Developing a Computational Physics Lab Integrated with Upper-division Physics Content

目前正在编制一门高年级的计算物理课程，该课程与俄勒冈州州立大学“物理学范例”项目内正在编制的现有大三物理课程并行和同步。 物理课程中的计算通常以两种方式之一进行处理。无论是学生运行现有的模拟，以帮助他们理解物理，或物理的例子介绍了临时作为学生正在学习使用在执行自己的计算的数值方法的应用程序。 虽然这两种方法都有价值，但该项目旨在创建一门课程，通过让学生在上师课程的背景下创建自己的计算来教授学生物理学。为此，在计算物理学（利用课程集成的Python导向模块）的项目驱动的实验室经验介绍了先进的水平。 在这个实验室课程中，学生将学习如何使用重要的计算工具，就像专业物理学家一样。 考虑到计算对专业科学家的重要性，该课程旨在以所有物理专业学生都能接触到的水平进行教学，特别注意那些最不习惯使用计算机的学生。该项目正在制作一套六个计算实验模块（以及相应的课程材料），正在进行评估，并可供其他学院和大学使用。虽然内容是量身定制和组织，以适应在俄勒冈州立大学三年级的课程，材料的设计是充分的模块化，以便随时纳入在其他学院和大学的高年级物理课程。目前正在为AAPT国家会议举办讲习班，这将直接提高这些计算模块对其他用户的可见度。

An upper-division computational physics course is being developed which runs parallel to and in synchrony with the existing junior-year physics courses that are being developed within the "Paradigms in Physics" project at Oregon State University (OSU). Computation in physics courses is commonly treated in one of two ways. Either students run existing simulations in order to aid their understanding of physics, or physics examples are introduced ad hoc as applications of the numerical methods that students are learning to use in performing their own computations. While both of these approaches have value, this project serves to create a course that teaches students physics by having them create their own computations within the context of upper division courses. To this end, a project-driven laboratory experience in computational physics (utilizing course-integrated Python oriented modules) is introduced at an advanced level. In this laboratory course, students are learning to use important computational tools in the same manner as a professional physicist. In view of the importance of computation to the professional scientist, the course seeks to teach at a level that is accessible to all physics majors, with particular care taken for those who are least comfortable using computers.This project is producing a set of six computational laboratory modules (with corresponding curricular materials) that are being evaluated and made available for use at other colleges and universities. Although the content is tailored and organized to fit the junior-year curriculum at OSU, the materials are designed to be sufficiently modular so as to be readily incorporated into the upper-division physics curriculum at other colleges and universities. Workshops are being developed for AAPT national meetings that will directly increase the visibility of these computational modules for other users.