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

俄勒冈州立大学（OSU）正在开发一门高年级计算物理课程，该课程与现有的三年级物理课程并行，并与之同步，这些课程正在俄勒冈州立大学（OSU）的“物理范式”项目中开发。物理课程中的计算通常有两种处理方式。学生可以运行现有的模拟来帮助他们理解物理，或者将物理实例作为学生在自己的计算中学习使用的数值方法的应用而特别介绍。虽然这两种方法都有价值，但这个项目旨在创建一门课程，通过让学生在高年级课程的背景下创建自己的计算来教授学生物理。为此，一个项目驱动的实验室经验，在计算物理（利用课程集成Python面向模块）介绍在高级水平。在这门实验课程中，学生将以与专业物理学家相同的方式学习使用重要的计算工具。鉴于计算对专业科学家的重要性，本课程力求以所有物理专业学生都能接受的水平进行教学，并特别注意那些最不习惯使用计算机的学生。这个项目正在编制一套六个计算实验室模块（包括相应的课程材料），这些模块正在评估中，并可供其他学院和大学使用。虽然内容是为适应俄勒冈州立大学大三的课程而量身定制和组织的，但这些材料的设计是足够模块化的，以便很容易融入其他学院和大学的高年级物理课程。正在为AAPT国家会议举办讲习班，这些讲习班将直接提高这些计算模块对其他用户的可见性。

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.