Computer Automated Laboratory Instrumentation for Student Instruction

西南学院（SWC）是一所以少数民族为主的公立社区学院。通过这笔拨款，学院正在获得计算机自动化的实验室仪器，提供动态的、现代化的实验室体验。现有的物理实验室设备可以追溯到20世纪60年代，并不能反映SWC学生在四年制转学机构和工作场所遇到的技术变化。拟议的设备允许学生用自动化仪器技术取代目前冗长的人工数据采集，留下时间在实验室探索包含测量的物理原理。这是一个重要的转变，从以前繁琐的，耗时的测量和手动计算往往与物理相关。这种转变使学生能够发现科学探究和思考的兴奋和喜悦，有助于培养批判性思维技能。该项目是物理系五年计划的一部分，旨在实现物理系的卓越发展，从而增加进入科学和工程专业领域的少数民族学生的数量。获得的设备包括IBM计算机和接口组件套件，线性运动仪器和旋转运动仪器-所有项目组成一个完整的包。每年450名学生在本科物理课程中进行的11项核心实验中，有6项实验直接受到该设备的影响。美国国家科学基金会的拨款正与来自非联邦来源的资金相匹配。

Southwestern College (SWC) is a primarily minority, public community college. Through this grant the college is acquiring computer-automated laboratory instrumentation that provides dynamic, modern laboratory experiences. Existing physics lab equipment dates from the 1960's did not reflect the changed technology SWC students encounter in four-year transfer institutions and in the work place.The proposed equipment allows students to replace current lengthy manual data acquisition with automated instrumentation techniques, leaving time in the laboratory to explore the physical principles that incorporate the measurements. This is a major shift in emphasis from the prior tedious, time-consuming measurement and manual computation too often associated with physics. The shift enables students to discover the excitement and joy of scientific inquiry and thought, helping to develop critical thinking skills.This project is part of the Physics Department Five-Year Plan, developed to achieve excellence within the Physics Department and thus increase the number of minority students who enter professional fields within science and engineering. Equipment acquired includes IBM Computers and Interface Component Kits, Linear Motion Instrumentation, and Rotational Motion Instrumentation--all items making a complete package. The equipment has direct impact on six of eleven core experiments conducted in undergraduate physics courses by 450 students per year.NSF grant funds are being matched with funds from non-federal sources.