Project Sherlock: An Interactive Multimedia Program in Forensic Science to Enhance Introductory Chemistry (Science)Courses

私家侦探为非理工科学生开设了一门名为“化学与犯罪：从夏洛克·福尔摩斯到现代法医学”的基础化学课程，采用了创新的教学方法。在课堂上，这种方法包括通过首先讨论“科学”在其解决过程中起作用的犯罪来激发学生对将要讨论的科学主题的兴趣。在实验室中，同样的原则表现在激发学生的兴趣，在一个有凝聚力的调查中进行一系列实验，而不是简单地分配一组不相关的练习。这些实验帮助“调查小组”解决了他们被叫去调查的犯罪案件和他们处理过的现场。实验室使用的“发现法”受到了全国的关注，许多同事也进行了类似的创新。然而，许多机构没有足够的资源来开发这样的实验室项目，随着时代的变化，他们越来越关注让学生接触到现在被认为是潜在危险的环境。由于PI已经证明了法医学可以用来激发人们对科学的兴趣，而且年轻人对计算机图形学很感兴趣，因此决定使用计算机动画模拟来广泛、深入地调查在模拟犯罪现场收集的科学证据，并使用模拟科学仪器进行研究。在国家科学基金会的支持下，一个计算机动画犯罪现场模块和三个计算机动画仪器/程序模块正在开发中。这些将被纳入一个交互式CD-ROM（和最喜欢连接到万维网）为基础的教学工具。通过使用这些模块，学生将能够处理犯罪现场并收集物证供以后分析。在计算机模拟犯罪实验室中，学生将能够使用仪器模块来分析证据。除了使用仪器/程序模块产生的数据外，光盘还将包含子程序，指导用户了解仪器和分析方法的必要理论和背景。虽然这些模块是作为一个整体使用的，但它们也可以单独使用，动画仪器模块不仅可以增强法医学课程的实验项目，还可以用于专业入门科学课程的实验项目。PI将指导计算机动画模块的开发，开发故事板，并监督计算机接口和将组件整合到课程中。还将提供额外支助，用于开发分析其他类型物证的其他模块。预计这种基于计算机/万维网的多媒体教学形式，作为包括实际实验室经验在内的整体课程的一部分，将通过激发兴趣和产生热情来加强科学教育，而不是促进科学枯燥和困难的刻板印象。该项目预计将对本科教育产生影响，因为除了信息内容及其在空间和时间上的可视化外，虚拟实验室组件将提高批判性思维，定量技能和科学写作技能。

The PI instituted innovative teaching techniques in an elementary chemistry course called "Chemistry and Crime: From Sherlock Holmes to Modern Forensic Science" for the non-science major. In the lecture hall, this approach involved stimulating the student's interest in the science topic to be discussed by first discussing a crime in which the "science" was instrumental in its resolution. In the laboratory, the same principle manifested itself by stimulating the student's interest in conducting a series of experiments in a cohesive investigation rather than simply assigning a collection of unrelated exercises. The experiments helped the "investigative unit" resolve a crime to which they had been called and which scene they had processed. The "discovery method" used in the laboratory has received national attention and many colleagues have instituted similar innovations. However, many institutions do not have the resources to develop laboratory programs along these lines and, as times have changed, are increasingly concerned with exposing the students to situations now recognized as potentially dangerous. Since the PI has demonstrated that forensics can be used to spark interest in science and since it is a given that young people are intrigued by computer graphics, it was decided to use computer animated simulations to allow extensive, intensive investigation of scientific evidence collected at simulated crime scenes and studied using simulated scientific instruments. With support from the NSF, a computer animated crime scene module and three computer animated instrumentation/procedure modules are under development. These will be incorporated into an interactive CD-ROM (and most like linked to the world wide web) based instructional tool. By using these modules, the student will be able to process the crime scene and collect physical evidence for later analysis. In the computer simulated crime lab, the student will be able to use the instrumentation modules to analyze the evidence. In addition to the data generated by using the instrumentation/procedure modules, the CD will contain subroutines instructing the users in the necessary theory and background of both the instrument and the analytical method. While these modules are intended to be used as a package, they could be used individually and the animated instrumentation modules will enhance not only the laboratory program in the forensic science course but also could be used in the laboratory programs in introductory science courses for majors. The PI will guide the development of the computer animated modules, develop the story board and oversee the computer interfacing and the integration of the components into the curriculum. Additional support will be used for the development of additional modules for the analysis of other types of physical evidence. It is anticipated that this multimedia form of computer/world wide web based instruction, as part of an overall program including actual laboratory experience, will enhance science education by stimulating interest and engendering enthusiasm instead of promoting the stereotype that science is boring and hard. This project is expected to have an impact on undergraduate education because, in addition to the informative content and its visualization in space and time, the virtual laboratory components will enhance critical thinking, quantitative skills, and science writing skills.