Strengthening Computation in Upper-Level Undergraduate Physics Programs

尽管计算在当代物理学中具有巨大的重要性，但在本科教学中系统地使用计算机的努力主要集中在入门课程上。从20世纪80年代中期开始，该系在其高级课程中引入了复杂的计算技术。该方法的显著特征包括关注灵活的通用计算包；理论与实验应用；广泛用于编写关于技术主题的报告；分布在整个课程中；最重要的是，尽早地介绍计算，这样，学生们就能自信地、独立地、自主地使用计算机。这个项目将多年来积累的经验和丰富的教学材料转化为一种灵活的出版物，以支持其他机构向物理学本科学生教授计算的努力。为了实现所需的灵活性，该项目创建了许多模块，有些是通用的，有些是针对特定平台和/或应用程序的。正在同商业出版商合作，开发一种方便有效的出版方式，使个人用户能够从这些模块中精选出适合其具体情况的文本。为期一周的教师研讨会和现场测试有助于改进最终产品并促进其传播。

Physics (13)Despite the immense importance of computation in contemporary physics, systematic efforts to use computers in undergraduate instruction have focused on introductory courses. Starting in the mid 1980's, this Department introduced sophisticated computational techniques throughout its upper-level courses. Distinguishing features of the approach include a focus on flexible, general purpose computational packages; application to theory and experiment; extensive use for preparing reports on technical subjects; distribution throughout the curriculum; and most important, introduction of computation early enough so that, subsequently, students use computers confidently and independently on their own initiative. This project is converting the experience acquired over many years, and the extensive library of instructional materials developed, into a flexible publication to support efforts to teach computation to undergraduate physics students at other institutions. To achieve the desired flexibility, the project is creating numerous modules, some generic and others more specific to particular platforms and/or applications programs. Working with commercial publishers, a convenient and effective mode of publication is being developed that will allow individual users to assemble particular selections from these modules into a text that is tailored to their specific circumstances. Week-long faculty workshops and site testing are helping to refine the end product and contribute to its dissemination.