work Stations or Physiology Laboratories

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This award provides funds to the Department of Biological Sciences at George Washington University to help purchase equipment that will allow redesign of two undergraduate physiology human laboratories around microcomputer-based work stations. Apple Macintosh SE personal computers will be interfaced with World Precision Instruments MacLab data acquisition systems. The WPI MacLab includes both the necessary hardware and software specifically designed to emulate a polygraph and a storage oscilloscope. The most innovative feature of the redesigned labs will be that PCs will be used as interactive "electronic lab manuals". The software which will be designed for the manual will make possible an auto-tutorial approach which will greatly improve learning during the conduct of an exercise. In responding to queries, students will be required to answer questions, provide data, or produce graphical or tabular data summaries. The PC-based work stations will also allow the addition of new lab exercises to the curriculum, including simulations. The proposed PC-based work stations will be less expensive to purchase and much easier to use and maintain than high quality pen and ink recording systems. No laboratory courses in the Department currently provide students an opportunity to use PC's regularly for data acquisition and analysis. Using PC-based work stations in physiology will better prepare students to enter the work force or to continue their education at the graduate level. The grantee is matching this award with non-Federal sources.