Strengthening Computation in Upper-Level Undergraduate Physics Programs

物理学（13）尽管计算在当代物理学中非常重要，但在本科教学中使用计算机的系统性努力主要集中在入门课程上。 从20世纪80年代中期开始，该部门在其高级课程中引入了复杂的计算技术。 该方法的突出特点包括专注于灵活的通用计算软件包;应用于理论和实验;广泛用于编写技术主题报告;在整个课程中分布;最重要的是，尽早引入计算，以便随后学生自信地和独立地主动使用计算机。该项目正在将多年来获得的经验和开发的广泛的教学材料库转换为灵活的出版物，以支持在其他机构向本科物理学生教授计算的努力。 为了实现所需的灵活性，该项目正在创建许多模块，其中一些是通用的，另一些则是针对特定平台和/或应用程序的。 正在与商业出版商合作，开发一种方便有效的出版模式，使个人用户能够将这些模块中的特定选择汇编成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完善最终产品，并有助于其传播。

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.