Alice L. Bean DUE 9551883 U of Kansas Main Campus FY1995 $ 49,856 Lawrence, KS 66045 ILI - Instrumentation Project: Physics Title: Computer-Assisted Data Acquisition in Introductory Physics Laboratories at the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University The University of Kansas Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Haskell Indian Nations University will collaborate on the development of several computer-aided experiments for their introductory physics laboratories. These experiments will bolster the instruction of concepts in mechanics, electrostatics, and thermodynamics by allowing students to relate classroom formalism directly to laboratory observations. In developing the experiments, which will be done by students enrolled in an advanced design laboratory at the University of Kansas, an emphasis will be placed on the pedagogy offered by the measurements. The unique situation, which has the nation's foremost Native American college located next to a major research university, will be utilized by initially introducing the experiments that are developed at Kansas in the Haskell setting, where the class sizes are small and individualized instruction is possible. After the experimental procedures are optimized at Haskell, the experiments will then be incorporated into the Kansas sequence. In addition to strengthening the courses at both institutions, this partnership should help Haskell students who wish to transfer to other institutions through a better coordination of their syllabus with that at Kansas. At present, Haskell is unable to offer a baccalaureate degree in the sciences. Greater cultural diversity in the sciences will be achieved at Kansas by attracting interested students from the Haskell program.
