A Networked Classroom for Polarized Light Microscopy to Improve Student Learning in the Microscopic Examination of Geologic Materials

地质学（42）地质系在汉密尔顿是适应“工作室教室”的概念，这已被成功地用于在其他机构教物理，数学和工程，创建一个网络工作室教室偏振光显微镜。该项目结合了技术的系统使用环境中，使合作学习。“工作室”的特点是四个岩相工作站集群配置，以促进学生小组工作。每个岩相显微镜都有一个集成的实时视频馈送，与集群中的计算机联网。教师有一个中央工作站，每个集群有一个传入视频源，两个传出视频源，两个数据投影仪各有一个。教师的工作站作为一个选择和切换设备，使一个真实的实时视频图像从任何显微镜可以传送到任何一个数据投影仪显示在一个大屏幕上的学生讨论。教室使我们能够彻底改变几乎所有课程中地质材料的微观研究的教学，并引入基于探究的活动，合作学习和小组学习，这些在传统的显微镜实验室中很难，每个学生都在孤立地工作。

Geology (42) The Geology Department at Hamilton is adapting the concept of the "studio classroom", which has been used successfully at other institutions to teach physics, mathematics, and engineering, to create a networked studio classroom for polarized light microscopy. The project combines the systematic use of technology within an environment that enables cooperative learning. The "studio" features clusters of four petrographic work stations configured to promote student group work. Each petrographic microscope has an integrated live video feed networked to a computer at the cluster. The instructor has a central work station with incoming video feeds, one from each cluster, and two outgoing feeds, one to each of two data projectors. The instructor's work station serves as a selection and switching device so that a real- time video image from any of the microscopes can be delivered to either of the data projectors for display on a large screen for student discussion. The classroom allows us to revolutionize teaching of the microscopic study of geologic materials in virtually all courses in the Department and to introduce inquiry- based activities, cooperative learning, and group learning that are difficult in a traditional microscopy lab, where each student works in isolation.