Enhancing the Workshop Physics Program with New Techology

作为其全国公认的车间物理项目的持续发展的一部分，迪金森学院物理与天文系正在用Macintosh ii计算机和彩色显示器取代位于两个介绍性物理实验室的Macintosh SE计算机，这些计算机和彩色显示器通过以太网连接到文件服务器、激光打印机、迪金森已经建立了两个视频分析站。这种设备被车间物理课程的入门物理学生和高年级物理专业的学生大量使用。它也被不同层次的其他团体使用：非理科生参加大一研讨会和系里其他必修的科学课程；参加NSF资助的暑期研讨会的高校教师；少数民族高中生；参加科学事业日活动的高中女生；当地居民学会监测辐射。设备的升级有几个原因。我们的旧电脑和Apple Talk网络，现在已经是第五个年头了，缺乏内存、磁盘存储容量和速度，无法让我们充分利用新软件的功能，如电子表格建模、视频分析、符号方程求解、数据共享和模拟。最近的两项NSF拨款允许迪金森学院、塔夫茨大学和俄勒冈大学合作开发实验课程，旨在帮助其他机构利用集成的计算机工具和互动教学方法。这些项目的工作由于有了最先进的实验室计算机工具来编写和在课堂上测试课程材料而得到极大的加强。

As part of the continuing development of its nationally recognized Workshop Physics program, the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Dickinson College is replacing Macintosh SE computers located in two introductory physics laboratories with Macintosh IIsi computers and color monitors which are linked by Ethernet to a file server, laser printers, and two video analysis stations already developed at Dickinson. This equipment is being used intensively by both introductory physics students in the Workshop Physics courses and upperclass physics majors. It is also being used by other groups at various levels: non-science students taking freshman seminars and other required science courses in the department; college and university teachers attending NSF sponsored summer workshops; minority high school students; high school girls visiting for a science career day; and local citizens learning to monitor radiation.The upgrade of equipment is occurring for several reasons. Our older computers and Apple Talk network, now in their fifth year of service, lack the memory, disk storage capacity and speed to allow us to make full use of the capabilities of new software for spreadsheet modeling, video analysis, symbolic equation solving, data sharing and simulations. Two recent NSF grants allow collaboration between Dickinson College, Tufts University and the University of Oregon for laboratory curriculum development aimed at helping other institutions make use of integrated computer tools and interactive teaching methods. The work of these projects is being greatly enhanced by the availability of state-of-the art laboratory computer tools for the development and classroom testing of curricular materials.