Students have great difficulty making the conceptual transition from the macrocopic to the microscopic world. We propose to develop and disseminate a collection of materials to introduce a revolutionary teaching microscope, the video-probe microscope, into introductory college science classrooms to help students make this transition. The efficiency and dramatic effect of this instrument was demonstrated in a previous, pilot LaSER Grant, Exploring Microstructures: Introducing Biology Students and Teachers to Images, Tools and Applications of High-Tech Microscopy NSF/LaSER (1991) . This technologically advanced microscope consists of a tiny, hand-held, self-illuminated video camera with interchangeable magnifying lenses attached by a hybrid fiber optic/electronic cable to a controller box which in turn connects to a television monitor. By touching the tip of the lens to any object under scrutiny, a user of any age or ability immediately produces a well-lighted, in-focus image of the appropriate magnification on a regular television monitor. This tool will be invaluable in stimulating investigation in our undergraduate biology and earth science laboratories, particularly for non-science majors. Video recordings can be made in the normal fashion.
