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努力主要集中在入门课程上。从上世纪80年代中期的S开始，本系在其高级课程中引入了复杂的计算技术。该方法的特点包括注重灵活、通用的计算程序包；应用于理论和实验；广泛用于准备技术科目的报告；分布在整个课程中；最重要的是，及早引入计算，以便学生随后能够自信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化为灵活的出版物，以支持在其他机构向本科生教授计算的努力。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，另一些则更特定于特定的平台和/或应用程序。与商业出版商合作，正在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精选内容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正在帮助完善最终产品，并为其传播做出贡献。

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.