A Computer-Based Laboratory-Classroom for Active Learning In Introductory Physics and Astronomy

奥斯丁学院物理系正在将几种来源的主动学习技术应用于一个新的小型多功能教室实验室，用于物理和天文学入门课程的教学。在我们以微积分为基础的两个学期的物理入门课程中，我们将采用和实施由Dickinson学院的Priscilla Laws开发的Workshop Physics。同样的教室-实验室空间，配备了17台联网的Macintosh G3电脑，最多可容纳32名学生，是基于代数的物理入门课程的地点，我们正在实施和采用同伴指导技术（Mazur, 1997）。通过更好的教育公司开发的网络版classstalk测试，实现了学生之间的实时互动。我们正在调整由Sokoloff， Thornton和Laws开发的实时物理套件的实验，以便在本课程中使用，从而使它们与车间物理每周时间表同步。我们使用适当的评估工具，例如广泛使用的概念评估，来监督我们的努力，使结果通过物理会议、网页和适当期刊上的文章提供。在一学期的非科学家天文学入门课程中，同样的设施也用于调整和实施基于活动的材料。具体来说，我们正在适应和扩展哈佛天体物理中心Paul Green开发的同侪指导技术、基于发现的天文学活动（Robbins等人，1995年）和CLEA项目（葛底斯堡学院Marshall）开发的天文学模块。

The Austin College Department of Physics is adapting active-learning techniques from several sources for use in a new small multipurpose classroom-laboratory in the teaching of introductory physics and astronomy. In our two-semester calculus-based Introduction to Physics we are adapting and implementing Workshop Physics developed by Priscilla Laws at Dickinson College. The same classroom-laboratory space, equipped with seventeen networked Macintosh G3 computers accommodating a maximum of thirty-two students, is the site of an algebra-based introductory physics course in which we are implementing and adapting the Peer Instruction technique (Mazur, 1997). Real time student interactivity is achieved through a trial networked version of Classtalk developed by Better Education Inc. We are adapting experiments from the RealTime Physics suite developed by Sokoloff, Thornton and Laws for use in this course so as to bring them into synchrony with the Workshop Physics weekly schedule. We use appropriate evaluation instruments, such as the widely-used conceptual assessments, to monitor our efforts making the results available via physics meetings, web pages, and articles in appropriate periodicals. The same facility is used to adapt and implement activity-based materials in a one-semester introduction to astronomy for non-scientists. Specifically, we are adapting and expanding upon the peer instruction techniques developed by Paul Green at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics, the discovery based astronomy activities (Robbins, et. al., 1995), and astronomy modules developed by Project CLEA (Marshall at Gettysburg College).