Multimedia Laboratory for the Introduction of Computer Assisted Learning into an Undergraduate Multidisciplinary Scientific Curriculum

该项目资助了一个多学科、多媒体、计算机实验室，用于化学和生物科学系以及科学教育计划的教学。这些学科中的许多概念，包括那些涉及分子的三维结构和能量最小化的概念，不适合传统的实验室方法，而是通过使用计算机图形学和建模来更好地研究。本项目涉及课程发展的5个方面：(1)在课程中引入计算机图形学和分子建模；(2)使用商业和教师设计的软件来教授困难的概念和进行计算机模拟实验；(3)开发和引入实验室前和实验室后的批判性思维练习；(4)向专业学生、职前和在职科学教师介绍信息检索技术；(5)引入职前和在职科学教师在课堂上使用多媒体。新的计算机设施还提供教职员工和学生通过互联网访问共享软件图形，教程和数据库。

This project funds a multidisciplinary, multimedia, computer laboratory that is used for instruction by the Departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences and the Science Education Program. Many notions in these disciplines, including those that involve the three-dimensional structure of molecules and energy minimizations, do not lend themselves to traditional lab approaches and are better investigated through the use of computer graphics and modeling. This project addresses 5 areas of curricular development: (1) the introduction of computer graphics and molecular modeling into the curricula, (2) the use of commercial and instructor-designed software for teaching difficult concepts and for performing computer-simulated experiments, (3) the development and introduction of pre- and post-laboratory critical thinking exercises, (4) the introduction of information retrieval technology to majors and to preservice and in-service science teachers, and (5) the introduction of preservice and in-service science teachers to the use of multimedia in the classroom. The new computer facility also provides faculty and student access to shareware graphics, tutorials, and databases through the Internet.