Design and Development of a Computer-Based Materials Science Laboratory

这个概念验证项目的目标是开发一个基于新兴学习理论和有效教学法的软件虚拟实验室工具。该工具可用于工程学科的工程专业学生，以增强他们对材料科学与工程课程和实验室中使用的工程概念、分析方法和问题解决程序的理解。所有正常的实验室操作和功能，如遵循程序、使用设备、遵循安全规则、进行测量和执行数据分析，都在虚拟实验室环境中进行。软件开发方法侧重于NSF的主题，即利用现有的软件技术、数字视频和静态摄影技术、模拟，以及一种逻辑和结构化的方法来呈现材料实验室的任务和目标，将技术整合到教育中。在虚拟实验的各个层次上采用决策树方法，允许用户做出决策（正确或不正确），观察决策的结果，并在迭代过程中执行实验。该软件工具可以作为虚拟体验，与没有实验室元素的讲座课程结合使用，或者作为现有实验课程的准备工具。虚拟体验的主要目标是促进一个自定节奏的发现环境，在这个环境中，用户可以通过正确和错误的决定和答案来验证物理概念并学习实验室程序。根据之前的工作，研究人员已经开发了一个关于金相技术的虚拟实验，该实验需要大约200兆字节的存储空间。在这个项目中，将根据材料科学和工程中的重要概念开发另外四个虚拟实验。（这些实验的存储需求也应该在每个200兆字节左右。）该软件工具将被评估其在满足不同学生群体的学习目标方面的有效性，包括女性和德克萨斯理工大学、塔斯基吉大学和德雷塞尔大学中代表性不足的群体的成员。该软件将通过麦格劳-希尔出版公司在国内和国际市场上分发，作为材料科学教科书的教育补充。

The objective of this proof-of-concept project is to develop a software virtual laboratory tool that is based on emerging learning theories and effective pedagogy. The tool may be of use by engineering students in engineering disciplines to enhance their understanding of engineering concepts, analysis methods, and problem solving procedures that are used in material science and engineering courses and laboratories. All of the normal laboratory operations and functions such as following procedures, using equipment, following safety rules, making measurements, and performing analysis of data are performed in a virtual laboratory environment. The software development approach is focused on the NSF theme of integrating technology into education using existing software technology, digital video and still photography techniques, simulation, and a logical and structured approach to the presentation of materials laboratory tasks and objectives. A decision tree approach is incorporated at various levels of the virtual experiments to allow the user to make decisions (correct or incorrect), observe the results of the decision, and perform the experiment in an iterative process. The software tool to serves as a virtual experience that may be used in conjunction with a lecture course that does not have a laboratory element, or as a preparation tool for an existing laboratory course. The main objective of the virtual experience is to facilitate a self-paced discovery environment in which the user can verify physical concepts and learn laboratory procedures through both correct and incorrect decisions and answers. From previous work the investigators have developed one virtual experiment on metallography techniques that requires a memory space of approximately 200 Megabytes. In this project, four additional virtual experiments will be developed based on important concepts in materials science and engineering. (The storage requirements for these experiments should also be about 200 Megabytes each.) The software tool will be evaluated for its effectiveness in meeting learning objectives for a diverse group of students including women and members of underrepresented groups at Texas Tech University, Tuskegee University, and Drexel University. The software is to be disseminated in national and international markets, as an educational supplement accompanying a materials science textbook through McGraw-Hill publishing company.