An Interactive, Discovery-Oriented Approach to Introductory Physics Using Microcomputer-Based Laboratories

该项目要求在物理入门课程中引入基于微型计算机的实验室。这些基于微型计算机的实验室取代了微积分入门课程和非科学家入门课程中的现有实验室。研究表明，物理入门课程在培养学生对最基本的物理概念的概念性理解方面做得很差，而互动和以发现为导向的方法要有效得多。让学生自己发现公式或公式关系比让学生做实验来验证课堂上讨论的公式要有效得多。与专业物理学家类似，学生们在做物理时处于他们知识的前沿--同样相似的是他们的热情水平。以微型计算机为基础的实验室和相关的课程材料为学生成为学习过程的积极参与者提供了工具。运动程序允许学生观察自己和其他熟悉物体的运动的实时显示，并积极参与学生发现位置、速度和加速度之间的关系。实时显示使学生能够非常快速地重新做实验，允许他们自己发现实验过程，然后给他们探索新情况的自由。目前有力学、声学、热与温度等课程的教材。以微型计算机为基础的实验室的硬件也与麻省理工学院最近开发的名为ZAP的材料一起用于电学和磁学实验室。ZAP是电学和磁学的实际操作入门。所有的实验室都是高度互动的。

The project entails the introduction of microcomputer-based laboratories into the introductory physics curriculum. These microcomputer-based laboratories replace existing labs in the introductory calculus-based course and in the introductory course for non-scientists. Studies indicate that introductory courses in physics do a poor job in developing the students conceptual understanding of even the most basic physical concepts, and that an interactive and discovery-oriented approach is much more effective. Rather than the standard labs, in which students do experiments to verify formulas discussed in lecture, it is much more effective to have students discover the formula or relationship themselves. Similar to the professional physicist, students are doing physics at the forefront of their knowledge--also similar is their level of enthusiasm. The microcomputer-based laboratories and associated curricular materials provide the tools for students to become active participants in the learning process. The Motion program allows the students to observe real time displays of their own motion, and that of other familiar objects, and actively engages the students in discovering the relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration. The real-time display enables students to redo experiments very quickly, allowing them to discover for themselves the experimental process, and giving then the freedom to explore new situations. Curricular materials are currently available for Mechanics, Sound, and Heat and Temperature. The hardware for the microcomputer-based laboratories is also being used in the Electricity and Magnetism labs in conjunction with materials recently developed at M.I.T. called ZAP: A Hands-on Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism. All of the laboratories are highly interactive.