The Optics Project on the Web: WebTOP

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During the past three years a 3D, interactive, web-based computer graphics system called The Optics Project on the Web (WebTOP) was developed that helps students in introductory physics classes and upper-level optics classes learn optics. WebTOP contains sixteen different modules, and has a scripting feature that allows the user to record an interactive session and play it back later. This system was developed under an NSF CCLI proof of concept grant. Faculty members and students at seven different universities have used it for in-class demonstrations and for homework assignments. Student evaluations of WebTOP have shown that it helps students visualize and understand optical phenomena. The current project fully develops WebTOP and disseminates it nationally. The objectives are as follows. (1) To use a team of seven optics and physics education experts from universities across the nation to develop a set of web-based tutorials that use WebTOP modules and directed discovery questions (with detailed solutions) to teach the basic principles of optics. (2) To give the entire physics and engineering community nationally an opportunity to adapt WebTOP to their own needs by developing a script editing tool for WebTOP scripts and by making WebTOP open source. (3) To create three new modules for WebTOP. This project provides a system with nineteen modules and thirteen tutorials and builds a nationwide set of university users.