Improved Physics Instruction for Non-Science Majors and Prospective Elementary Teachers

这个项目的目的是通过改善参加物理入门课程（物理100）的非科学专业学生（特别是基础教育专业学生）的科学教育，帮助培养具有科学素养的公民。本课程的实验/讲座形式已经形成，鼓励学生先通过实验学习物理，然后通过讲座和讨论来发展这些概念。为了解决许多学生不擅长使用数学的困难，通过绘图来发展从具体实验到抽象原理所需的一般模式识别。这种方法已被广泛接受；然而，有两个困难：1)绘制大量数据可能会变得乏味，导致学生对过程和所涉及的科学感到厌倦；2)通过使用科学方法收集足够的数据来洞察系统可能非常耗时。这两个困难可以通过实验室电脑化来克服。数据可以用计算机快速绘制和修改。使用与计算机连接的探针，可以快速收集大量数据。这些数据可以很容易地绘制出来。因此，可以把更多的重点放在科学上，而把更少的精力花在技术细节上。更多的时间可以用来辨别自然的模式并探索其含义。

It is the intent of this project to help prepare scientifically literate citizens by improving the scientific education of non- science majors (with a specific focus on elementary education majors) enrolled in an introductory physics course (Physics 100). A Laboratory/Lecture format for this course is already in place which encourages students to learn physics first by doing experiments and then developing these concepts through lectures and discussions. To address the difficulty that many of these students are not particularly adept at using mathematics, the general pattern recognition required to move from the concrete experiment to the abstract principle is developed through graphing. This approach has been well accepted; however there are two difficulties: 1) graphing significant amounts of data can become tedious, causing students to become weary of the process and the science involved; and 2) gathering sufficient data to gain insight into systems through the use of the scientific method can be extremely time consuming. These two difficulties can be overcome by computerizing the laboratory. Data can be plotted and revised expeditiously using a computer. Using probes interfaced to the computer, significant amounts of data can be collected rapidly. These data can then be easily plotted. Thus, greater emphasis can be placed on the science with less energy expended on technical details. More time can be spent discerning the patterns of nature and exploring their implications.