Student undergraduate laboratory and project work

Abstract

During the last decade 'labwork' courses at university level have changed significantly. The beginning of this development was indicated and partly initiated by the EU-project 'Labwork in Science Education' funded by the European Community (1999–2001). The present special issue of the European Journal of Physics focuses on a multitude of different aspects of this process. The aim of this publication is to improve the exchange of experience and to promote this important trend.In physics research labs a silent revolution has taken place. Today the personal computer is omnipresent. It controls the experiment via stepping motors, piezo-microdrives etc, it monitors all parameters and collects the experimental data with the help of smart sensors. In particular, computer-based modern scanning and imaging techniques open the possibility of creating really new types of experiments. The computer allows data storage and processing on the one hand and simulation and modelling on the other. These processes occur in parallel or may even be interwoven. The web plays an important role in modern science for inquiry, communication, cooperation and publication. Traditional labwork courses do not prepare students for the many resulting demands. Therefore it is necessary to redefine the learning targets and to reconsider the learning methods. Two contributions show exemplarily how modern experimental devices could find their way into students' labs. In the article 'Infrared thermal imaging as a tool in university physics education' by Klaus-Peter Möllmann and Michael Vollmer we can see that infrared thermal imaging is a valuable tool in physics education at university level. It can help to visualize and thereby enhance understanding of physical phenomena of mechanics, thermal physics, electromagnetism, optics and radiation physics. The contribution 'Using Peltier cells to study solid–liquid–vapor transitions and supercooling' by Giacomo Torzo, Isabella Soletta and Mario Branca proves that new experiments which illustrate both fundamental physics and modern technology can be realized even with a small budget.Traditional labwork courses often provide a catalogue of well known experiments. The students must first learn the theoretical background. They then assemble the setup from specified equipment, collect the data and perform the default data processing. However, there is no way to learn to swim without water. In order to achieve a constructivist access to learning, 'project labs' are needed. In a project labwork course a small group of students works as a team on a mini research project. The students have to specify the question of research, develop a suitable experimental setup, conduct the experiment and find a suitable way to evaluate the data. Finally they must present their results e.g. in the framework of a public poster session. Three contributions refer to this approach, however they focus on different aspects: 'Project laboratory for first-year students' by Gorazd Planinšič, 'RealTime Physics: active learning laboratories' by David Sokoloff et al and 'Labs outside labs: miniprojects at a spring camp for future physics teachers' by Leos Dvorák. Is it possible to prepare the students specifically for project labwork? This question is answered by the contribution 'A new labwork course for physics students: devices, methods and research projects' by Knut Neumann and Manuela Welzel. The two main parts of the labwork course cover first experimental devices (e.g. multimeters, oscilloscopes, different sensors, operational amplifiers, step motors, AD/DA-converters). Then subjects such as data processing, consideration of measurement uncertainties, keeping records or using tools like LABVIEW etc are focused on. Another concrete proposal for a new curriculum is provided by James Sharp et al, in 'Computer based learning in an undergraduate physics laboratory: interfacing and instrument control using MATLAB'. One can well imagine that project labs will be the typical learning environment for physics students in the future. However, the details of this change should be based on a better understanding of the learning process in a students' lab. A deeper insight is given by the contribution of Claudia von Aufschnaiter and Stefan von Aufschnaiter in 'University students' activities, thinking and learning during laboratory work'.A second important alteration has taken place in physics education during the last decade. The so-called new media have changed the world of learning and teaching to an unprecedented extent. Learning with new media is often much more related to physics labwork than to traditional lectures or seminars (e.g. small learning groups, problem based learning, a high level of interactivity). We need to take these new tools into consideration as suitable amendment (blended learning) or substitution (e-learning, distance learning) of labwork courses. The developments with presumably the highest impact on physics education are modelling tools, interactive screen experiments and remote labs.Under 'modelling tools', all computer programs are summarized which enable the simulation of a physical process based on an explicit or implicit given formula. Many commercial program packages are available. The application of modelling tools in labwork courses permits a tight binding of theory and experiment. This is particularly valid and necessary in the case of project work.An interactive screen experiment (ISE) is a computer assisted representation of a physical experiment. When watching a video clip of an experiment students are forced to be passive observers. In the case of an ISE they can manipulate the setup on the screen with the help of a hand-like mouse pointer and the computer will show the appropriate result. The ISE consists of a large number of digital photos taken from the real experiment. From an epistemological point of view an ISE has the character of an experiment and can be used to discover or to prove a physical law. Many more details and an overview of possible applications can be found in the contribution 'Multimedia representation of experiments in physics' by Juergen Kirstein and Volkhard Nordmeier.A remotely controlled lab (RCL) or 'remote lab' (RL) is a physical experiment which can be remotely controlled via web-interface (server) and client-PC. During recent years a lot of RLs have appeared and also disappeared on the web. At first sight it seems fascinating to use a rare and sophisticated experiment from any PC which is connected to the web. However, in order to provide such a high level experiment continuously and to manage the schedule for sequential access, an enormous amount of manpower is necessary. Sebastian Gröber et al describe their efforts to provide a number of useful RCLs in the contribution 'Experimenting from a distance—remotely controlled laboratory (RCL)'.At many universities, physics labwork courses are also provided for students of other disciplines. Usually these groups are significantly larger than the group of physics students. Labwork courses for these groups must account for the specific objectives and students' learning conditions (previous knowledge, motivation). Heike Theyßen describes a targeted labwork course especially designed for medical students: 'Towards targeted labwork in physics as a subsidiary subject: enhancing the learning efficiency by new didactical concepts and media'. The term 'targeted' refers to the specific choice of content and methods regarding the students' learning conditions as well as the objectives of the labwork course. These differ significantly from those of labwork courses for physics students. In this case two targeted learning environments were developed, implemented and evaluated by means of several comparative studies. Both learning environments differ from traditional physics labwork courses in their objectives, didactical concept, content and experimental setups. One of them is a hypermedia learning environment, in which the real experiments are represented by ISEs.We are just at the beginning of the process of developing new labwork courses. Students' labs are often provided for large learning groups. Therefore the development of new methods as well as the acquisition of new equipment demands a large amount of investment. Using the paths of communication and cooperation established in science, we can optimize the process of renewal in order to spare manpower and financial means. Robert Lambourne exemplarily presented the cooperation project piCETL in his article 'Laboratory-based teaching and the Physics Innovations Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning'.The articles show that the renewal process has many different facets. New concepts are in demand as well as new experimental setups; the new media as well as the recent progress in didactic research have a strong influence on the trends. All aspects are closely linked, which can be seen by the number of mutual citations in the contributions. In order to give the reader an orientation we have structured the content of this special issue along the following lines:• successful new ideas for student labs and projects • new roles of student labs and project work • information and communication technology in laboratory and project work. This special issue provides an overview and examples of best practice as well as general concepts and personal contacts as stimuli for an enhancement of the renewal of labwork courses at university level.