Improving Physics Instruction for Technical Students Using aMicrocomputer-Based Laboratory (MBL)

该项目在改进物理入门课程的实验室教学方面提供了帮助。教职员工认为，这些课程中的许多学生未能充分理解所提出的基本概念。因此，本项目解决了这一失败的已查明原因：(L)学生没有积极参与实验设计；(2)充分参与小组合作学习；(3)收到对许多实验结果的反馈；或(4)有效地利用他们的实验室时间和开展依赖于实验室的活动。该项目正在改进实验室教学，修订了两门物理入门课程的课程，并将微型计算机实验室工具的使用纳入这些课程的实验室部分。参加该项目改进的物理课程的学生所在的专业是为在制造、工程或技术服务环境中的技术人员工作做准备的专业。该项目对工科院校物理教学具有一定的借鉴意义。作为项目的一部分，可以对课程改进和学生成果进行评估。

This project provides assistance in improving laboratory instruction in introductory physics courses. Faculty believe that many students in these courses fail to develop adequate understanding of the basic concepts presented. Therefore, this project addresses the identified reasons for this failure: students are not (l) actively involved in the design of experiments; (2) sufficiently engaged in small group, collaborative learning; (3) receiving feedback on the results of many experiments; or (4) using their laboratory time efficiently and for laboratory-dependent activities. This project is making improvements in laboratory instruction by revising the curricula of two introductory physics courses and integrating the use of microcomputer-based laboratory tools into the laboratory component of those courses. Students taking the physics courses improved by this project are in majors that prepare them for work as technicians in manufacturing, engineering, or technical service environments. This project can serve as a model for the instruction of physics to college students in technical programs. Evaluation of both program improvements and student outcomes can be conducted as part of the project.