Pilot Community College Physics Curriculum Development Workshop Project

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This one-year pilot program for experienced community college physics teachers provides two curriculum development workshops during the 1991-92 academic year at two geographically dispersed community college campuses. One workshop fosters the approach of using microcomputer-based laboratories (MBL). The other advocates employing conceptual exercises (CE) and overview case studies (OCS). The workshops are derived from successful models that apply findings of cognitive physics education research.Each three-day workshop is led by two senior university/college physics professors who played a major role in the development and promotion of MBL and CE/OCS. These hands-on workshops allow community college physics teacher participants to gain knowledge about recent developments in these areas and encourage participants to adapt or develop curriculum materials which incorporate this knowledge at their own community colleges.The main goal of this project is to help community college students develop a stronger understanding of physics. The impact of the workshops is reinforced afterwards by the establishment of a networking system employing telecommunications bulletin board systems and a newsletter. Extension of this program to additional sites in other regions of the country is anticipated.