Development of Curricular Tools for Quantitative Estimation in Physics

该项目使用设备来解决这个部门和全国物理课程中存在的课程需求。物理学导论课程的明确目标之一是让学生准备好将物理学应用于他们周围的世界。学生应该能够深思熟虑地执行信封背面的计算，以得出关于物理学的有效结论，因为它是观察。很少，如果有的话，教师通过测试学生来验证这种技能。这些测试的结果令人失望。因此，该部门正在开发方法，以确保学生在这些估计过程中的技能。 如果学生要学会做出有效的估计，他们需要练习。关键是，他们能迅速得到有关其估计准确性的反馈。为此，正在使用八个基于计算机的数据采集系统沿着合适的探头和建模软件。与结构化的学习活动一起，该硬件提供了培养学生估计技能所需的即时反馈。简单的建模练习使学生能够发现问题的哪些方面是最关键的。 由于越来越多的物理课程可以访问基于微机的实验室（MBL），开发的工具和资源很容易转移到全国各地的学校。

This project uses equipment to address a curricular need that exists in this department and in physics programs nationwide. One of the express goals of introductory physics courses is to prepare students to apply physics to the world around them. Students should be capable of thoughtfully performing back-of-the-envelope calculations to reach valid conclusions about physics as it is observed. Rarely, if ever, do teachers validate this skill by testing students. The outcomes of those tests that have been employed are disappointing. Therefore, this department is developing methods to ensure greater student skill in these estimation processes. If students are going to learn to make valid estimations, they need to practice. It is crucial that they have quick feedback about the accuracy of their estimates. To this end, eight computer-based data acquisition systems are being used along with suitable probes and modeling software. Together with structured learning activities, this hardware provides the immediate feedback that is needed to develop student skills in estimation. Simple modeling exercises enable the students to discover which aspects of the problem are most critical. Because of the growing numbers of physics classes with access to microcomputer based labs (MBL), the tools and resources developed are easily transportable to schools nationwide.