Video-Probe Microscopy to help Undergraduates Visualize the World

学生在从宏观世界到微观世界的概念转换上有很大的困难。我们建议开发和传播一系列材料，将革命性的教学显微镜，视频探针显微镜，引入大学科学入门教室，以帮助学生实现这一转变。这种仪器的效率和戏剧性的效果在以前的实验性激光补助金，探索微观结构：介绍生物学学生和教师的图像，工具和高科技显微镜NSF/激光应用（1991年）中得到了证明。这种技术先进的显微镜包括一个微型的，手持的，自发光的摄像机与可互换的放大镜头连接的混合光纤/电子电缆到控制器盒，反过来连接到电视监视器。通过将透镜的尖端接触到任何被观察的物体，任何年龄或能力的用户立即在常规电视监视器上产生适当放大率的照明良好的聚焦图像。这个工具将是非常宝贵的，在刺激调查在我们的本科生物学和地球科学实验室，特别是非科学专业。可以正常方式进行视频记录。

Students have great difficulty making the conceptual transition from the macrocopic to the microscopic world. We propose to develop and disseminate a collection of materials to introduce a revolutionary teaching microscope, the video-probe microscope, into introductory college science classrooms to help students make this transition. The efficiency and dramatic effect of this instrument was demonstrated in a previous, pilot LaSER Grant, Exploring Microstructures: Introducing Biology Students and Teachers to Images, Tools and Applications of High-Tech Microscopy NSF/LaSER (1991) . This technologically advanced microscope consists of a tiny, hand-held, self-illuminated video camera with interchangeable magnifying lenses attached by a hybrid fiber optic/electronic cable to a controller box which in turn connects to a television monitor. By touching the tip of the lens to any object under scrutiny, a user of any age or ability immediately produces a well-lighted, in-focus image of the appropriate magnification on a regular television monitor. This tool will be invaluable in stimulating investigation in our undergraduate biology and earth science laboratories, particularly for non-science majors. Video recordings can be made in the normal fashion.