Community College Physics Workshop Project

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This program for community college physics teachers is providing four workshops at several community college campuses around the nation. Two of these workshops introduce the use of microcomputer-based laboratories in physics and another covers the development of conceptual exercises and overview case studies. A fourth workshop provides and update and an opportunity for previous participants to work together to develop and exchange appropriate curriculum materials necessary to return to their campuses and start implementing the workshop ideas. The impacts of the workshops are reinforced afterwards by a networking system and a newsletter. These workshops facilitate the incorporation of new knowledge at community colleges which enhances their students' understanding of classical and contemporary physics. The task of updating science education programs at community colleges is important for students (particularly women and minorities) who attend community colleges and who need to be exposed to, and gain experience with, current technology, and who need effective and sensible encounters with physics education.