The Optics Project on the Web: WebTOP

在过去的三年中，开发了一个名为网络上的光学项目（WebTOP）的3D，交互式，基于网络的计算机图形系统，帮助学生在入门物理课和高级光学课学习光学。WebTOP包含16个不同的模块，并具有脚本功能，允许用户记录交互式会话并在以后回放。 该系统是在NSF CCLI概念验证资助下开发的。 七所不同大学的教职员工和学生已将其用于课堂演示和家庭作业。学生对WebTOP的评价表明，它可以帮助学生直观地了解和理解光学现象。 目前的项目充分开发了网络TOP，并在全国范围内传播。目标如下。(1)使用来自全国各地大学的七名光学和物理教育专家组成的团队开发一套基于网络的教程，使用WebTOP模块和定向发现问题（详细解决方案）来教授光学的基本原理。(2)通过为WebTOP脚本开发脚本编辑工具并使WebTOP开放源代码，为全国范围内的整个物理和工程社区提供一个使WebTOP适应自己需求的机会。(3)为WebTOP创建三个新模块。 该项目提供了一个包含十九个模块和十三个教程的系统，并建立了一个全国性的大学用户群。

During the past three years a 3D, interactive, web-based computer graphics system called The Optics Project on the Web (WebTOP) was developed that helps students in introductory physics classes and upper-level optics classes learn optics. WebTOP contains sixteen different modules, and has a scripting feature that allows the user to record an interactive session and play it back later. This system was developed under an NSF CCLI proof of concept grant. Faculty members and students at seven different universities have used it for in-class demonstrations and for homework assignments. Student evaluations of WebTOP have shown that it helps students visualize and understand optical phenomena. The current project fully develops WebTOP and disseminates it nationally. The objectives are as follows. (1) To use a team of seven optics and physics education experts from universities across the nation to develop a set of web-based tutorials that use WebTOP modules and directed discovery questions (with detailed solutions) to teach the basic principles of optics. (2) To give the entire physics and engineering community nationally an opportunity to adapt WebTOP to their own needs by developing a script editing tool for WebTOP scripts and by making WebTOP open source. (3) To create three new modules for WebTOP. This project provides a system with nineteen modules and thirteen tutorials and builds a nationwide set of university users.