The physics department is equipping introductory physics laboratories with microcomputer data acquisition and analysis equipment at each lab station. The goal is to enhance the experimental component of the introductory courses by increasing the diversity of phenomena which can be studied, improving the efficiency with which data can be taken, and allowing the instructor to tailor the teaching of a particular experiment to the level of the students involved. At the lowest level, software written by the instructor guides the students' interaction with the experiment. At a higher level, students write portions of the software needed to control the experiment. This exposure to computer interfacing prepares the students for their advanced laboratory experiences in which similar equipment and techniques are used. The equipment includes sixteen digital mulitmeters with IEEE-488 interfaces and sixteen MS-DOS compatible personal computers with IEEE-488 digital input/output, analog-to- digital input and digital-to-analog output interfaces. All computers are connected in a Local Area Network, run by a single file server equipped with a fast, high-capacity hard drive. Software is being written in standard, high-level programming languages. The college is matching the award with an equal amount of funds.
