Physics Exploration Center

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Physics (13) A "Physics Exploration Center" (PEC) to supplement lecture-oriented teaching in large introductory physics courses has been designed. At the PEC, physics lecture demonstrations are turned into fun activities that are integrated with the introductory courses. The PEC has been tried on a small scale, and this project is expanding it so that it can serve large numbers of students. The central objective of PEC is to provide students an opportunity for hands-on, demonstration-based homework problems. The PEC experience is different from that of a traditional laboratory, and is meant to be more conceptual and open-ended. The primary purpose is to help students with conceptual understanding of the lecture material, challenge their preconceptions by providing contradictory experiences, and introduce them to scientific method. PEC activities can be particularly beneficial for the intellectual development of underprepared students.