Improved Physics Instruction for Non-Science Majors and Prospective Elementary Teachers

这个项目的目的是帮助科学地准备 通过提高非文盲的科学教育， 科学专业（特别关注基础教育） 物理学入门课程（物理学专业） 100）。 本课程的实验室/讲座形式已经 鼓励学生先学习物理， 做实验，然后通过 讲座和讨论。 为了解决许多人 这些学生并不特别擅长使用 数学，一般模式识别所需的移动 从具体实验到抽象原理， 通过图表开发。 这种方法一直很好。 接受;但有两个困难：1）图形 大量的数据可能会变得乏味， 学生们对这个过程和科学感到厌倦 参与;和2）收集足够的数据，以获得洞察力 通过使用科学方法， 非常耗时。 这两个难题可以 通过实验室的计算机化来克服。 数据可以绘制 并使用计算机快速修改。 使用探针 通过与计算机的接口， 迅速收集。 然后可以很容易地绘制这些数据。 因此，更大的重点可以放在科学上， 把精力花在技术细节上。 可以花更多的时间 辨别自然的模式并探索它们的 影响

It is the intent of this project to help prepare scientifically literate citizens by improving the scientific education of non- science majors (with a specific focus on elementary education majors) enrolled in an introductory physics course (Physics 100). A Laboratory/Lecture format for this course is already in place which encourages students to learn physics first by doing experiments and then developing these concepts through lectures and discussions. To address the difficulty that many of these students are not particularly adept at using mathematics, the general pattern recognition required to move from the concrete experiment to the abstract principle is developed through graphing. This approach has been well accepted; however there are two difficulties: 1) graphing significant amounts of data can become tedious, causing students to become weary of the process and the science involved; and 2) gathering sufficient data to gain insight into systems through the use of the scientific method can be extremely time consuming. These two difficulties can be overcome by computerizing the laboratory. Data can be plotted and revised expeditiously using a computer. Using probes interfaced to the computer, significant amounts of data can be collected rapidly. These data can then be easily plotted. Thus, greater emphasis can be placed on the science with less energy expended on technical details. More time can be spent discerning the patterns of nature and exploring their implications.