A Cost Effective-Method for Using the Microcomputer Based Laboratory in Teaching Physics to Engineering, Science and Architecture Majors

该项目涉及(1)如何使Priscilla Law的Workshop Physics （WP）在这所拥有大量物理专业学生的大学中适用并具有成本效益；(2)如何提高普通学生，特别是理工科和建筑学专业学生在物理实验室中的学习水平。为了实现这些目标，新设备在两个物理实验室建立了联网的微机实验室。该大学正在使用罗纳德·桑顿的科学教学工具（TST）项目的“运动和力评估测试”作为筛选设备，以确定哪些学生应该在参加大学或学院物理课程之前参加物理入门课程。这门物理入门课程就像WP一样运行。那些真正需要强化训练的学生得到了它，但那些没有继续参加标准学院或大学物理课程的学生，从而以一种经济有效的方式教育学生。所有的学生还在物理实验课程中使用计算机工具，这是大学里大多数学生必须参加的课程。每年约有600名学生，主要是工程和建筑专业的学生，将接触到TST的微电脑实验室。由于实验主要是为理工科学生开发的，因此正在为建筑专业的学生开发新的实验，以适应他们的兴趣和专业。该试点项目对物理专业生源多、实验室空间有限的高校具有一定的示范意义。

This project addresses (1) how to make Priscilla Law's Workshop Physics (WP) applicable and cost-effective at the university with a large number of students taking physics and (2) how to enhance learning in the physics laboratory for the average student, particularly Science, Engineering, and Architecture majors. For these objectives, new equipment establishes networked Microcomputer-Based Laboratories in two physics laboratories. The university is using the "Motion and Force Evaluation Test" of Ronald Thornton's Tools for Scientific Teaching (TST) project as a screening device to determine which students should take an Introductory Physics course before taking the University or College Physics courses. This Introductory Physics course is being run like WP. Those students who actually need intensive training get it, but those who do not go on to the standard College or University Physics courses, thus educating the students in a cost-effective way. All the students also use the computer tools in a Physics Lab course which most of the students at the university must take. About 600 students, primarily Engineering and Architecture majors would be exposed to the TST microcomputer-based lab each year. Since the experiments have been developed primarily for Science and Engineering majors, new experiments are being developed for the Architecture majors, to suit their interests and profession. This pilot program can have national significance by establishing a model for those universities who have a large number of physics students and limited lab space.