Institute Wide Integration of Computer Based Instructional Aids into the Science and Technology Curriculum at Caltech

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The proposal requests NSF support for a newly-initiated Caltech program designed to foster Institute-wide development of computer-based teaching tools. These computer-based materials will be prepared on topics spanning the complete range of technical disciplines in the physical and social sciences emhasized at the Institute, including efforts in the physical, chemical, biological, earth, and planetary sciences, mathematics and applied mathematics courses, chemical, electrical, mechanical, civil, environmental, and aeronautical engineering courses, and in economics and the social sciences. To accomplish this task, Caltech is seizing an opportunity to involve its most valuable resource, the skills of its own undergraduate students, intimately into the instructional process, Undergraduate students will work closely with Caltech faculty in developing improved visualization, computation, and communication aids for the instruction of a broad range of technical courses at the Institute. A committee will be established to oversee the Institute-wide teaching reform projects, and this committee will receive student and faculty feedback, will be responsible for dissemination of materials to the faculty and to the non-Institute community, and will report directly to the Caltech administration and Faculty Board regarding the success and future direction for the program. This effort thus strives to be another Caltech-led national model for systemic reform, having a focus on comprehensive, coordinated, Institute-wide efforts to incorporate multimedia materials into the routine course experiences of the science and engineering student.