The primary goal of the Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment University Physics (SCALE-UP) Project is to determine the best way to establish a highly collaborative, hands-on, computer-rich, interactive learning environment in large-enrollment physics courses. We know from extensive educational research that students should collaborate on interesting tasks and be actively involved with the material they are learning. The physics department at North Carolina State University has had tremendous success with this type of course and would now like to "scale-up" the innovations so that students taking the large enrollment engineering physics courses can benefit. The project folds together lecture and lab with multiple instructors so that it should provide an economical solution to the problem. The project involves the development, evaluation, and dissemination of new curricular materials that will support this type of learning. The SCALE-UP Project has the potential to radically change the way physics is taught at large colleges and universities. The pedagogical techniques should be general enough to encourage similar reforms in other large science, engineering, and mathematics classes.
